Vanderbilt Interventional Pain Center
Pre-Procedure Instructions
*PLEASE KNOW THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN CANCELLATION OF YOUR PROCEDURE DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES.
-Please arrive one hour prior to your scheduled appointment time. Late arrivals are subject to cancellation.
- DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING 6 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR PROCEDURE.
- You MUST have a responsible adult accompany you and drive you home after your procedure. Your procedure will be cancelled if you do not have a driver present. You should also have a plan in place so that you are not alone through the night in case you receive sedatives/anesthesia during the procedure (sedatives/anesthesia can affect you up to 24 hours).
-If you take Aspirin: STOP taking 8 days prior to your procedure.
- If you take NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): STOP taking 4 days prior to your procedure. Common NSAID’s include the following drugs:
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Vioxx
Aleve Midol
Naproxen Pamprin
Celebrex Feldene
Meloxicam (Mobic) Celecoxib
Diclofenac (Voltaren) Ketoprofen
Excedrin Ketorolac
Toradol Nabumetone
Etodolac Piroxicam
Indocin (Indomethacin) Sulindac (Clinoril)
*If you are unsure, please call and ask BEFORE your procedure.
-If you take any medications that thin your blood, please follow the following directions:
- Coumadin: Stop 4 days prior to procedure and document INR of <1.5
- Ticlid: Stop 14 days prior to procedure
- Plavix: Stop 9 days prior to procedure
- Lovenox: Stop 12 hours prior to procedure if used for “prophylactic” doses
- Stop 24 hours prior to procedure if used for “treatment” doses
- SQ Heparin: 10,000 units or less there is no contraindication
- IV Heparin: Stop 3 hours prior to procedure and PTT documented
*Please inform your Primary Care Physician of this plan to ensure that this will not interfere with your well-being.
-Please inform the clinic if you have experienced recent significant changes in your medical status or if you have had any fever, infections, or taken antibiotics two weeks prior to your procedure.
-You may take scheduled daily medications, such as blood pressure, seizure, and heart medications with a SMALL SIP OF WATER ONLY.
-Please inform the clinic nurses if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Radiation exposure may be harmful to the unborn child.
-Diabetic patients: DO NOT TAKE YOUR INSULIN or ORAL DIABETIC MEDICATION BEFORE GOING WITHOUT FOOD. It is usually best to skip your scheduled dose of insulin or oral diabetic medication since you will be skipping a meal and fluids. Please CONTACT YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN to ensure that this plan is acceptable for you, especially if you have frequent changes in your blood sugar on a daily basis and are a “brittle diabetic”. Please BRING YOUR GLUCOMETER WITH YOU to your appointment as well as any necessary medications you may require after your procedure has ended.
A nurse will call you the day before your scheduled procedure to review the above instructions. Please call the clinic for further questions or concerns at 615-322-4311. Thank you!