About Your Visit

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Initial Consultation

Everything you need to know for your first appointment with Foothills Pain Management Clinic.
 

Pre-Procedure Instructions

All the details that you should keep in mind in the days and weeks leading up to your procedure.

Post-Operative Instructions

Everything to keep in mind after your procedure is completed and throughout your recovery.
 

Follow-Up Visits

Important reminders about how to be prepared for your routine visits.
 
 

Initial Consultation

We recommend that all patients arrive at their appointments early, but during your initial consultation, we advise arriving 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time to complete all necessary patient registration forms. You can save some time in the step by downloading the forms ahead of time from the links below and bringing the completed forms with you. You can also request got the forms to be faxed over to you in advance as well.

Here is a checklist of items you should bring to your initial consultation:
  • Please bring your insurance card with the information for your active insurance
  • If your insurance is through an HMO please bring the authorization with you as well
  • You should know the extent of your benefits and how much of a co-pay or deductible you should expect as they will be required to be paid in full before you will be seen by a physician
  • Please bring one of these valid form of payment: cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, or American Express
  • Please bring a valid government-issued identification card with a photo
  • Please bring a full list of your current and past medications and their bottles, especially if they are pain medications
  • Please bring a list of any questions or concerns you would like to discuss with your doctor regarding your condition and/or treatment
  • Please bring any previous medical records you have pertaining to what you are being treated for including imaging reports such as X-rays, MRIs, and CTs

Pre-Procedure Instructions:

Here is a list of pre-operative instructions:
  • Please notify your physician as soon as possible if you are taking any blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, Eliquis (Apixaban), Pradaxa (Dabigatran), Savaysa (Edoxaban), Arixtra (Fondaparinux), Fragmin, Innohep, Lovenox (Heparin), Xarelto (Rivaroxaban), Coumadin, Jantoven (Warfarin)
  • You must stop any blood-thinning medications 7 days prior to your procedure
  • It is your responsibility to make transportation arrangements for the day of your procedure since you will not be allowed to drive yourself home
  • If you decide to use a transportation network such as Uber or Lyft oh, you must still be accompanied by a responsible, trusted adult
  • It is important to notify your physician or staff immediately if there has been any change in your physical condition, including a cold, fever, persistent cough, or if you think you could be pregnant
  • Please bring something to store your glasses in if you wear glasses regularly
  • You must refrain from eating or drinking 8 hours prior to your procedure. This includes not drinking any water or coffee or eating mints or chewing gum. If you need water to take medication, please do so with only a small sip
  • You may still brush your teeth but you must remember to not swallow any of the contents
  • It's important to refrain from any tobacco or nicotine usage since partaking in these substances has proven to increase surgical risk
  • Please bathe or shower prior to your procedure and do not use any makeup, lotions, or oils after bathing
  • You will likely be groggy after your procedure, so it is important to wear loose clothing such as sweatpants and easy to button shirts or blouses, as well as comfortable shoes — please do not come to your appointment in high heels under any circumstances
  • Leave all valuables including jewelry and cash at home. Foothills Pain Management Clinic will not be responsible for any damaged or lost property
  • Bring all of your medications in their bottles on the day of your procedure
  • Be prepared to sign a consent form for the procedure on the day of your procedure
  • Please keep in mind that we will ask your family to wait in the lobby until you're fully recovered. This can't take up to 40 minutes following your procedure depending on how your body reacts to anesthesia
  • You'll be given written instructions from your physician to follow during the post-operative recovery. It is important to follow all of these instructions to ensure the safest and most rapid recovery possible
  • During the 24 hours following your procedure, you should refrain from any kind of physical exertion including cooking and working out, and you should also avoid driving a car, smoking, operating heavy machinery, or drinking alcoholic beverages during this time
  • If you have any questions or problems after the procedure, please do not hesitate to call Foothills Pain Management Clinic at 626-608-7320

Post-Operative Instructions

Here is a list of post-operative instructions:
  • Please avoid operating any vehicles or heavy machinery for the first 24 hours following your procedure
  • Please avoid engaging in strenuous activity or cooking for the first 24 hours following your procedure
  • Please do not bathe or shower until the day after your procedure
  • You'll be given instructions on how to resume your usual medication by your physician
  • You can resume your usual diet after your procedure, but it is important to provide your body with the nutrients it needs for a strong recovery
  • It's normal for patients to experience some minor pain and discomfort following your procedure. During the first day apply ice helps limit swelling and pain, while moist heat such as a warm what towel can reduce discomfort following the first 24 hours of recovery
  • If the injection site becomes reddened, swollen, hot, or excessively painful, or if it begins to bleed or drain, please notify Foothills Pain Management Clinic right away at 626-608-7320, as these could be a sign of infection

Follow-Up Visits

Here is a checklist of items you should bring to follow-up appointments:
  • Please check ahead of time to understand the extent of your insurance coverage including the co-pay and deductible you will be responsible for
  • These two payments are required before you can be seen by a physician
  • Please bring a full-on current list of any medications you are taking now or have taken in the past
  • When possible, also bring along the medication bottles to your appointment
  • Please bring a list of any questions or concerns you might have regarding your condition or treatments so that you can discuss them with your physician during the consultation