Procedure Preparation
There are a few simple rules to follow before a procedure. Please see the complete steps to prepare for a procedure below.
Preparing for a Procedure
In preparing for your procedure we ask that you follow a few simple rules:
1. Please do not eat any solid food or drink any liquids within 8 hours of your procedure time, except for a sip of water to take usual medications.
2. Please take your regular medicines on the day of the procedure with the exception of insulin. We have specific instructions for diabetics on insulin. See below.
3. Potent platelet inhibiting drugs (e.g. Plavix; Ticlid) and/or Coumadin (Warfarin) and other “blood thinners” must be stopped prior to certain injections. See below.
Our “official procedure” instruction sheet is below.
**All patients are required to have a driver to take them home.**
• Any solid or liquid ok until 8 hours prior to procedure
• NO solids or liquids within 8 hours of procedure
Diabetics on Insulin
• A.M. appointments: Take 1/2 your dosage of insulin and drink clear liquid.
• P.M. appointments: Take a full dosage of insulin, drink clear liquid; may eat Breakfast before 8A.M.
• Take all your regular oral (by mouth) medications, especially your blood pressure medicines on the day of the injection.
Anticoagulant (“blood thinner”) policy
• You MUST check with your primary care physician and/or cardiologist to confirm that you can temporarily discontinue your blood thinning medicine around the time of certain injection(s).
• NSAIDs/ASA/”Arthritis Medicines” – e.g. aspirin; Celebrex (celecoxib); Motrin (ibuprofen); Aleve (naproxen); Mobic (meloxicam), etc. – NO restrictions.
• NOTE: If patient is also taking one of the drugs listed below – stop NSAIDs 7 days prior to procedure
• Coumadin – stop 7 days prior to procedure
• Plavix (clopidogrel) – 7 days prior to procedure
• Ticlid (Ticlopidine) – 14 days prior to procedure
• Enoxaparin sodium (Lovenox) –
• dosage regimen 30mg SC q 12h or up to 40 mg SC once daily: last dose 12 hours priorto injection; first post-injection dose 12 hours after injection
• higher dosage regimens (i.e. 1.5 mg/kg SC once daily or 1 mg/kg SC twice daily): last dose 24 hours prior to injection; first post-injection dose 24 hours after injection
• Platelet GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists, including abciximab (Reopro), eptifibatide (Integrilin), and tirofiban (Aggrastat) – 48 hours prior to procedure
Quick Access
Serving all of north Alabama, we’re conveniently located at 2208 Danville Rd, SW, Suite G, Decatur, AL 35601