Know your medicines...
The medications listed here (and potentially many others) may have an effect on the blood coagulation mechanism or other effects on the safety of your surgery. If your family doctor has prescribed any of these for you, be sure to tell Dr. Godfrey. In some cases, the medication may have no effect on your surgery, and you will be counseled to continue the medication as usual, but its presence needs to be noted. In no case should you medicate yourself with any drugs (even if they are not listed here) without the knowledge of your family doctor and Dr. Godfrey.
| Aspirin-Containing Compounds: | Aspirin Containing Ointments: |
| Alka-Seltzer Fiorinal Anacin Ascriptin BC Powder Bufferin Cheracol Cope Coricidin Darvon Cmpd Doan's Pills Dristan Ecotrin Empirin Excedrin Midol Pamprin Pepto-Bismol Percodan Robaxisal Sine-Aid Sine-Off Sinu-Tab Stendin Synalgos DC Triaminicin Vanquish YSP |
Absorbent Rub Braska Musterole Absorbine Arthritic Counterpain Rub Neurabalm Absorbine Jr. Dencorub Oil-O-Sol Act-On-Rub Doan's Rub Omega Oil Analbalm Emul-O-Balm Panalgesic Analgesic Balm End-Ake Rid-A-Pain Antiphlogistine Exocaine Plus Rumarub Arthralgen Exocaine Tube Sloan's Aspercreme Heet Soltice Hi-Therm Banalg Icy Hot Soltice Quick Rub Baumodyne Infra-Rub PD Ben Gay Lini-Balm Stimurub Ben Gay Ex Str Mentholatum Surin Ben Gay Gel Mentholatum Deep Yager's Liniment Ben Gay Greaseless Minit-Rub Zemo Liquid/Ointment |
| Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents: | Anorexant: (React With Adrenalin): |
| Advil Motrin Anaprox Naprosyn Butazolidin Nuprin Clinoril Tolectin Indocin Tolectin DS Kutapressin Zomax |
Tenuate Dospan |
| Anti-Spasmodic: (React With Adrenalin): | Anti-Depressant: (React With Adrenalin): |
| Tenuate | Elavil Tofranil Endep Triavil Pamelor Surmontil |
| Antibiotics: | Anticoagulants: |
| Flagyl |
Coumadin Persantine Heparin |
| Antihistamines: | Analgesics: |
| Ru-Tuss | Nalfon 600 |
| Tranquilizers: | Miscellaneous: |
| Compazine Stelazine Mellaril Trilafon Sparine |
Vitamin E |
Hidden dangers from herbals...
| Many patients do not tell their surgeons what they are taking. A recent study at the Mayo Clinic of patients undergoing a periodic health examination found that more than half of patients who take dietary supplements and nearly half of those who take nonprescription medications do not inform their physicians. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, May 1999, vol. 74, no. 5) Patients fail to tell their doctors about supplements for a number of reasons. Many do not think of these products as medicine, and others are afraid of what their doctor may say to them. However, the plastic surgeon needs to know everything the patient is taking not just prescription drugs because some supplements adversely affect surgical outcomes. A number of commonly used supplements can jeopardize the safety of the patient in surgery... |
St. John's wort, which has a mild monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory effect and may intensify the effect of anesthesia. |
| Yohimbe, (the "natural" Viagra®) and licorice root, which also have MAO effects and increase the potency of the anesthetic. |
| Gingko biloba, a powerful anticoagulant is considered to be three times stronger than vitamin E. (cause bleeding) |
| Ginger, garlic, cayenne and bilberry have antiplatelet activity and may inhibit clot formation. (cause bleeding) |
| Ginseng has been associated with episodes of hypertension and tachycardia. |
| Melatonin decreases the amount of anesthesia needed for surgery. |
| Echinacea may impact the liver when general anesthetic is used. |
| Aloe, used topically, can cause contact dermatitis, and when ingested, can create low potassium levels. |
| PC-SPES, used for prostrate cancer, has a definable incidence of deep vein thrombophlebitis. |
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| The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recently noted that a number of anesthesiologists have reported significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure in some patients who have been taking herbal medications. Just as doctors ask patients about their use of prescriptions drugs, they need to inquire about OTC drugs and any kind of dietary supplement anything that is not food. Even when patients are taking multi-vitamins, physicians need to know exactly what they contain. Some of the most popular brand-name vitamins are now promoting combination pills that include the usual vitamins as well as supplements for the reduction of stress, extra energy, increasing memory and other specialized needs. In the past, herbals were found only in health food stores. Now they crowd the shelves of grocery stores, drug stores, and discount chains. American consumers self-prescribe from an increasing array of OTC drugs. Some assume that because a substance is "natural," it is safe. What they fail to understand is that many plants contain strong chemicals, and some are actually poisonous. There are no established manufacturing standards for dietary supplements and these products are not required to obtain FDA approvals or to prove efficacy and safety. The purchaser cannot even be sure that an herbal potion contains what is described on the label. |
Cosmetic Surgery Pre-op instructions...
| Listed below are general pre-operative instructions relevent to most cosmetic surgeries. Use the menu to have the scroller show other instructions based upon procedure type. |
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Cosmetic Surgery Post-op instructions...
| Listed below are general post-operative instructions relevent to most cosmetic surgeries. Use the menu to have the scroller show other instructions based upon procedure type. |
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