MEDICINES AND HERBS THAT CAUSE BLEEDING
DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOR 2 WEEKS BEFORE AND 1 WEEK AFTER SURGERY. EVEN ONE PILL DURING THE 2-WEEK PERIOD IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE BLEEDING DURING SURGERY!
- Do not take prescription medications to thin the blood. (These are usually stopped 3-4 days prior to surgery. Ask your doctor first before stopping these).
- Coumadin, Heparin, Plavix, Lovenox, Persantine
- Do not take medications that relieve pain due to headache, arthritis, menstrual cramps, muscle soreness, etc or cold medications.
- aspirin, advil, ibuprofen, motrin, aleve, midol, pamprin
- Do not take herbal supplements and vitamins:
- more common: vitamin E, fish oil, flax seed oil, alpha lipoic acid, echinacea, garlic supplemens, gingko biloba, st. john’s wort,
- less common: bilberry, cayenne, dong quai, feverfew, ginger, ginseng, hawthorne, kava kava, licorice root, ma huang, red clover, valerian, yohimbe
Tylenol, Extra Strength Tylenol, Tylenol Migraine or Tylenol PM are OK.
Vitamins A, B, C, and D are okay, as are Benadryl, Sudafed, calcium and magnesium.
Please check with your primary care physician, internist or cardiologist prior to stopping any medications.
Please ask us if you have any questions or are taking any medications or supplements not mentioned above.