Would like anyone's input/information regarding the stopping of medications prior to surgery date...  How did you feel?  I was told to stop medication 10days prior to my EDAS surgery which is scheduled April 7,2005 by Dr. Winfield Fisher at UAB Hospital.. Getting nervous any information would be helpful!!

4evermine how are you?  My wife stopped using plavix before surgery, but she was allowed to continue the 81 mg of aspirin.  It took a few days for the Plavix to exit the body, but she was fine for the most part.  She did have a TIA, but we were told it was part of the initial withdrawl from the medicine.  So no worries you will be fine.  It is just 10 days.  I think if you look up plavix on the website, it will give you a time of 5 - 15 days to completly exit the body.  My wifes doctor recomended plenty of water and not to become that active.  

Hope this helps,

Wayne

:)Thank you Wayne for responding to my question, Dr.Fisher is having me to stop the aspirin also... Yes, I do drink plenty of water daily..  How long ago did your wife have surgery?  What type of surgery did she have??
Dana

Dear Evermine,

Before my 1st operation (sta-mca), I stopped taking aspirin (1 regular) around 2 weeks before, thinking that you have to stop taking it before surgery.  I started having more "blips" (momentary fuzziness) & numbness & called Theresa at Stanford.  She told me DO NOT go off aspirin!!!; the anesthesiologists make corrections in the amount of meds. they give you, knowing that you need to stay on it.  Your doctor & type of surgery is different than my experience but I thot I would just share my experience.  By the way, I have now had 2-bypass operations on my heart & I have taken all meds (incl. plavix & aspirin) up until my operations; my heart doc talked to Dr. Steinberg to understand mm before my operations.

I don't want to scare you by telling you all this; sorry if I did.  Could you call Dr. Steinberg & get their opinion about going off aspirin?  They may know something more about it, just because of the volume # of mm patients they work with.  Just a thought...Good luck with your surgery!!!  debs

Just goes to show you that different docs say different things.  I was told by Dr. Scott to go off my daily aspirin (81mg) 10 days before my surgery and 10 days before my 1 year follow up angio.  When I went off before my surgery I was having TIAs almost every day.  Again - don't mean to scare you.  Before my one year angio I had no problems at all when I stopped taking the aspirin.  

Don't know what I can tell you but to follow up with your doctor if you have any questions or hesitations about stopping the aspirin (IMO).

-Shari  

Dana,

My wife had EC-IC (direct) bypass on her left side 8 months ago and EDAS (indirect) on her right side 6 months ago.  She is fine and is taking 81 mg of aspirin every day.  It depends on your doctor on what they will recomend.  That took me along time to accept.  (Control Freak) J/K  The thing is you are on your road to recovery now.  The stats are in your favor and I am happy you are moving forward.  Every doctor has their preference and that is all it is about.  Listen to your doctor, because what he ask you to do will be the best situation for him to help you.

You go

Wayne

Hey there! I just had my first surgery on the 4th of March. My Dr. told me to go off of the Plavix two weeks before my sx date, but to keep taking the aspirin until the morning before the surgery. He told me that the anesthesiologist could make the proper adjustments for someone on aspirin. That's my  [smiley=twocents.gif]

Don't want to scare anyone.  My husband had bypass 1 1/2 years ago, was only on aspirin and was told to go off it 7 days before surgery, no problems.  Coming up to his 2nd surgery, he was only on plavix, no aspirin, and to stop taking it 7 days before surgery.  The night before surgery, he had a big TIA, couldn't get speech out for about ten minutes and lost the use of his left leg.  Once again, don't want to scare you, just our experience.