What Types of Medication Are Routinely Given for Swelling and Pain After a Brow Lift and Full Eye,face and Neck Lift?

  NSAIDS may not be a great idea around the time of a facelift due to the increased bleeding risk.   Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

NSAID's should be avoided as they can cause bleeding and excessive bruising, not to mention other common problems such as gastritis, etc. Most of my patients only require pain meds for a few days - typically a narcotic/acetominophen combination and/or Celebrex (the only NSAID that doen't usually cause the problems mentioned above. I also recommend Arnica Montanum and Bromelain, and Clonidine patch (the last two also decreases pain and nausea to a degree).

Re: HRT-

After going through the informed consent process (see below), my experience is that most of my patients continue to take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) during their surgery . I do recommend that high risk patients (see below) stop HRT prior to surgery.  Knowing your risk vs benefit information is the key to making the right decision.  Like all medical decisions an informed consent is needed with your surgeon and/or other physicians most knowledgeable about Hormone Replacement Therapy and long surgical procedures (e.g. hematologist or gynecologist with special interest in HRT). Ask them to provide you with data from studies to support their recommendations.
Here is some helpful information for you and others out there with similar concerns. First of all what is HRT.  HRT is a generic term  encompassing either  unopposed estrogen therapy, or a combinations of estrogen and progesterone. Unopposed estrogen is generally used in women after a hysterectomy. Cyclical use of progesterone has the  disadvantage for non-hysterectomy women of cyclical withdrawal bleeding. This can be avoided by continuous use of the drug. HRT may be taken as a transderm patch, orally, or as a subcutaneous implant. Each different type of therapy and dosage has a different risk profile.

Estrogen and Progesterone used for HRT are chemically different from  those used in the oral contraceptive pill (OCP), and are of significantly lower potency.  The doses used in HRT are most  often at the lower end of the normal pre‐menopausal range whereas the OCP  is designed to suppress the natural ovulatory cycle.
Several large studies have consistently demonstrated an increased risk of venous thromboembolism occurence (g.g. Deep Venous Thromosis (DVT) and/or Pulmonary Embolus (PE)) in women using HRT. However, HRT risk appears to be restricted to the first year of HRT use, and is estimated at 2–3 times that of non‐HRT users. It is important to appreciate that although a 2‐ to 3‐fold increase in risk appears high,and yes, a PE could prove to be a fatal complication; but in reality, it has been estimated that this only represents one or two additional cases of venous thromboembolism per 10, 000 women per year. In addition, studies differ in their conclusions about the relative importance of the different HRT regimens in current use. Further, it is a general maxim that the longer the surgery (especially after 2 hrs) the greater the risk with or without HRT. IF these statistics seem like undue risk then you should either stop HRT prior to surgery or seek council from an expert.
Here is what I recommend to my patients based on my understanding of the literature:  I suggest that my patients seek the council of their prescribing doctor and if they feel more comfortable a hematologist for patients taking HRT. My practice is that I recommend that  patients I consider at high risk to  stop HRT if possible a month prior to surgery. High risk include but are not limited to  the following reasons:  if started within a year of the proposed surgery, or if they have co-morbid conditions making them  hypercoaguable such as in all smokers, obesity,  past medical history of blood clots (especially DVT, or PE), genetic tendency for hypecoagulation,   vericose veins, COPD, heart disease, sedentary life style or if their is chronic lower extremity edema. Perhaps most important is that I use DVT preventative measures such as intermittent calf/foot compression devices for all of my patients with IV sedation or under general anesthesia, and antiembolism stockings, "TED's" for all of my patients and have them worn for at least 10 days or until they are walking normal daily amounts.

Bottom Line -Make your decision wisely based on available information and the advise of your experts.

The issue with the NSAIDs is that they can inhibit platelets which increases bruising.  This can lead to vision threatening retrobulbar hemorrhage in association with eyelid surgery.  For this reason, I do not permit my patients to take NSAIDs until 3 days after surgery.  The issue with narcotics or really any analgesic is that they are not intended to completely relieve pain.  There will always be some discomfort which will diminish with time.  I am amazed though that many patient never take their narcotics and prefer simply tylenol which can be a surprisingly powerful analgesic for some.  The hormones are generally not an issue but this is a question for your actual surgeon and your internist.

In my practice in New York, I don’t routinely give my patients anti-inflammatory medications after browlift, eyelid surgery or facelifts. Occasionally I do give a medication like Decadron during surgery. As far as your question about HRT and bioidentical hormones is concerned, I don’t ask my patients to stop these medications. Your surgeon may have specific preferences based on the surgical technique and the type of anesthesia you will be having.

We do not recommend NSAIDs for postoperative pain management.  NSAIDs have blood-thinning properties, which could lead to a hematoma or puddling of blood underneath the skin.  Tylenol with codeine, oxycodone, or hydrocodone are all acceptable choices with Tylenol, not aspirin.  It is acceptable to take female hormones, but any bioidentical hormones and herbal supplements must be stopped 2 weeks before and after surgery so as not to interfere with anesthesia or bleeding.