Prepare for Your Surgery

• Stop eating after midnight the night before your surgery.
• You may drink clear liquids (like water, clear juice without pulp, or black coffee/tea without cream or sugar) in small amounts until 2 hours before your arrival time at the hospital.

Important: Some medications can increase bleeding or affect your surgery. Please follow these guidelines:

• Blood Thinners
  • Do not take medications such as Coumadin (Warfarin), Lovenox, Plavix, Eliquis, Xarelto, Aggrenox, Effient, Brilinta, or Ticlid for 7–10 days before surgery.
  • If you currently take any of these and have not been told when to stop, call your surgeon’s office right away.
• Aspirin and Aspirin-Containing Products
  • Avoid all aspirin products (Bayer, Excedrin, Alka-Seltzer, etc.) for 7–10 days before surgery.
  • Check with your pharmacist if you are not sure whether a product contains aspirin.
• NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
  • Do not take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or similar medications for 7–10 days before surgery.
• Menopausal/Menstrual Relief Medications
  • Avoid medications such as Provera, Premarin, Pamprin, or Midol.
• Herbal Supplements and High-Dose Vitamins
  • Stop taking herbs (like St. John’s Wort, Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng, etc.) and high-dose vitamins 7–10 days before surgery.
• Allowed Medications
  • Unless otherwise directed, continue your usual medications as prescribed.
  • If you take blood-thinning medications or diabetes medications and have not received special instructions, please call your surgeon’s office.
  • On the day of surgery, you may take your regular medications with only a small sip of water.
• Pain Relief if Needed
  • Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be used for pain unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

• Aspirin: Do not take for one week before surgery.
• Smoking: Stop smoking at least one week before surgery.
• Alcohol: Stop drinking any alcohol at least 2 days before surgery.

• Clothing and personal items
  • Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes to the hospital.
  • Bring any aids you use (like glasses, dentures, hearing aids, canes, walkers, or wheelchairs).
• CPAP machine
  • If you have sleep apnea and use CPAP equipment, please bring your device with you on the day of surgery.

• Do not wear
  • Jewelry (including rings and watches)
  • Makeup, nail polish, hair pieces, or hair pins
• Leave valuables at home
  • We cannot replace lost or misplaced items, so please only bring essential items.

• Please bring any medical records, test results, or imaging studies (such as CT, MRI, or X-rays) that have not already been provided to your surgeon’s office.

• An advance health care directive lets you name someone to make healthcare decisions for you if you cannot speak for yourself. It also gives you a chance to say what types of medical treatment you do or do not want.
• If you already have one, please bring a copy on the day of surgery.
• If you would like more information, speak with your doctor, spiritual advisor, or family members ahead of time.

• Outpatients
  • If you are going home the same day of your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to take you home.
  • If you need help arranging a ride, please call the Patient Affairs Department at (310) 267-9113 for information on support services.
• Overnight patients
  • If you will spend the night in the hospital, your planned discharge time is 11:00 a.m. the next day.
  • Please arrange for someone to pick you up before 11:00 a.m.