Medications to Avoid Before Surgery

The medications listed below (and potentially many others) may have an effect on your blood's ability to coagulate. Please review all your medications-both over the counter and prescription drugs-with your surgeon. In many cases, your medication will have no effect on your surgery, and you be counseled to continue with your medication as usual, but your surgeon must be aware of what you are taking and all prescriptions should be documented in your medical record. In no case should you medicate yourself with any drugs (even if they are not listed here) without the knowledge of your primary care physician and your surgeon.

Common Medications

• Aspirin (Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin, Excedrin)
• Choline and magnesium salicylates (CMT, Tricosal, Trilisate)
• Choline saliclate (Arthropan)
• Celecoxib (Celebrex)
• Diclofenac potassium (Cataflam)
• Diclofenac sodium (Voltaren, Voltaren XR)
• Diclofenac sodium with misoprostol (Arthrotec)
• Diflunisal (Dolobid)
• Etodolac (Lodine, Lodine XL)
• Fenoprofen calcium (Nalfon)
• Flurbiprofen (Ansaid)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Motrin IB, Nuprin)
• Indomethacin (Indocin, Indocin SR)
• Ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail)
• Magnesium salicylate (Arthritab, Bayer Select, Doan's Pills, Magan, Mobidin, Mobogesic)
• Meclofenamate sodium (Meclomen)
• Mefenamic acid (Ponstel)
• Meloxicam (Mobic)
• Nabumetone (Relafen)
• Naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan)
• Naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox)
• Oxaprozin (Daypro)
• Piroxicam (Feldene)
• Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
• Salsalate (Amigesic, Anaflex 750, Disalcid, Marthritic, Mono-Gesic, Salflex, Salsitab)
• Sodium salicylate (various generics)
• Sulindac (Clinoril)
• Tolmetin sodium (Tolectin)
• Valdecoxib (Bextra)

Herbal Supplements

• Echinacea
• Ephedra
• Feverfew
• Fish Oil
• Garlic
• Ginko Biloba
• Ginger
• Green Tea
• Kava Kava
• St. John's Wort
• Valerian
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C (large doses)

Birth Control

• Birth control pills
• Estrogen replacement
• Estrogen creams or patches

Blood Thinners

• Coumadin
• Warfarin sodium
• Ximlagatran
• Clopidogrel
• Plavix