Should I stop aspirin before sclerotherapy?

Medication questions come up before the price question does, because the answer can change how you prepare for a visit.

You may be told to

RadiologyInfo.org says you may be advised to stop taking aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), iron supplements, or blood thinners several days prior to your procedure.

Why the advice shows up

Cleveland Clinic's sclerotherapy guidance lists avoiding aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, because they can increase bleeding.

Both sources use soft wording, such as "may be advised." Neither tells you to stop on your own, and neither knows your health history. For preparation and recovery reading, see a patient guide to sclerotherapy and the plastic surgeons' page on spider vein treatment. A third resource is a recovery guide after varicose and spider vein treatment, and the plastic surgeons' page on spider vein treatment recovery rounds out the set.

What to ask before you change anything

Do not stop a medicine on your own, since you may be taking it for a reason. Ask the Des Plaines clinic which of your medicines it wants paused, for how long, and who should approve the change, including whoever prescribed it. Also ask whether those instructions come in writing with your quote.

What general advice cannot tell you

A published list of medicines to avoid cannot account for your prescriptions. Your clinicians can.