Medications to Avoid Before Your Rhinoplasty Surgery

You must inform your surgeon and whoever administers anesthesia of every medication, vitamin, and dietary or herbal supplement you take. Because many drugs and supplements take as long as several weeks to be fully purged from the body, tell them of any product that you used in the last 6 months. 

You will probably be told to avoid all types of aspirin and anything containing aspirin for up 2 weeks before your surgery. You may also be told to avoid ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), another common pain reliever. Both of these increase the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery.

Aspirin is a common ingredient in many pain relievers and over-the-counter medicines, so make sure you read the labels. If you need an aspirin-free fever reducer or pain reliever, ask your surgeon if you can take Tylenol (acetaminophen), which does not interfere with blood clotting.

Make sure you tell your surgeon about herbal remedies you use. Do not assume that herbal products are safe because they are "natural." Many herbal supplements, notably St. John's wort, interact with medications.

If you use any drugs recreationally, tell your doctor. Stop using all recreational drugs well in advance of your surgery. Stop smoking at least 2 weeks before your surgery and don't start again until at least 2 weeks afterward. Your body will not heal as well and you will develop more visible scars if you smoke.

This list does not include every drug that might cause a problem if you are having surgery. Do not use this list in place of telling your surgeon what medications or supplements you take. We have a printer-friendly version of this list.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

All Advil products, Alka-Seltzer, Aluprin, Aleve, Amigesic Capsules, Anacin, Ansaid, Analval, Anaprox, Anaprox-DS, Anaproxen, Anodynos, Ansaid, APC, Argesic, Arthra-G, Arthralgen, Arthritis Pain Formula, Arthritis Strength Bufferin, Arthropan, Arthropan Liquid, Ascodeen, Ascriptin, all Ascriptin products, Asperbuf, Aspercin,  Aspergum, aspirin (of any kind, including suppository form), ASpirTab, Asprimox products, ASA Tablets, Axotal, Azdone, azulfidine products

B

B-A-C, all Bayer Aspirin products, BC Powder/Tablets, Bismatrol, bilberry tablets, Brufen products, Buff-A-Comp, Buff-A Comp No.3 Tablets with codeine, Buffaprin, Buffasal, all Bufferin products, all buffered aspirin products, Buffets II, Buffex, Buffinol, Butalbital, Butal/ASA/caffeine compound, Butazolidin

C 

Cama Arthritis Pain Reliever, Cataflam, carisoprodol, cayenne, Cephalgesic, Cheracol, Clinoril, Congespirin, Contac products, Cope, Coricidin products, Coumadin, Cosprin products, CP-2

D

Damason-P, Darvon products, Daypro, Deprenyl, diclofenac, diflunisal, dipryridamole, Disalcid, Diurex, Doan's products, Dolobid, Dolophine, Drinophen, Dristan products, Duoprin products, Duradyne DHC

E

Easprin, echinacea, Ecotrin products, Eldepryl, Emagrin, Empirin products, Emprazil, Endodan, Epromate-M, Equagesic, Equazine-M, etodolac, Excedrin

F 

Feldene, fenoprofen, Fiogesic, Fiorinal products, Florgen, Flurbiprofen, 4 Way Cold products

G

Garlic tablets or supplement, Gelpirin, Genpril, Genprin, Gensan, Ghemnisym, Ginger, Gingko biloba, Goody's Headache Powder products

H

Haltran, heparin, Halfprin

I

Ibu, Ibu-Tab, ibuprofen, Ibuprin, Ibuprohm, Indocin, Indochron, indomethacin, Infantol, iproniazid, isocarboxazid, Isollyl

J

K

Ketoprofen, ketorolac

L

Lanorinal, licorice root, Lodine, Lortab ASA     

M  

Magan, Magnaprin, Magsal, all MAO inhibitors, Marnal, Marplan, Marthritic, Measurin, meclofenamate, Meclomen, Medigistic-Plus, Medipren, Menadol, Meprogesic, methocarbamol, Micranin, Midol products, Mobidin, Mobigesic, Momentum, Monogesic, all Motrin products

N    

Nabumetone, Nalfon, Naprosyn, Nardil, nefazodone, Norgesic products, Norwich Extra Strength Aspirin, Nuprin, NyQuil/NyQuil P.M.    

O        

Omega-3 oil (fish oil), Orphenagesic products, Orudis, Oruvail, oxycodone/aspirin            

P

P-A-C, Pabalate, Pacaps, Pamprin-IB, Panalgesic, Panodynes, papaya, Parnate, PediaProfen, Pedrazil, pentoxifylline, Percodan products, Persantine, Persisrin, PetoBismol, Phenaphen, phenelzine, pine bark extract, piroxicam, Presalin, Propoxyphene, Ponstel, Pycnogenol

Q

Quagesic, Quiet World

R 

Relafen, Rexolate, Robaxin, Robasisal, Roxiprin, Rufen, Robaxisal    

S

S-A-C, Salatin. Saleto products, Salflex, salicylamide, Salocol, salsalate, Salsitab, selegiline, Serzone, Sine-Aid products, Sine-Off products, Soma Compound products, St. Johns wort, St. Josephs Aspirin products, sodium thiosalicylate, Stanback Analgesic, Sudafed, sulindac, Supac, Synalgos products

T

Talwin, Tenol-Plus, Tolectin products, tolmetin, Toradol, tranylcypromine, Trendar, Trental, Triaminicin, Tricosal, Trigesic, Trilisate, Tri-Pain

U

Ultrapin, Unipro

V

Valesin, Vanquish, ViroMed, Vitamin E, Voltaren

W

Warfarin, Wesprin Buffered

X

Y

Yohimbe

Z

Zactrin, Zorprin

Special Medication Alert!

If you are on antidepressants, please advise your doctor. Some antidepressants are in a class called monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (occasionally abbreviated as MAOI) that can cause problems when combined with anesthesia, especially general anesthesia. If you take or have taken MAO inhibitors, your surgeon and anesthesiologist can make adjustments for your anesthesia and watch for any problems