How many days before being put under by anaesthetic do I stop taking Nurofen / aspirin for an operation?

I'm having my wisdom teeth taken out, and was told by a friend who had her wisdom teeth taken out that she had to stop taking Nurofen and Aspirin 5 days prior to her operation.





I went to a different Dr and he just said to tell the Anaesthetist of all the medication I was taking just minutes before the operation begins.





I stopped taking Nurofen (is there Aspirin in this? It doesn't say on the box, and I haven't taken actual ASPIRIN labelled medication) on the day I found out, but between then and the operation it's just 3 and a half days... :S and I can't get through to my Dr or Anaesthetist because of their damn receptionists! What do I do...?

How many days before being put under by anaesthetic do I stop taking Nurofen / aspirin for an operation?
I was told for sinus surgery recently to stop taking all aspirin-like drugs, including ibuprofen, for 2 weeks. Since Nurofen contains ibuprofen, I would have had to stop taking that. Both drugs cause increased bleeding.





All you can do is talk to your doctor when you do get through their receptionist - a little assertiveness gets me through the worst of them to a nurse, at least, who is usually helpful. Meanwhile, by stopping the drug, you've done about all you can. I am guessing that the difference between 3.5 and 5 days isn't going to matter, but your doctor will let you know.
Reply:Optimally, aspirin should be discontinued 14 days prior to surgery. Nurofen (Ibuprofen) should be discontinued 48-72 hours before surgery.





Ibuprofen is much less likely than aspirin to cause any bleeding problem. Just stay off it till your surgery, you will be fine. Get a recommendation from your doctor about how long you should stay off after your procedure.
Reply:I was told to stop taking aspirin %26amp; ibuprofen a week prior to a surgical procedure..
Reply:Nurofen contains ibuprofen which is a blood thinning agent -- just like asprin. All blood thinning agents should be discontinued 2 weeks prior to surgery -- but since you are just having oral surgery then its really up to the Dr's disgression. I dont think that you'll have an anesthesiologist because oral surgeons can administer their own anethesia. If your oral surgeon told you 5 days -- then I would listen to him/her.





Hope that helps.
Reply:Nurofen (Ibuprofen) is not aspirin but non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; NSAID (analgesic and anti-inflammatory). First, why you are taking it? I think it is mostly chronic arthritis or back pain. How long have you been taking it? and are you taking it regularly? Regular intake of NSAIDs for more than 3 months is not adviced for stomach and kidney toxicity as well as effect on blood coagulation. Newer forms (as Mobic) are less harmful to kidney and stomach but there are doubts concerning their long-term use. What is the dose you are taking?





Anyway, I understood you are taking only Nurofen on regular basis. In such case 3 - 5 days are usually enough. For aspirin, you should stop at least 5 days before surgery. A simple solution is to do what is called "platelet function test", which is a blood test, the night of surgery in any nearby laboratory (but it is not available in every lab and I am not sure about the cost).





Another important concern, if you are taking aspirin, what is the indication? Sometimes, stopping aspirin is more dangerous than the risk of bleeding if you are taking it to prevent heart attacks or cerebral strokes if you are at high-risk for such conditions.





Of course, don't forget to tell your anesthetist and dentist about all your drug history.
Reply:That has nothing to do with the anesthesia - it's strictly for concerns about bleeding.





Aspirin irreversibly inhibits platelet function. Platelets are replaced after 7 days, so a week off aspirin is recommended. We usually also say a week off of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.), although a few days is probably enough there.





If you stop the Nurofen (ibuprofen) now, you should be OK. Your oral surgeon should have given you instructions about what to take and what not to take before surgery.





There is no aspirin in Nurofen.



girls myspace