Question:
Can anyone tell why I must stop my estrogen 6 weeks before WLS?

I was told by my doctor that they request that you stop taking your estrogen replacement 6 weeks before WLS? Can someone tell me why, my husband is very supportive of the surgery but he remembers life before I started to take it. (It was not pretty.) I have a girlfriend that takes Vitamin E in its place, is that OK. I also take Motrin 800mg. 3 times a day. Wasn't told to stop that but I have had to for every other surgery. Why?    — Colleen K. (posted on December 2, 2000)

December 2, 2000
colleen, i am 1 month post op open-rny, and my dr. in charlotte,nc also took me off my estrogen, but 1 month prior to surgery. it was not an option with her, IT WAS A MUST. she will not even schedule your surgery until you have gone off the estrogen. she feels it greatly increases your chance of blood clots post op- a serious potential complication.not all drs have the same orders, but if your dr does, he probably has the same reason. i thought it would be awful without the estrogen, and for the first couple of weeks i scratched the paint off the walls!! then my body settled in.i haven't gone back on my estrogen yet because we were taking a long trip over thanksgiving,and the potential for blood clots can last up to a month, so i had to wait. as far as the motrin, i know that can be really hard on the tummy- i would talk to my doctors nurse about it-for both per and post op. i had to stop any otc pain relievers for 1 week prior to surgery. all the things like this that you can settle prior to surgery, take the time to do it now. this little things will seem like huge issues if they are up in the air while you are trying to recoup from surgery. vit E definitely can't hurt pre-op. will probably help healing,check with your dr about post-op if it's in capsule i don't know if you can take it then.good luck-no expert, but hope this helps. toni saliby
   — toni S.

December 2, 2000
I was not taking estrogen pre-op, but I do remember my doctor telling me not to take vitamin E pre-op. It can cause bleeding problems. I believe Motrin may have some risks too. It's best to ask your surgeon about any medications or supplements you are taking.
   — Lynn K.

December 2, 2000
I had open RNY 04/2000. I was never told to stop my estrace pill and in fact they gave it to me in the hospital. Maybe it has something to do with the type surgery you are having.
   — ann A.

December 2, 2000
We were allowed to take ours, even in the hospital, as well. However, no more Motrin or those types of meds as they're hard on the pouch. But they were not forbidden pre-op. My doc's been doing these surgeries for over 30 yrs, so I think he has already anticipated the potential for clotting and takes steps to avoid that. We do a few other strange things, like having a sloped bed and such, to avoid clots & pneumonia. Seems to work, too.
   — vitalady

December 2, 2000
Reducing the risk of blood clots is definitely the reason you have been asked to stop taking your ERT. I would imagine that you haven't been asked to stop your Motrin is that is also has an anti-clotting activity. In a major abdominal surgery such as this is, post-op pulmonary embolism (pe or blood clot in the lung) is a major concern, especially as we are large to begin with and likely to have some circulatory problems. I don't know specifically about Vitamin E, but I do know that is does have some effect on the blood thinner medication Coumadin. I think it inhibits Coumadin's activity so that you have to take more medicine in order to have a therapeutic level. If this is the case, then taking Vitamin E could also increase your risk of blood clots. Hope this helps. Barbra Falta, PA-C
   — Barbra F.

December 4, 2000
My doctor is pretty strict about the meds I take before my surgery (dec 13)! I am currently taking estrace (at a large dose, I might add) and he did not tell me that I needed to stop taking it.
   — Robin Q.