You will meet with your anesthesiologist (the doctor who will give you your anesthesia medicine and monitor your condition before, during, and right after your surgery. You will discuss your medical history to help determine the right amount and type of anesthesia to use. You may be asked to stop eating and drinking after midnight the night before the procedure.

Be sure you tell your doctor or nurse about any medicines you take, evendrugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. Also tell your doctor if you have any allergies or if you have a history of bleeding problems.

You may be asked to stop taking any drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot 2 weeks before your surgery. Some of these are aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and some herbal supplements.