When to Stop Eating and Drinking

Unless otherwise instructed

   These guidelines are for general purposes only. Your primary care physician or surgeon may require you to follow an alternative plan, which we request that you follow.
  • Quantity: Although the below guidelines allow you to eat and drink the day of your procedure, limit the amount you ingest.
  • Carbohydrate Drink: If instructed by your surgeon, consume your “Carbohydrate Drink” prior to your procedure.

About Medications

14 Days prior to procedure

STOP Nutritional / Herbal Medications and Supplements

Examples, but not limited to:

Alfalfa, Echinacea, Ephedra, Feverfew, Fish Oil, Garlic, Ginger, Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng / Siberian Ginseng, Goldenseal, Licorice, Kava Kava, Saw Palmetto, St. John’s Wort, Turmeric (Curcumin), Valerian, Vitamin E

After midnight (12AM) the day of procedure

STOP tobacco and smokeless tobacco products.

Examples: chewing tobacco, cigarettes and vaping products

8 Hours prior to procedure

NOTHING to eat.

6 Hours prior to procedure

STOP drinking NON-CLEAR liquids.

ALLOWED: Clear Liquids

  • Water: flat or sparkling
  • Fruit Juice: strained with no pulp
  • Soft Drinks: ginger ale, cola, Sprite, 7-up
  • Sports Drinks: Gatorade or Powerade
  • Black Coffee & Tea
  • Bouillon or Broth
  • Gelatin or Jell-O
  • Popsicles
  • Hard candies & mints

NOT ALLOWED: Non-Clear Liquids

  • Milk or creamer: Including in coffee & tea
  • Juice: Citrus, prune, tomato, & juice with pulp
  • Pudding
  • Creamy Beverages
  • Smoothies
  • Jell-O: with fruit or toppings
  • Ice Cream, Sherbet, Fruit Filled Popsicles

7 Days prior to procedure

STOP Anti-Inflammatory, Blood Thinning and Anti-Clotting Medications

Examples, but not limited to:

Advil, Aggrenox, Aleve, Antibiotics, Aspirin, Celebrex, Effient, Eliquis, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Lovenox, Meloxicam (Mobic), Motrin, Naprosyn, Naproxen, Plavix, Pletal, Pradaxa, Relafen, Toradol, Tyclopidine (Ticlid), Voltaren (Diclofenac), Warfarin (Coumadin), Xarelto

Diabetic, Blood Thinners, Anti-Clotting Medications

If you are a diabetic, or on any type of anticoagulants (blood thinners), or anti-clotting medication, you must speak to your primary care physician and/or surgeon about these medications regarding any changes that may be needed to your routine for surgery, and create a necessary plan.

Antibiotics, Herbal, Over-the-Counter Medications

Let your surgeon know if you are on a current course of antibiotics, and/or herbal and over-the-counter remedies.

Prescriptions and Pain Control

You have the right to expect appropriate pain control. We may not be able to get rid of all of your pain, but we can lower your pain to a level you can handle. Your physician may write a prescription for pain pills that will be used at home. The Yellowstone Surgery Center does not fill prescriptions; therefore, you will need to be prepared to purchase your pain medication at your pharmacy of choice.

3 Hours prior to procedure

STOP drinking CLEAR liquids

Medical Marijuana Notice

While the Yellowstone Surgery Center understands the benefit patients receive from the use of any prescribed medication or treatment, Yellowstone Surgery Center does not allow patients to possess or use medical marijuana while at our surgery center.