There are several classes of medication one can take prior to surgery to help calm oneself down. However, this should be discussed thoroughly with your physician. These include the Valium like medications and then there are other medications, for example clonidine, which has anti-anxiety effects. However, these should not be taken without your physician's knowledge. There are also some legal considerations. For example, consent forms for the operation, the facility, or the anesthesiologist may not be effective if a patient is on certain medications. A strategy can be aligned with your physician to help you get through the anxiety producing time leading up to surgery.