Medications

You must stop all of these medications FIVE DAYS before your procedure

These products may cause an increased chance of bleeding if biopsies or polyps need to be removed:

• Aspirin
• Any medications that contain aspirin such as Excedrin®
• Any over the counter pain medications (NSAIDS) that contain ibuprofen, such as Motrin®, or Advil®
• Naprosyn or naproxen (Aleve®)
• Vitamin E and any over the counter vitamins with iron

You must stop arthritis medications THREE DAYS before your procedure

If this poses a problem for you, please call the GI Associates office.

You may take Tylenol® products as indicated by the package labeling.

Plavix, Coumadin, or any other blood thinning medications

• Your primary care physician will be consulted and your blood thinning medications will need to be stopped five days before your exam. Call GI Associates of New Hampshire for specific instructions.
• If you take Coumadin you will need to have an INR performed the day before your exam before 1:00 pm.

Heart or blood pressure medications

Continue taking your heart or blood pressure medications as prescribed unless they contains a diuretic.

• Take your heart or blood pressure medications on the morning of your procedure if that is your normal time to take your heart and/or blood pressure medicines.
• Diuretics (or water pills) can make you very dehydrated and affect you blood pressure and electrolytes while you are doing the bowel preparation. Stop taking your water pills or blood pressure medications that contain a diuretic the day before your exam, and do not take any the day of your exam.