You will have many doctor visits and medical tests before you have surgery. Your doctor will:

• Do a complete physical exam
• Make sure other medical conditions you may have, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart or lung problems, are under control

If you are a smoker, you should stop smoking several weeks before your surgery. Ask your doctor or nurse for help.

Always tell your doctor or nurse:

• What drugs, vitamins, herbs, and other supplements you are taking, even ones you bought without a prescription
• If you have been drinking a lot of alcohol, more than 1 or 2 drinks a day

During the week before your surgery:

• You may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot. Some of these are aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), vitamin E, warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), or ticlopidine (Ticlid).
• Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
• Prepare your home for your return from the hospital.

On the day of your surgery:

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.
• Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
• Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.