Pre-Procedure Instructions
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment.
Instructions (Click here to download PDF)
- Do not eat solid foods for six (6) hours before your appointment.
- Do not drink any fluids for two (2) hours before your appointment.
- Please take your usual pain medicine on the day of the procedure with a small sip of water.
Ticlid must be stopped 14 days before your procedure.
Lovenox must be stopped 24 hours before your procedure.
Coumadin (Warfarin) must be stopped 4 days before your procedure.
When taking Coumadin, you must have your blood drawn to determine the clotting time. We will fax an order to the lab of your choice or the clotting time and have the results faxed to us.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Do not take these medications on the day of your procedure. Typical
names of anti-inflammatory medications include Aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Celebrex
and Aleve. Ask your physician if you have questions as to whether a drug you
are taking could be an anti-inflammatory.
For patients who are Diabetic:
Do not take your insulin or blood sugar medication on the day of
your procedure. If you have any questions regarding your insulin dose on the
day of the procedure , please call your primary care physician.
For patients taking Antibiotics:
The procedure must be postponed until you have finished your antibiotics.
For patients with flu or cold symptoms:
The procedure must be re-scheduled and postponed until you are well
again.
Other instructions:
- You will need to arrange for someone to take you home after the procedure. You may not drive yourself home.
- If you must cancel, please provide 24 hours notice to our office.
- Please bring your X-Rays, CAT scans and MRI scans, including a written report, with you to your appointment.
- If you have had recent films taken at Pueblo. Cottage Hospitals, or Samsum Clinique, we can access these via the Internet and you will not need to bring hard copies.
Please leave all of your valuables at home. Lockers are provided for your clothing.
The following guidelines are for acupuncture patients only:
- Do not eat an unusually large meal immediately before or after your treatment.
- Do not over-exercise, engage in sexual activity, or consume alcoholic beverages within six hours before or after treatment. It is also suggested in classic acupuncture literature to abstain from eating bamboo shoots and ice cream after a visit.
- Plan your activities so that you can get some rest after the treatment, or at least reduce the work that you have to do . This is especially important for the first few visits.
- Continue to take any prescription medicines as directed by your regular doctor. Substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) especially in the week prior to treatment will seriously interfere with the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatments.