best things to do about supplements pre-surgery

[Innercalm]

My son now has a date for his surgery (april 9) He is anxious to be as healthy as he can be as he before the surgery. He wonders about co-Q10.
fish oil capsules, vitamins etc. He would appreciate any ideas about maintaining his health. He takes Lamictal, Seroquel and synthroid. He also takes coumadin.
Dr. Cosgrove at Cleveland Clinic will perform the surgery. (we are so fortunate) Please keep us in your prayers. Innercalm:

 

[Natanni]

Hi Innercalm

My husband was started on Co-Q10 a few months prior to his surgery. His surgeon told him he was to have nothing but a normal multivitamin for around a month prior to surgery. I thought there was a contraindication with Co-Q10 and Coumadin as well other beta blockers that may be used during and post valve replacement. I had concerns about its effects with Herparin and other anticoagulants used during and post valve surgery as well. I would definately contact the surgeon and be very specific about his supplements and see what the surgeon wants to do. Quitting Co-Q10 now after taking it with his coumadin make cause some INR fluctuations as well?

Good luck to your family...we will keep you in our prayers for your son's surgery date Take care,

Ann

 

[gijanet]

Probably not much help.............

Probably not much help.............

as Katie doesn't take any supplements other than calcium and vitamins. We were never told to stop those before any of her surgeries, nor was it in any of the pre-op literature we were given. The only things that we had to stop were her aspirin 10 days out and her other meds (lasix & captopril) the morning of surgery. I would not hesitate to call the surgeon's office, though, to ask about the others. They should get you an answer pretty fast.

Hang in there, mom. Many hugs. j.

 

[Ann L]

I personally don't have much knowledge about supplements, but want to share what my brother was recently told while hospitalized for a stroke. He had a quad-bypass about 4 years ago and since then, has become very disciplined with exercise, eating well, and taking supplements. Nonetheless, while in the hospital & after lots of tests, it was concluded after looking at his list of supplements, that the stroke was probably caused because of a conflict in his supplements & meds. They brought in 2 experts in the field of nutritional supplements and medications... who immediately went about eliminating all but a multi-vitamin and protein powder from his regime. Those experts told him that most people are way-over-medicating their bodies with supplements and chalked it up to over-advertising.

My brother mentioned that he's been unable to find a book (or list) that gives supplemental limitations and what effects heightened levels have on the average person. Do any of you know if this info is out there?

All the best to your son, you and your family!

 

[JeffO]

Vitamin Supplements

Vitamin Supplements

When I went for surgery -

I stopped taking vitamin E, 81 mg aspirin and Fish Oil because of their blood thinning effects. I resumed these a week or so after surgery.

I continued my CoQ10, Taurine, Carnitine, Selenium.

I started taking Magnesium.

I stopped drinking adult beverages two weeks before surgery so as to take it easy on my liver. I don't smoke, but if I did I would have stopped for the interim.

Here is an article that might help for what to take and what to avoid.

http://www.letsliveonline.com/index.php?p=9&a=166&pfv

Here are a couple of articles on CoQ10. There is a lot of research available online that documents that heart surgery patients fare much better if they take a theraputic dose (150-300mg/day) two weeks before and then after surgery. Your son does have to be careful with it since he is on coumadin, but he can probably take this into account. They will probably discontinue your coumadin before surgery, so that is an opportunity to get the CoQ10 worked into the INR equation.

http://www.myvitaminguide.com/publi...lthex&page=newswire/newswire_2002_05_09_1.cfm

http://www.vrp.com/art/1659.asp?c=1142712833671&k=/det/6306.asp&m=/includes/vrp.css&o=0&p=no&s=0

My surgery went extemely well, with few complications (a low grade fever and afib), little pain and a fast recovery. I attribute alot of my good luck to the vitamins and supplements I was taking.

My prayers and best wishes go with you and your son for his surgery.

Jeff

 

[Der Biermeister]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS STUFF!

I've been taking CoQ-10 for a couple of weeks now, but it is a combined pill with FISH OIL. That will stop today and i will buy a straight CoQ-10 to use for the next 6 days before surgery.

 

[Der Biermeister]

I just got off the phone with my surgeon's head nurse and asked her if the fish oil in my CoQ-10 pills would be any significance as a blood thinner, and she said NO, it is ok to take those pills.

I really like what I've been reading about this CoQ-10 and I will be taking it for the rest of my life!
Thanks again for the links Jeff.

BTW - from your pic, you must be an offshore sailor. I'm one-design myself. Not real happy about having to give up this spring and early summer.
DB

 

[aussigal]

I am 12 days til surgery myself and I have had to stop my NSAID (for arthritis) and add a good quality multi-vitamin and load-up on vitamin C...that was all my surgeon said I needed...
There is also a supplement-powder drink you can get but its by prescription and the name escapes me at present...
I wonder though if that would be over-kill as the guy who mentioned it seemed to be one of those who liked to prescribe lots of pills for all sorts of stuff.
I am just eating really healthy viatmin-rich foods and avoiding pollution and sick people, and trying to get plently of rest and moderate exercise(walking).

 

[JeffO]

DB - Glad you liked the info and the links...

DB - Glad you liked the info and the links...

I just posted a diatribe on CoQ10 in the Heart Talk section you may want to look at.

I think the CoQ10 will help alot. Please let me know what your experience is with the surgery and your recuperation.

The picture was taken in Newport Harbor on the Weatherly, which won the Americas Cup in 1962. We were competing against other retired Americas Cup 12 meter boats on a day charter. I like the picture because it reminds me of the poem Invictus by William Earnest Henley, the last line of which is "It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul."

You'll be sailing again in no time! You may miss the spring, but I'm sure you'll be out there by summer.

We'll all be waiting to hear from you on the other side - in the Post Surgery forum! Best wishes for a smoothe surgery and a quick and uneventful recovery.

Jeff