Patient Education Colorectal Cancer: Your Care and Recovery | Page 22

Surgery Care
Preparing for Surgery
To help prepare for surgery, your doctor may have you:
• Get a Medical Checkup. Have a thorough exam before surgery by your
primary care doctor. Your surgeon may require “medical clearance” from
your medical doctor before you have surgery.
• Pre-operative Testing. Your surgeon may want you to have lab work,
X-rays, or other testing done before your surgery. It is important for you
to get this done promptly to give your surgeon time to review the results
before your surgery.

Medications
Tell your surgeon about all the medications you take, and ask whether you
should stop taking them. This includes prescription medications, aspirin,
over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
If you are taking aspirin, Coumadin®, Plavix®, or any other type of
medication that may thin your blood, be sure to let your surgeon know. You
will need to stop this medication before surgery.
• Two weeks before your surgery, stop taking aspirin or aspirin-containing
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