Medications and Imaging Preparation in Ajax

“Nothing to eat or drink” sounds like it should include your morning pills. “Avoid supplements on the day” sounds like it should include everything in the cabinet. And “a full bladder” might make you wonder about the water tablet your doctor prescribed last year.

It is easy to read imaging preparation instructions and assume they reach further than they do, or to assume they do not apply to medications at all. Both assumptions can cause problems. This article explains where medications and supplements tend to come up in imaging preparation, which questions belong with your prescriber, and what to tell the team at Rossland Diagnostic Clinic in Ajax when you book. What it will not do is tell you to take, skip or change any medication. That decision always belongs to the person who prescribed it.

The one rule that does not change

Whatever your exam, the principle is the same:

Do not stop, skip, delay or change the dose of any prescribed medication to prepare for an imaging exam unless the prescriber who manages that medication has told you to.

Instead:

1. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist how to handle your medications around the preparation instructions for your exam.
2. Tell the clinic when you book about any medication or condition that could make the preparation difficult.
3. Bring an up-to-date medication list to your appointment.

Imaging preparation exists to produce clear pictures. It is never meant to put your health at risk, and the team would always rather adjust an appointment time or rebook than have you go without a medication you need.

Why preparation and medications sometimes overlap

Most imaging exams have little or no interaction with the medications people take. An X-ray, for example, usually requires no special preparation at all. Overlap happens in a few predictable situations:

• Fasting. If an exam needs an empty stomach, people naturally wonder about pills that are normally taken with food or water.
• Hydration. If an exam needs a full bladder, medications that affect how much you urinate can make holding the water harder.
• Things that show up on images. Certain supplements, and some products applied to the skin, can affect particular exams.
• Conditions managed with medication. Diabetes is the clearest example, because fasting interacts with blood sugar and with the medications that control it.

The sections below go through these exam by exam, using the instructions listed on our patient preparation page.

Exam by exam: where medications may come up

X-ray

No special preparation is usually necessary for an X-ray, and there is generally nothing to change about your medication routine. If you are or may be pregnant, tell the technologist before imaging.

Abdominal ultrasound

This exam requires fasting, with different timing for morning and afternoon appointments. The full fasting timeline, and the reasons behind it, are explained in our guide to preparing for an abdominal ultrasound, so we will not repeat it here.

The medication question is specific: if you take a medication that is normally taken with food, with a drink, or at a fixed time that falls inside the fasting window, ask your prescriber or pharmacist how to handle it. Do not decide on your own, and let the clinic know when you book. Sometimes the simplest solution is an appointment time that fits more naturally around your schedule.

Pelvic ultrasound and combined abdomen and pelvis exams

A pelvic ultrasound needs a full bladder, and the combined abdomen and pelvis exam needs both fasting and a full bladder. If you take a medication that increases urination, such as a diuretic, or you have a condition that makes holding a full bladder difficult, mention it when you book and ask your prescriber whether anything about the timing of your dose should be considered. Do not skip a dose to make the bladder preparation easier.

Prostate ultrasound with transrectal imaging

The preparation for this exam includes taking a mild laxative the evening before, but only if you have been instructed to. If you are told to use one and you have questions about how it fits with your other medications or health conditions, ask your pharmacist or prescriber before taking it.

Bone mineral density

This is one of the few exams with a direct instruction about supplements: do not take calcium supplements or iron tablets on the day of the exam until after your scan. Because these are taken by mouth and can affect the measurement, waiting until afterward helps keep the result accurate. You can usually take them once the scan is done.

That instruction is specifically about calcium and iron supplements. It does not mean you should hold your prescribed medications. If you are unsure whether something you take counts, for example a combination product or a prescribed medication that contains calcium, ask your pharmacist and mention it when you book your bone mineral density exam.

Mammography

Mammography instructions ask you not to use deodorant, antiperspirant or talcum powder on your chest or underarms, because these products can show up on the images. If you use a prescribed cream, ointment or patch on your chest or underarm area, mention it when you book and ask your prescriber whether anything about its timing should change. Do not stop a prescribed treatment on your own.

Vascular ultrasound

Preparation for vascular ultrasound is confirmed at booking and depends on which vessels are being examined. People having vascular exams are sometimes taking blood thinners or blood pressure medications. Keep taking them as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise, and mention them when you book.

Heart testing with Durham Cardiology

If your appointment is with Durham Cardiology, the clinic’s cardiology team, ask about any preparation for your specific test when you book. Bring your medication list and follow the instructions you are given by the team and your prescriber.

Diabetes deserves its own conversation

If you live with diabetes and take insulin or other glucose-lowering medication, fasting for an exam is not a minor detail. Changes to eating can affect your blood sugar, and the way your medications should be managed while fasting is a medical decision. Our article on diabetes and fasting before an ultrasound covers the questions to ask your diabetes care team and how to plan the day. The short version: talk to your care team well before your appointment, and tell the clinic when you book.

Building a medication list that actually helps

A medication list is useful at almost any health appointment, including imaging. A good one includes:

• Prescription medications, with the dose and when you take them.
• Over-the-counter products, such as pain relievers, antacids or allergy medications.
• Vitamins, minerals and supplements, including calcium, iron and multivitamins.
• Herbal and natural products.
• Creams, patches, inhalers and injections, which people often forget to list because they are not pills.
• Allergies, including to medications, latex or adhesives.

Whether you are coming to our Ajax clinic or any other health appointment, keep it on your phone or on a card in your wallet, and update it whenever something changes. Your pharmacist can often print a current list for you.

Questions to take to your prescriber or pharmacist

When you have an exam booked, a short conversation with whoever manages your medications can prevent a lot of uncertainty. Questions you might ask:

1. My exam requires fasting from a certain time. How should I handle the medications I usually take in that window?
2. If I take my medication with a small sip of water during the fasting period, is that acceptable for me? (The clinic can also tell you how it affects the exam.)
3. My exam needs a full bladder. Is there anything about the timing of my water pill I should think about?
4. I take calcium or iron in a combination product. Does that count as a supplement for my bone density scan?
5. Is there anything about my condition that the imaging clinic should know?

Write the answers down and bring them with you.

What to tell the clinic when you book

When you call 905-426-3111 or request an appointment, it helps to mention:

• Any medication or condition that makes fasting or a full bladder difficult.
• Whether you have diabetes or another condition that affects how you eat.
• Any instructions your prescriber gave you about your medications for this exam.
• Anything that might limit your preferred appointment time, such as a medication schedule or a shift pattern.

The team in Ajax cannot advise you on your medications, but knowing your situation in advance helps them suggest an appointment time and confirm the preparation that applies to your exam.

Frequently asked questions

I already took my usual morning pills before an abdominal ultrasound. Will my exam be cancelled?

Not necessarily. Tell reception when you arrive, or call before you leave home. The team can let you know whether the exam can go ahead or whether rebooking makes more sense.

Can I take a pain reliever before my X-ray if my injury hurts?

Pain relief is a question for your doctor or pharmacist, not the imaging clinic. X-rays usually need no special preparation, so there is generally no imaging reason to avoid medication your provider has recommended.

I forgot and took my calcium supplement on the day of my bone density scan. What now?

Call the clinic before your appointment. The team can let you know whether to come in or rebook.

Should I bring my actual medication bottles?

A clear, current list is usually enough. If you are not sure of names or doses, bringing the containers or a pharmacy printout can help.

Before your appointment

Medications and imaging preparation rarely conflict, but when they do, the answer is always a conversation rather than a guess. Patients from Ajax, Pickering, Whitby and across Durham Region can learn more about our exams on the ultrasound services page. If you have questions about how your preparation fits with your health needs, call us at 905-426-3111 and we will help you sort out what applies to your exam.