The Night Before Joint Replacement Surgery

The night before surgery may be a restless night for you as you prepare mentally for the surgery. This is to be expected, so don't be alarmed. If you need to take a mild sedative to get to sleep, that's fine. Be sure to take all of your normal medications unless the medical doctor has instructed you not to take certain medications.
 

Medications such as "blood thinners" (Coumadin, aspirin, ibuprofen and the other anti- inflammatory medications) may cause a greater blood loss. Usually we have you stop taking these medications. Ask to make sure!
 

You can eat about anything you wish the night before surgery and you can eat solid food until midnight. After midnight, you should not eat or drink anything unless your doctor has told you otherwise. This means nothing - not coffee, not water, not ice chips.