• Take your usual morning blood pressure and heart medicines with a sip of water. Ask your doctor or the pre-procedure nurse about any other medications you take.
  
  
• Do not wear any make-up on your face or around your eyes on the day of surgery. Do not wear any fingernail polish. If you have acrylic nails, remove the acrylic and polish from one finger.
  
  
• Wear your glasses instead of contacts on the day of surgery. If you must wear your contacts the day of surgery, bring a container for your lenses.
  
  
• All jewelry must be removed, including all body piercing jewelry.
  
  
• Wear comfortable clothing, preferably a button-down shirt.
  

Night Before Surgery

• Take nothing by mouth after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes not drinking any liquids, eating food, chewing gum, having a mint or smoking cigarettes.
  Adults can shower or bathe the night before surgery, or on the morning of surgery. Do not swallow any water.
  

24 Hours Before Surgery

• Do not smoke or drink alcohol 24 hours prior to surgery.
  

One Week Before Surgery

• Avoid non-prescription products containing aspirin and/or aspirin-like compounds. This includes but is not limited to Alka-Seltzer Antacid/Pain Reliever, Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine, Anacin, Anacin Maximum Strength, Ascriptin, Aspergum, Bayer Aspirin, Bayer Children's Chewables, Bayer 8-Hour Extended Release, Bayer Maximum Strength, Bayer Plus, BC Powder/BC Cold Powder, Buffaprin, Bufferin, Bufferin Arthritis Strength, Cama Arthritis Pain Reliever, Doan's Pills, Ecotrim, Effervescent, Empirin, Excedrin Extra Strength, Midol, Mobigesic Analgesic, P-A-C Analgesic, Pepto-Bismol, Sine-Off Aspirin, St. Joseph Adult Chewable Aspirin, Therapy Bayer, Trigesic, Ursinus Inlay or Vanquish Analgesic.
  
  
• Avoid prescription AND non-prescription products containing Ibuprofen (this includes but is not limited to Advil, Advil Cold/Sinus, Bayer Select Ibuprofen Pain Relief, Children’s Advil Suspension, Children’s Motrin Suspension, Dristan Sinus, Ibuprofen, Midol IB, Motrin, Nuprin Ibuprofen or Sine-Aid IB).
  
  
• Avoid prescription AND non-prescription products containing Naproxen sodium (this includes but is not limited to Aleve, Anaprox/Anaprox DS, Darvon Compound 65, Disaicid, Easprin, Empirin with codeine, Equagesic, Florinal with codeine, Lortab ASA, Magsal, Mono-Gesic, Naprosyn Suspension, Norgesic & Norgesic Forte, Percodan & Percodan-Demi, Robaxinal, Salflex, Soma Compound, Soma Compound with codeine, Synalgos-DC, Talwin Compound or Trilisate).
  
  
• Avoid Vitamin E. We also recommend not taking some natural herbs, such as St. John's Wort, Ginko Biloba and Feverfew.
  
  
• Tylenol products are okay.
  

General Instructions Before Surgery

• Before your procedure, we will need a copy of your insurance cards and photo identification. We accept co-pay/deductible payments by credit card, check or cash. Payment arrangements may also be made with the patient representative.
  Leave all valuables at home.
  
  
• Talk with your nurse or anesthesiologist about a light breakfast if your surgery is scheduled for later in the day.
  
  
• If you are having an outpatient procedure, you must arrange for a responsible adult to take you home and stay with you.
  
  
• You may want to bring pillows or blankets for your trip home.
  
  
• If you develop a cold, persistent cough, fever or any other health-related problems, or if you need to cancel your surgery, please notify your physician.
  
  
• You have the right to expect appropriate pain control. We may not be able to rid you of all your pain, but we can lower your pain to a level you can handle. Your physician will write a prescription for pain pills that you will use at home. NWOS and the Orthopaedic Surgery Center do not fill your home prescriptions. You will need to be prepared to purchase your pain medication at your pharmacy of choice.
  

Children under 12 Years of Age

• Take nothing by mouth after midnight the night before surgery. This includes not drinking any liquids, eating food, chewing gum, having a mint or smoking cigarettes.
  Do not brush your teeth or take a bath on the day of your surgery.
  
  
• Wear comfortable clothing, preferably a button-down shirt. Bring extra underwear or diapers for young children. If they are taking a bottle, bring one empty bottle and one with their usual formula. It is suggested that you bring a security item with them, such as a favorite toy or blanket.