It’s wild how protocols aren’t standardized.
Totally agree, it threw me off too. I had to skip everything except my anxiety meds, which they said was fine but only with a tiny sip of water—felt weird not taking my usual vitamins and allergy pill. Did anyone else have to stop stuff like Advil or supplements before surgery? I kept worrying I’d forget something and mess up the whole thing…
Did anyone else have to stop stuff like Advil or supplements before surgery?
You’re not alone—stopping Advil and most supplements is super common before oral surgery. They can mess with bleeding or anesthesia, so it’s usually a hard no from the surgeon. The anxiety around forgetting something is real, but honestly, the surgical team is pretty good about double-checking. I always tell patients: if you’re unsure, ask twice. Protocols really do vary, which drives me nuts sometimes, but it’s all about safety in the end.
I remember having to stop all my fish oil and vitamin E a week before my implant surgery. My surgeon said they could thin the blood, which I had no idea about until then. It was a bit nerve-wracking trying to keep track of everything, but they gave me a checklist that really helped. Honestly, I was more worried about forgetting my morning coffee than the Advil! It’s a lot to juggle, but like you said, the team usually double checks.
That’s wild, I never thought about vitamins messing with surgery. I’m kinda paranoid I’ll forget something important too. Did they mention anything about stopping herbal teas or stuff like that? I drink chamomile every night and now I’m second guessing everything...
I totally get where you’re coming from—my brain’s been spinning with all the “what if I mess something up?” thoughts too. But honestly, I think a lot of this stuff gets a little overblown online. When I had my wisdom teeth out, my dentist gave me a pretty basic list: no eating after midnight, skip vitamins and supplements for a couple days, and just stick to water before the appointment. They didn’t even mention herbal teas.
That said, I did ask about chamomile (because it’s part of my nightly routine too), and the nurse kind of shrugged and said as long as it’s not like, crazy strong or mixed with other herbs, it wasn’t a big deal. I guess some herbal teas can thin your blood or interact with anesthesia, but chamomile on its own is usually mild. Still, if you’re worried, maybe just skip it the night before? Or switch to plain warm water for a few days. It’s annoying to change habits for surgery but probably worth it for peace of mind.
I do think sometimes they make us more anxious than we need to be with all these lists. My friend even forgot to stop her multivitamin before her surgery and nothing went wrong—she just told them when she got there and they weren’t fazed. Maybe there’s wiggle room on some of this stuff? Anyway, you’re definitely not alone in overthinking every little detail... I keep making lists and then second-guessing if I missed something obvious. At least you’re being careful—that’s better than forgetting something major.
If you’re really unsure though, maybe call your dentist or oral surgeon’s office? They’ve probably heard every weird question by now.