Should I Get IV Therapy? Or Should I Tough It Out?

Written by: Dr. Taylor J. Graber MD

Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Taylor J. Graber MD

Is IV therapy legit?

This is an excellent question, and one that comes up frequently. There is no question that our IV therapy treatments are more convenient for our clients than checking into an emergency department, urgent care, or hospital. Although these settings are all integral in our healthcare system, sometimes it is more convenient and cost-effective to have a medical provider come directly to you and have the service in the comfort of your own home. In-home IV therapy certainly accomplishes this task.

Are IV Therapy Treatments Effective?

The second question is whether IV therapy is effective. Outside providers will be quick to note that IV therapy, performed in the home, does not have a robust amount of literature regarding its use.­­­­­­­ It is true that mobile IV therapy service is a new entity, and you will be hard-pressed to find a randomized-controlled trial showing the difference between IV therapy in the home and a placebo. The service is just not organized in a way that makes this kind of robust, population-based study possible. However, the backbone of our service are IV therapy solutions – these are the same IV therapy solutions which are utilized in emergency departments, operating rooms, and hospitals worldwide. When the oral route is compromised, IV therapy is without question the most effective route of hydration, and IV therapy treatments often have 100% absorption and 100% bioavailability, since they bypass the intestinal absorption system. Ondansetron, Ketorolac, Diphenhydramine, Magnesium, Calcium, B12, B-Complex, Vitamin C, Zinc all have extensive efficacy profiles which can be found on public research resources such as PubMed. When used for targeted treatments, they are extremely effective.

Do IV Treatments Work?

As mentioned above, IV hydration therapy is the fastest way to re-hydrate your body. We have hundreds of reviews from satisfied clients who can testify to the rapid effects of our therapies. If IVs were not effective, they wouldn’t be the first line therapy in emergency settings. Our service brings these treatments to you in the comfort of your own home, or you can come visit us in our clinics!

Are IV Therapy Treatments Safe?

IV therapies are medical procedure. While they are certainly less risky than a major surgery such as a hip replacement or open heart surgery, they are still regarded as a medical procedure with its own dedicated risks and benefits. The risks are extremely small, but they are present. These risks are detailed in our terms and conditions and consent which all of our clients sign before treatments begin, and include bleeding (any time you poke a needle into the skin, even a small one, there is a chance of bleeding), infection (all of our materials are single use and sterile, so the risk of infection is incredibly low), allergic reactions to medications, or air embolisms (very rare event, which is the infusion of large amounts of air into the IV tubing). Our company has a specific protocol that each of our nurses follows to de-air each bag of IV fluid before it is infused to minimize any risk of air embolisms. Although all of these risks are theoretically possible, we only hire medical doctors and registered nurses at ASAP IVs, who are thorough professionals at their job. They are experts in making sure these IVs are done safely. Receiving these IVs by non-trained, non-professional personnel is possible, but we would not recommend it, as this will increase the risk of complications.