3 Tips to Get the Most Out of IV Therapy

IV therapy is a great way to get the hydration you need quickly, as well as essential vitamins to ensure your body is at its best. Getting the most out of an IV therapy appointment ensures your body gains all treatment rewards.

If you're looking to rejuvenate your hydration, the team at Highway Integrative Health Center can help. Dr. Jose Lopez-Chevres and Dr. Yartiza Arriaga O'Neill offer IV therapy as one of the many treatments to help you look and feel your best.

Understanding IV therapy

IV therapy is a treatment that's often used in a hospital setting to provide your body with fluids and medications when you're sick or injured. However, it's come a long way over the years, and you can now receive IV therapy in a doctor's office under supervision for various reasons, including:

• Muscle recovery
• Weight loss enhancement
• Energy restoration
• Hair, skin, and nail improvement
• Immune system boost
• Sleep improvement
• Slow the signs of aging

Our team evaluates your health and wellness at your initial appointment, where we help you decide which vitamins and nutrients you need in your IV drip.

At your first IV therapy appointment, you come into the office, and our team takes you into a treatment room, where you sit in a comfortable chair. We then start an IV line in one of the veins in your arm. We remove the needle, and a tiny catheter stays in your vein.

We connect the IV tubing to a fluid bag that contains hydration fluids and a custom mix of vitamins and nutrients to treat your specific needs.

The infusion drips into your vein over about an hour or so. We evaluate your vital signs and ask how you feel throughout the treatment.

Once you finish your infusion, we recheck your vital signs and remove the catheter from your vein. You're free to go home and do your normal activities unless otherwise noted.

How to get the most out of treatment

If you're getting IV therapy treatments, you want to ensure you get the most out of each appointment. To help you take advantage of the vitamins and nutrients in your IV therapy session, you should adhere to the following three tips:

1. Stay hydrated before your appointment

Although IV therapy is intended to keep you hydrated, you should be hydrated before your appointment. In the days leading up to your IV therapy appointment, make sure to drink plenty of water, and avoid caffeinated beverages, as they can dehydrate your body.

If you're not adequately hydrated before receiving IV therapy, it's harder for us to find your veins and may lead to uncomfortable symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or nausea.

2. Avoid vasoconstrictive medications beforehand

You may need vasoconstrictor medications for migraine, glaucoma, or asthma. Vasoconstrictive medications work by constricting your blood vessels. Non-prescription medications also contain vasoconstrictors, including some cold medications and nasal decongestants.

It's crucial that you avoid these medications, if possible, before your IV therapy appointment, as constricted blood vessels make it more difficult for your body to get the nutrients and vitamins in your IV therapy.

However, don't stop any prescription medications without consulting your doctor first. It's dangerous to abruptly stop these medications without consulting a health care professional.

3. Follow our instructions before and after your appointment

The most important thing you can do to get the most out of your IV therapy appointment is to follow our team's instructions beforehand and afterward.

Although it's meant to rehydrate your body and deliver nutrients, IV therapy is still a medical treatment that can have adverse effects if you're not careful.

Following our instructions before you arrive for your appointment ensures that you reap all the benefits of your IV therapy session. Afterward, our team gives you instructions on when to call us with concerns and how to spot signs of infection at the IV site.

To schedule an appointment for IV therapy, call our Davenport, Florida office at 689-600-1542, or request an appointment online using our convenient booking tool.