Avoiding herbal supplements before surgery

It is a known thing that if a patient takes any kind of prescription drugs, this should be informed to their doctor before undergoing any kind of surgery.

Over-the-counter medications should also be reported. However, most people do not think that their herbal supplements can pose any kind of risk or complication in the way of their surgery and affect its safety and success.

Reasons why patients never bother to tell their doctors


It is generally assumed that when a product is branded as “natural” it does not pose any problem or risks as such. However, the fact of the matter is that a majority of powerful drugs and even poisons contain natural substances.

As a consequence, natural substances certainly have the potential of posing serious risks and complications in the surgical process and can harm the body.

Many patients also hesitate to inform their surgeons about any alternative therapies that they might be taking as they feel afraid of disapproval or lecture from the surgeon about using supplements. But this may result in them paying a hefty price.

Doctors remark on that fact that though herbal supplements have some dangerous side effects on the overall health of the patient undergoing surgery, a majority of the patients continue the intake of those medicines.

There should be complete knowledge about the various types of medications and supplements, their effects as well as their side effects among patients.

The patient should be informed of all the effects. The intake of some kinds of herbal supplements should be stopped before the surgical process just like some other common drugs (like ibuprofen and aspirin).

Avoiding a few herbal supplements

Some herbal supplements affect the safety as well as outcome of the surgery. Their intake should be stopped 2 weeks before the date of surgery.

They should not be resumed unless the doctor says so.

Since the health and surgery of each patient differs, the intake of all kinds of medications and supplements should be informed to the doctor.

Any specific health complication or risk of interaction may affect and change a lot of things in the surgical procedure. Patients should be honest and open with their surgeons.

Herbal supplements causing excessive bleeding:

* Feverfew
* Ginseng
* Garlic
* Gingko Biloba
* Omega-3 fatty acids like fish oils
* Dong Quai

Supplements having cardiovascular effects:

* Garlic which can cause hypotension
* Ephedra which can cause tachycardia, palpitations and hypertensions

Supplements causing drug interactions:

* Valerian
* Echinacea
* Licorice
* Goldenseal
* Kava
* St John's Wort

Supplements causing anesthetic effects:

* Valerian
* St John's Wort
* Kava

Supplements that can cause other kinds of adverse things:

* Ginseng which may result in hypoglycemia
* St John's Wort which may result in photosensitivity which is especially true after chemical peels or laser treatment

Sharing responsibility


The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or ASAPS encourages the practice that doctors should provide all the detailed information about the various types of supplements to patients. The patients should be able to take care of their health on their own.

The best thing to do about this is that the patients should arm themselves with proper information on the effects and side effects of the herbal supplements on their health, and should disclose all their health habits to their physicians.

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