What to expect
Preparing for Your Procedure
Preparation is mostly logistics, and doing it early removes almost all of the day-of stress. Your specific instructions come from the office. This page explains the shape of them so nothing is a surprise.
The weeks before
Any required testing or clearances happen in this window. So does the review of your medication list, which matters because some medications need to be adjusted, held, or continued exactly as written.
Never stop a prescribed medication on your own. Ask, and get the answer in writing where it matters.
- Complete any required testing or clearance
- Review every medication and supplement with the office
- Confirm the date, the facility, and the arrival time
- Arrange your ride and your time away from work
The days before
Set up your home so recovery is easy. Stock the foods your staged diet calls for, put what you need at waist height, and make sure someone can check on you.
If you use a CPAP machine, plan to bring it. If you smoke, this is the moment to stop, because it directly affects healing.
- Shop for the staged diet in advance
- Set up a comfortable place to rest
- Fill any prescriptions you have been given
- Confirm who is driving you and who is with you afterward
The night before and the morning of
Fasting instructions are given by the facility and they are not flexible. Eating or drinking outside those instructions can cause the procedure to be postponed.
Leave jewelry and valuables at home. Wear something loose. Bring your identification, your insurance card if you have one, and your medication list.
Transportation
Anything involving sedation or anesthesia means you cannot drive yourself home, and rideshare alone is usually not accepted. Someone needs to be responsible for you.
Arrange that early. It is the most common reason a procedure has to be rescheduled.
This page is general education. Your instructions come from the office and from the facility, and those instructions take priority over anything written here.
Common questions
- Can I take my usual medications that morning?
- Only as instructed. Some are taken with a sip of water, some are held. The office will tell you which is which.
- What if I accidentally eat or drink?
- Call the office. Do not hide it. It may mean rescheduling, which is far better than the alternative.
- Can I take a rideshare home?
- Usually not on your own after sedation. A responsible adult needs to accompany you. Confirm with the facility.
At a glance
Weeks before
Testing, medication review, scheduling, and time off
Days before
Groceries, home setup, prescriptions, and your ride
Night before
Fasting instructions from the facility
Morning of
Identification, medication list, loose clothing, and your driver
Related reading
Next step
If anything in your instructions is unclear, ask before the day rather than on it.
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