Preparing for your Surgery

If you're scheduled for surgery soon, you're probably wondering how you should prepare. Look to the quick tips below for general pre-surgery dos and don'ts.

Two weeks before surgery:

• STOP taking herbal megavitamins or weight loss products

One week before surgery:

• STOP taking aspirin, ibuprofen or similar medications

24 hours before surgery:

• STOP using alcohol or recreational drugs

• STOP taking Glucophage^® or Glucovance^®

8 hours before surgery:

• STOP eating or drinking

• STOP smoking or chewing tobacco

The morning of surgery:

• TAKE your usual blood pressure, breathing, seizure and heart medications with a small sip of water (if approved by your doctor) and DO NOT TAKE diuretics (water pills) or antacids (Maalox^®, Tums^®, etc.)