Any medication that has an anticoagulant effect, e.g. Aspirin or Warfarin, should be avoided. Your surgeon will advise on this before surgery. Note should be made that many herbal medicines have an anticoagulant effect and you should advise your surgeon if you are taking these. Surprisingly rhinoplasty surgery is not generally painful with patients' main complaint often being a feeling of blockage and stuffiness for the week after surgery.

Except for the tiny hormone replacement pills most tablets should be crushed after surgery. Foods high in sugar and some fats will cause the intestine to release vasoactive chemicals which cause sweating, flushing, weakness, fatigue and sometimes abdominal cramps and diarrhea - a phenomenon called 'dumping'. See similar questions...

Always discuss with your health care practitioner ALL of the medications you are taking (prescription and over-the-counter). In that way, you can receive the best advice for your own situation. At present, Viagra is not recommended for people taking commonly prescribed short- and long-acting nitrates because the combination may lower blood pressure. e.g., amyl nitrate or nitrite (It is known that amyl nitrate or nitrite is sometimes abused. See similar questions...

Do not drink a lot of alcohol while taking ACTOplus met. This means you should not "binge drink," and you should not drink a lot of alcohol on a regular basis. Drinking a lot of alcohol can increase your chance of getting lactic acidosis. See similar questions...

The best way to avoid surgery is to keep physically fit, maintain a healthy weight, avoid smoking, avoid repetitive motion, and use proper body mechanics. Alternative therapies may relieve the symptoms and allow patients to avoid or delay surgical intervention. Alternative therapies such as light traction, acupuncture, Pilates, anti-inflammatory medication, a short course of steroids, or trigger point injections are often treatment options for neck pain. See similar questions...

Depending on how far your periodontal disease has progressed, treatment can vary widely. If the disease is caught early, simple procedures can be done that will remove the plaque and calculus from below the gum line and eliminate the infection-causing bacteria. If the disease has advanced to the point where the periodontal pockets are deep and the supporting bone is lost, surgery might be necessary. You may have heard about new products on the market that claim to cure periodontal disease. See similar questions...

In all cases, double-check with your physician before combining NIALOR® with a prescription medication. See similar questions...

Keep away from alcohol while taking Prednisone. Acting together, alcohol and prednisone can be damaging to the stomach. Avoid sources of infection. Wash your hands frequently and keep them away from the mouth and eyes. Your immune system may be weakened while taking prednisone. Do not receive any immunizations during treatment with prednisone without first talking to your doctor. See similar questions...

These are all possibilities but you have to use caution. Withdrawal from blood pressure medication can be dangerous and must be done under medical supervision. High dosage/long time use: If you require high doses or if you've been relying on medication for some time it's likely that slow breathing will allow you to reduce your medication. Some users do get results so dramatic as to give up blood pressure drugs after many years of use, but this is not typical. See similar questions...

After surgery, avoid rubbing your eyes. Other than that, patients can do what they normally do, unless instructed by their doctors. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully, following laser treatment. See similar questions...

YES! I'm glad you asked. To some people it might be obvious, others simply haven't given it any thought. When taking Active Manuka Honey for an up-set stomach for example after food poisoning, vomiting, stomach ulcer or other intestinal problems, it is important NOT to further irritate the intestinal tract. Stay away from hot, spicy foods, herbs, spices, mustards, marinades (some BBQ sauces) and other obviously irritating foods. See similar questions...

If you are taking vitamin C (3000mg-5000mg per day), we recommend waiting 6 hours before taking the Poly-MVA. Megadoses of Vitamin C (5-150 grams per day) should be being carefully watched by a physician and they would determine the best course of action. Poly-MVA uses free radicals available in cells in order to transform them into energy. Alpha Lipoic Acid should not be taken with Poly-MVA, because it will compete with the proprietary palladium-bonded lipoic acid in the Poly-MVA. See similar questions...

No. There is a time for both. However, I am more interested in finding and correcting the cause of a problem rather than covering up the symptoms with a toxic chemical experiment that may cause deadly side-effects (just listen to the drug commercials!) Why not try conservative and non-invasive procedures first before cutting into the body and removing organs? Surgery is financially, emotionally, and physically dangerous and should be used only as a last resort. See similar questions...

We recommend that medications such as aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs be stopped 10 to 14 days prior to surgery. These medications result in increased bleeding. Coumadin, Warfarin, etc. are blood thinners and should be stopped 3 to 5 days prior to surgery. Plavix should be stopped 7 to 10 days prior to surgery. We also recommend that Vitamin A and E be stopped as well. Other medication should be taken with a sip of water (a sip, not a gulp or a whole glass!). See similar questions...

After obesity surgery, you will start by drinking liquids for a number of weeks, then move onto a soft diet and eventually onto a regular diet, chewing your food thoroughly and eating small amounts. You must maintain a diet that consists of small meals taken at regular intervals rather than 1 or 2 large meals a day. About 1200 calories a day will work. The band has made your stomach smaller and you must eat accordingly. See similar questions...