Mobile IV infusions... for hangovers

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Have you ever heard about in-home IV infusion to get rid of hangovers? This is an idea I started thinking about when I read about it being offered in New York, and because in personal experience it works well, but someone has beat me to it locally.

The basic idea is extremely simple. You call, talk to a prescriber (currently an MD, but they're looking for NPs) who asks you about your health history and symptoms, then a nurse shows up and starts an IV. They don't take insurance obviously; no one will cover this. It seems a little sketchy, like back alley medicine... but it's also pretty low risk if your screening is thorough.

Now, the NYC operation I first heard about is pretty slick but seems more questionable. For instance they have different packages you get to pick from, the highest of which apparently includes IV magnesium (it says "liquid magnesium"). Not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, what do you think? If you were going to do this, how would you do it so that it was ethical? I have no intention of starting a competing business... but it seems like a brilliant way to make money.

Specializes in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care.

Before working in an Urgent Care Clinic, I had no idea how profoundly beneficial a liter bag of NS could be. I learned that chronic dehydration can be manifested without any real physical symptoms other than generalized malaise. Pushing a liter of fluids and watching them perk back up was a real joy, especially in the peds cases.

I don't see moving that to a HH environment as any more, or less, dangerous with adequate assessments.

As to O2 use for hangovers, as a flight medic in the Air Force we used to strap on our helmet and mask and breathe O2 under pressure for 5 to 10 minutes after a rough night. While it may not have completely cured the hangover, it certainly lessened the symptoms.

Dumb dumb dumb...why would you risk all of the infections and other associated problems with getting an IV if you didn't have to? This is a trend on Instagram and Facebook that needs to stop. Nitwit celebs have glamorized this trend with their "vitamin" IV cocktails. I guess it does keep people out of the ED for the same thing but how about don't drink to oblivion and you won't need IV intervention. Why would you risk phlebitis and infiltration for no reason?

It is still standard in the Army for medics to hang fluids on drunk soldiers in the barracks after a glorious weekend of partying.

For most people getting a litter of LR with added lytes is not going to cause harm. Venipuncture in most people is also not going to cause harm.

If you are a CHF, ESRD and ESLD patient still binge drinking on alcohol looking for this service then yeah there might be a problem But at that point it doesn't matter, you have much bigger problems to sort out. I bet they have disclaimers and questionnaires prior to administering the fluids anyway.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Dranger said:
It is still standard in the Army for medics to hang fluids on drunk soldiers in the barracks after a glorious weekend of partying.

For most people getting a litter of LR with added lytes is not going to cause harm. Venipuncture in most people is also not going to cause harm.

If you are a CHF, ESRD and ESLD patient still binge drinking on alcohol looking for this service then yeah there might be a problem But at that point it doesn't matter, you have much bigger problems to sort out. I bet they have disclaimers and questionnaires prior to administering the fluids anyway.

I have to agree wit Dranger. Venipuncture in most people is not going to cause harm.

CardiacDork said:
I have to agree wit Dranger. Venipuncture in most people is not going to cause harm.

Unless you do it wrong.

I can nurses fighting for a plum job like this.

I'm sure IV skill will not be an issue.

Farawyn said:
Unless you do it wrong.

I can nurses fighting for a plum job like this.

I'm sure IV skill will not be an issue.

The market for this is mainly a 21-40ish demographic that probably is generally healthy and with decent veins.

Cake IV starts for sure.

Dranger said:
The market for this is mainly a 21-40ish demographic that probably is generally healthy and with decent veins.

Cake IV starts for sure.

I would say 50ish. Still healthy though, agreed.

The heavy hitters in my neighborhood are all oldern me.

The demographic that a discrete home health, hangover service will appeal to is high functioning alcoholics, 50ish, probably not as healthy as they appear.

dishes said:
The demographic that a discrete home health, hangover service will appeal to is high functioning alcoholics, 50ish, probably not as healthy as they appear.

I don't know. They are kind of set in their next day bacon/ coke with ice ways... ?

They still probably have good veins.

I don't think the 20 somethings will be able to afford it.

Farawyn said:
I don't know. They are kind of set in their next day bacon/ coke with ice ways... ?

They still probably have good veins.

I don't think the 20 somethings will be able to afford it.

The bacon and coke kind won't care about discretion, if they run into their neighbours at a hangover clinic, they will make a joke about it. Whereas the upper income, high functioning alcoholic will care about discretion and will want the service at home, provided a someone who cannot be identified as a nurse by either their vehicle or their attire.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Farawyn said:
I don't know. They are kind of set in their next day bacon/ coke with ice ways... ?

They still probably have good veins.

I don't think the 20 somethings will be able to afford it.

Hey now... I'm 23... I looked up the prices and I can afford it! =P

Specializes in Behavioral Health.

Judging by the pictures from the NY outfit, the hangover bus is used pretty exclusively by 20-somethings (or they're more likely to agree to a picture). Which makes sense, as they're the set more likely to think that drinking a lot of alcohol is cool. The clientele for the in-home service may skew different, but I imagine both well off young people and middle aged professionals use it. My own experience with in-home detox was that these were the two major populations, and I imagine the two draw similar clientele. A lot of dentists did in-home detox, actually. A lot.

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