Preparing for Surgery

Once a decision to have surgery is made with your doctor, you will need to know what to expect from the surgery and how to prepare for it to achieve the best results possible. If you are prepared mentally and physically and know your role in the recovery process, you may have fewer problems.

Before surgery

  • Inform your surgeon if you are taking medications such as blood thinners.  In some cases, patients might have to withhold these medications prior to the surgery. The period of time to withhold the medication also varies and you need to check with your doctor for specific instructions. Inform your doctor of any allergies to medications. Please see section below on Pre-admission Medication Information.

  • Some tests (blood tests, X-rays or an ECG) may be necessary before the surgery. You should do these tests early enough for the results to come through.

  • Discuss with your doctor the options for potential blood replacement should you need a transfusion during the surgery. Donating your own blood may be an option. If you are a Jehovah’s witness, you should inform your doctor.

  • You may be asked to be reviewed by your anaesthetist before the surgery. This is an important appointment that you should not miss.

  • Report any infection that you may have, so they can get treated before the surgery to avoid complications.

  • Try to stop or cut down on smoking to improve your recovery.

  • Eat a well balanced diet leading up to the surgery.

  • Plan for your transport home after the surgery. You may need someone to drive you home.

  • If you are having surgery in the morning, you should not eat or drink after midnight the evening before your surgery. If you have surgery in the afternoon, you should fast after a light meal at 0700 in the morning.

Pre-admission Medication Information

Prier to your admission to hospital, it may be necessary for you to stop taking certain medications, which are known to affect blood clotting. Please check with your doctor, or your doctor’s nurse as soon as possible to find out if you need to stop any of the following medications.

Below is a list of medications which you must stop taking TEN DAYS before your hospital admission if instructed by your doctor. Check with your doctor to find out whether you can, or need to, take other medications in their place. You should continue taking any other regular medications. It is also necessary for you to bring all your regular medications into hospital with you, on the day of your admission.

Pain Killers containing Aspirin

  • Action Cold & Flu

  • Alka Seltzer

  • Aspirin

  • Aspalgin

  • Aspro Preparations

  • Bayer Aspirin

  • Bex tablets and Powders

  • Codiphen

  • Codis

  • Codox

  • Codral Forte

  • Codral Cold Tablets

  • Decrin Powders

  • Disprin Forte

  • Ecotrin

  • Herron Aspirin

  • Home Brand Clear Aspirin

  • Morphalgin

  • Soilprin

  • Spren

  • Veganin Subject

  • Vincent’s Powders

 

Anti-Inflammatory Medication

  • Aclin

  • ACT-3

  • Acriprofen

  • Aleve

  • Anaprox

  • Arthrexin

  • Arthrotec 50

  • Brufen

  • Bugesic

  • Candul

  • Celebrex

  • Celecoxib

  • Clinoril

  • Crysanal

  • Diclofenac

  • Diclohexal

  • Dinac

  • Dolobid

  • Feldene

  • Fenac

  • Fensaid

  • Hexal Diclac

  • Ibuprofen

  • Indocid

  • Inza

  • Ketaprofen

  • Mefic

  • Meloxicam

  • Mobic

  • Mobilis

  • Naprogesic

  • Naorisyn

  • Naproxern

  • Nurofen

  • Nurolasts

  • Orudis

  • Oruvail

  • Pirohexal-D

  • Piroxicam

  • Ponstan

  • Proxen SR

  • Rafen

  • Rosig

  • Sulindac

  • Surgam

  • Tenixicam

  • Tilcotil

  • Toradol

  • Tri-Profen

  • Vioxx

 

Anticoagulant Medications

Check with your specialist before you stop taking these medications. You may need to start on other medications when you’re not taking these anti-coagulant medications.

  • Aggrastat

  • Arixtra

  • Asasantin

  • Astrix

  • Calciparin

  • Cardiprin

  • Cartia

  • Clexane

  • Coumadin (Warfarin)

  • Dindevan

  • Fragmin

  • Fraxiparine

  • Isocover

  • Marevan

  • Orgaran

  • Persantin

  • Plavix

  • Reapro

  • Thrombotrol VF

  • Ticlid

  • Ticlohexal

  • Ticlopidine Hexal

 

Natural Therapy Preparations

You should stop taking all Natural Therapy Preparations as these may interfere with the clotting ability of the blood ­– including FISH OIL and OMEGA 3 supplements.

On the day of the surgery

  • Please arrive early for your surgery.

  • On the morning of the surgery, take only the medications approved by your surgeon with tiny sips of water. In particular, check with your doctor if you can take your diabetes medications on the morning of the surgery.

  • Bring your ID and insurance cards.

  • Remember to bring your list of medications and all the relevant X-rays to the hospital. Some surgeons will refuse to do the surgery if you do not bring the X-ray films along.

After surgery

  • After the surgery, be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding diet, medication and activity. In general, you should limit yourself to light activities. At the same time, do not lie in bed all day as that increases the risks of chest infection and blood clots in the legs.

  • Do not drive, smoke, drink alcoholic beverages or operate heavy machineries for 24 hours after the surgery.

  • After arriving home, wait until you are hungry before trying a light meal. You may still be nauseous from the effects of the anaesthesia.

  • Take your pain medication as directed. You may need to take it as soon as you start feeling uncomfortable and before the pain gets severe.

  • Check with your doctor when you can go back to work and whether there are any work restrictions in the early period.

  • Contact your surgeon immediately if you develop fever or other infection.

  • Contact your surgeon if you have any concerns or questions regarding your recovery.

You should attend your post-op appointment so your doctor can check for any complications.