The one rule that matters most
Never stop a prescribed medication on your own
Especially blood thinners, heart medications, and diabetes medications. Stopping some of these
without a plan is more dangerous than the surgery itself. Every stop-and-restart decision is made
with the prescribing clinician.Bring a complete list
Include prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements, with doses. Supplements matter; several affect bleeding and interact with anesthesia.
Categories we will review with you
| Category | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Blood thinners | Warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel | Timing is coordinated with your prescriber, individualized, never one-size-fits-all |
| NSAIDs | Ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin products | Can increase bleeding; you will receive specific guidance on when to pause |
| Diabetes medications | Insulin, metformin, GLP-1 agonists | Doses often change around fasting and surgery day; GLP-1 timing affects anesthesia |
| Immune-modifying medications | Rheumatoid/psoriasis biologics, steroids | May affect infection risk and healing; coordinated with your rheumatologist |
| Supplements & herbals | Fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, turmeric | Several increase bleeding risk and should be reviewed individually |
| Weight-loss / GLP-1 injections | Semaglutide, tirzepatide | Tell us, since these change fasting requirements for anesthesia safety |
Surgery-day medications
At your pre-operative visit you will receive a written list of exactly which medications to take with a sip of water on the morning of surgery, and which to hold. The facility’s instructions are always the ones to follow; keep them with this sheet.