We understand how frustrated you feel when you show up to your scheduled appointment only to learn it’s been canceled. You may feel especially irritated when looking forward to your procedure and the effects it’ll have on reducing your pain. 

 

As much as we understand your frustration, it’s also important for our patients to understand that we wouldn’t cancel an appointment unless necessary. We hope that by educating patients on the reasons behind cancellations, we can reduce cancellations and keep patients safe during surgeries. 

Why Was My Appointment Cancelled?

We never want to cancel an appointment and keep our patients in pain for longer than necessary, but sometimes, we have to cancel an appointment for the safety of our patients. We must cancel an appointment on the morning of a procedure because the patient didn’t properly prepare for the procedure. 

 

We don’t say this to blame our patients. There can be a lot going on with patients leading up to a procedure, and medical personnel may not always convey surgery preparation procedures and protocols effectively. But we hope our patients understand that canceled appointments are always in the best interest of our patients.  

Tips To Reduce A Cancelled Appointment

If you have an upcoming pain procedure, please follow these preparation protocols to reduce your risk of a canceled appointment. 

 

  • Don’t eat or drink anything at least 8 hours before your procedure if you’re receiving sedation, including coffee and gum. Sometimes, people experience nausea and vomiting when on sedatives. If you’ve eaten within 8 hours, that food can get into your lungs and cause a life-threatening situation. 
  • Don’t take aspirin up to 10 days before your procedure. Aspirin can thin the blood, which can interfere with the body’s blood clotting abilities. 
  • Don’t take traditional blood thinners 3-5 days before a procedure. Each blood thinner has a different protocol, so let your doctor know what you’re on so they can recommend the correct time off. 
  • Don’t take any weight loss drugs at least one week before the procedure. Some weight loss drugs can increase gastric fluids, which may get into the lungs and lead to a life-threatening situation. 
  • Take your blood pressure medications leading up to your procedure. High blood pressure can lead to surgery complications. 
  • Receive clearance from your doctor if you’ve recently experienced any heart complications. We will need written clearance from your doctor if you recently had a heart attack, chest pains, or arrhythmia. 
  • Treat any respiratory illness or breathing complications before surgery. If you have bronchitis or another respiratory illness, ensure it’s fully treated before surgery. 
  • Don’t take diabetes medications the morning of surgery. If you have diabetes, please let us know so we can schedule your procedure first thing in the morning.  

 

If you have any questions about your upcoming pain procedure, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office at 501.224.4001