Night before surgery

Follow these instructions:

  • You may eat solid food up until 8 hours before you arrive (unless directed otherwise by your Surgeon). Solid food includes dairy, soy, creamers, chewing gum, breath mints, lozenges, broth or bouillon, orange juice or other juice with pulp, alcohol, Tums, Rolaids, or Mylanta.
  • Drink plenty of hydrating drinks
  • Follow skin cleaning directions

 

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Always follow any special instructions from your Surgeon in place of what is listed here. Call your Total Joint care team if you need clarification.

Day of surgery

You can continue to drink only the following liquids up until 2 hours before arrival time:

  • Water
  • Pedialyte®, Gatorade® (clear color)
  • Apple juice (NO orange juice)
  • Coffee, tea (NO milk, cream, sugar)

 

Day of Surgery

  • Take all prescription medications on the day of surgery, unless you have been specifically told not to. You may take your prescription medicines with small sips of water, but it must be at least 2 hours before arriving to the Surgery Center.
  • Do NOT take any non-prescription medicines. If you have reflux or GERD, take your prescribed reflux or indigestion pills.
  • Do NOT take chalky antacids, such as Tums or Maalox. If you have asthma, use your inhaler on the morning of surgery and bring it with you.
  • If you have diabetes: Do NOT take any diabetes pills, Regular (R) insulin, or Lispro® (Humalog) insulin. If you use insulin in the morning, you may take up to half of your NPH (N) or glargine (Lantus®) insulin. If your blood sugar is too low at any time, take clear juice or glucose tablets.
  • If you have diabetes: Contact your primary care physician regarding management of diabetes medications and insulin.