Rules for your regular medication before surgery

You will need to take your medication as usual in connection with the surgery.

However, there are the following exceptions:

Acetylsalicylic acid (e.g., Hjerdyl®, Hjertemagnyl®, Kodimagnyl®, Treo®)

Stop 7 days before surgery and resume the day after surgery. There are the following exceptions: 

PLEASE NOTE: If you have previously had a blood clot, undergone balloon angioplasty or had a stent inserted in your heart, special rules apply and you may only stop taking Acetylsalicylic Acid when agreed with the doctor.

Other types of blood thinners

During your pre-surgery consultation, You should discuss with your surgeon if you need to stop taking blood thinners for a while prior to surgery.

NSAIDs (painkiller “arthritis medication”)*

Stop 5 days before surgery. However, 14 days for piroxicam (Felden®, Pirom®), phenylbutazone (Fenylbutazon®) and tenoxicam (Tenoxicam®, Tilcotil®).

*, e.g., Arcoxia, Bonyl, Brufen, Burrana, Celebra, Celebrex, Confortid, Diclodan, Diclofenac, Diclon, Dynastat, Eox, Ibumax, Ibumetin, Ibuprofen, Ibustar, Ipren, Ketesse, Meloxicam, Migea, Modifenac, Naproxyn, Nurofen, Relifex, Seractiv, Surgamyl, Tilcitin, Todalac, Vimovo, Voltaren, Xefo, Arthotec.

Diabetes medicine

• If surgery is scheduled before 12 noon, you should not take insulin and other blood sugar regulating medication in the morning on the day of surgery.
• If surgery is planned after 12 noon, you will need to take insulin and other blood sugar regulating medication as usual in the morning on the day of surgery.

Natural medicines, supplements including fish oils

Stop 14 days before surgery and resume the day after surgery.

Naltrexone

Stop 3 days before surgery and resume 3 days after stopping morphine-like medication after surgery.