Prescription meds and supplements

[CRM-Mom]

Hello - my question is about prescription meds and supplements. I've received written instructions to stop all anti inflamatory meds one week prior to surgery except for low dose aspirin. It also said to discontinue supplements and named several. I am not clear on whether or not I can still take some or all of my supplements, but I will call and clarify that w/ the doctor's office. What I am wondering is if anyone takes any supplements after surgery -- like COQ10, or omega 3 fish oil, sam-e, vitamins. I am concerned that I still will get to take my allergy and asthma meds up until surgery because I need them. Who usually makes the decisions on the meds? Is it the cardiologist or the surgeon?
Thanks,
CRM-mom

 

[Philip B]

Meds

Meds

The problem with the supplements and meds pre-op is that they will probably be pumping you full of other medications during and following surgery. Some of the other meds and supplements you take may not react well with the stuff they give you.

Ideally, your surgeon and cardiologist should be on the same page with the meds you need to take and those you need to stop taking. Encouraging collaboration would probably be appropriate. Are your surgeon and cardiologist aware of your concerns about the meds and supplements that you take? If not, talking to them about your concerns and having them answer your questions would be a good thing.

-Philip

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Good Answer Philip !

I suggest writing ALL of your Rx and Supplements on a sheet of paper and sending that to BOTH your Cardiologist and Surgeon.

Note that ALL of the following affect Bleeding issues:
CoQ10, Vitamin E, and Omega 3 Fish Oil

FWIW, I take 1000 iu of Fish Oil and 81 mg of Aspirin.
My Cardiologist recommended no more than the minimum daily dose of Vitamin E. (I do not take CoQ10 but have wondered about that )

'AL Capshaw'

 

[hensylee]

I was put on a statin and developed leg problems. Dr's nurse practitioner told me to add CoQ10 to see if it helped. (after surgery, of course) I have also been advised to take omega3 fishoil to help lower cholesterol. Do you needd to lower yours? these mentioned above are what mine were/are for.

when leaving the hospital, my instructions included a daily vitamin.

I would certainly check the asthma meds as you certainly don't want to get up on surgery day and have an attack.

when in doubt about anything, check it w/your doctors as said above. Good advic.e

 

[Jkm7]

Please verify about continuing aspirin up to the date of your surgery. My surgeon was definite about my stopping aspirin entirely for two weeks prior to my surgery. He gave me a lengthy list of all products which contain aspirin (I was shocked how many) and made himself very clear I was to take none of them.

I had my pre-op the day before my surgery and one of the first questions they asked was if I had stopped my aspirin. I think my surgery would have been delayed if I had.

 

[Bina]

Regarding the week before OHS, I would make life simple and stop the supplements.
One week without certain vitamins and whatever else will not harm you at all.
The asthma meds you will need to clear with the surgeons office or anesthesiologist.
Post op supplements......you may just need to wait and see what other meds you will be on.
We are all very different.

 

[CRM-Mom]

Hi Everyone - and thank you again for all the great advice. I did talk to the surgeon's office today and they gave me the rules for all the supplements and prescriptions. I agree it was best to talk to the dr. office about it rather than guess.

My surgery has been moved up one day due to scheduling conflicts. I am going in on Tues. May 6th rather than Wed. May 7th. One less day to worry about it.

My team at the office gave me a good luck luncheon today and my manager wrote a funny poem sending me off to get better and return healed up. He also told me to take the full 12 weeks off and do not worry about hurrying back or think I should be working from home on my laptop. I am lucky to have nice people to work for. In fact, they are not letting me take my work laptop home at all during my leave.

 

[MNmom]

Sounds like you have a great bunch of co-workers! That is nice to be able to plan on being out for 3 months ahead of time, so you dont set yourself up for unreasonable goals. So you have basically one week left now to wait! Best of luck to you, cant wait to hear from you when you are in recovery!
MNmom

 

[Jkm7]

.......

My team at the office gave me a good luck luncheon today and my manager wrote a funny poem sending me off to get better and return healed up. He also told me to take the full 12 weeks off and do not worry about hurrying back or think I should be working from home on my laptop. I am lucky to have nice people to work for. In fact, they are not letting me take my work laptop home at all during my leave.

How wonderful to work in such a great office with a fabulous manager. I'm so happy for you that you do not have to rush your recovery and hurry back to work as so many have to do. I do not work outside my home but have always had much empathy for the self-employed and those who do not have generous/understanding bosses.

I am curious though..... Did your surgeon's office tell you to stop all aspirin?

 

[CRM-Mom]

prescription meds and supplements

prescription meds and supplements

To answer the question about aspirin - my surgeon's office said to stay on the low dose aspirin up to surgery. My regular bp med, allergy and asthma med and metformin is also ok. The supplements and antinflammatory med had to stop 5 and 7 days ahead. I asked about this a couple of times. I have a sore knee now though because I was taking an anti-inflamatory for it and sam-e for joint pain. Sam-e is a supplement which works well for joint pain. I think after surgery I'll find out if I can take the sam-e later on and try not to use the anti-inflamatory since they aren't the best to take long term.

Thanks again for all the support. I have 4 days left to wait for my aortic valve replacement--wow!

CRM-mom