Are there medications to avoid prior to surgery?
A. Prior to your surgery you will receive a list of medications to avoid. Most of the medications have to do with the tendency to increase bleeding and bruising. You should avoid aspirin as well as other products that have aspirin in it. Other medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Aleve) and the other similar type of medications should be avoided. It is important to tell your plastic surgeon every medication, including supplements, which you have ingested within the last few months. This includes diet pills, weight loss drugs, vitamins and herbs. DO NOT take St. John’s Wort, Echinacea, Ginseng, Ma Huang (Ephedra,) and Vitamin E within a month of your procedure. If you are taking anti-depressants, please tell both your plastic surgeon and your anesthesiologist because he will need to adjust your anesthesia dosage accordingly. Feel free to bring the bottles with you to an appointment so we will have an accurate medical record.
