26 May, 2020
One woman’s journey with IV4Wellness Did I hear you right? An IV vitamin drip can make me healthier and happier? Stick a needle in my arm? Ouch! Why would I do that? And it sounds kind of woo-woo and weird. Those thoughts raced through Laura’s mind last week when her sister, Clare, called and suggested that she make an appointment for intravenous hydration therapy at IV4Wellnesss in Bozeman. Clare insisted that Laura was desperately in need of a wellness boost – mentally and physically. Well, Laura thought, who wouldn’t be? A few months ago, she‘d lost her job and, in spite of an intensive search, had failed to land a new one. Eventually, discouraged and depressed, Laura woke up each morning and thought, Why get dressed? Heck, why even get out of bed? Weight gain happened. And insomnia. And she didn’t feel well. Laura decided she was ready to try something new. Even if it involved a needle. “I’d love to be in a better mood and have more energy,” she told her sister. “Maybe then I’d get serious about eating less, exercising more, and finding a new job.” After the call with her sister, Laura felt a little better. But then her mental skeptic showed up. She already drank plenty of water and took vitamin supplements every day. So how could mainlining the stuff make any difference? How could what sounded like a vitamin water IV really give her more energy and the boost in mood her sister promised? And was it even safe? Step 1: Checking it out Armed with both doubts and hope, Laura grabbed her phone and climbed back into bed to do some research. “Who knew?” she later told us. “I read that only about half of the nutrients and fluids we eat and drink actually get absorbed [so your body can benefit from them]. But with an IV drip, you get to use at least 90%, immediately.” The B vitamin complex included in the IV drip also intrigued her. She discovered plenty of evidence that an infusion of B vitamins directly into the bloodstream can be immediately beneficial. “Fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, anxiety and depression — all can be signs of a B vitamin deficiency,” she read in a Psychology Today article online. That led her to some articles written by health writers who’d tried IV vitamin drips themselves. Their positive experiences convinced her. She also learned that only a qualified medical professional should administer an IV – and that Lesley Von Eschen, PA-C, the medical director at Bozeman’s IV4Wellness, and Lisa Koyama, R.N., are just such professionals. “Sounds safe enough. I’ll try it,” she told Clare. Laura called to schedule her first IV hydration treatment. She was given an appointment time for the very next morning! Step 2: Getting an IV vitamin drip Laura showed up at 10 a.m. for her appointment, spent five minutes swiping through a short questionnaire on an iPad, and another few minutes asking questions about IV vitamin hydration while Nurse Lisa checked her blood pressure and heart rate. Then she settled into a white leather recliner to await what she was sure would be at least a smidgeon of pain. “I was nervous about the needle, but I hardly felt it at all,” Laura told us. Lisa used an IV needle to insert a small, flexible plastic tube (catheter) into a vein inside Laura’s elbow, then quickly removed the needle to allow the 500 ml bag of vitamin-infused fluid to flow through the catheter and drip directly into her vein. The solution included magnesium, zinc and B complex vitamins. “Lisa told me it should improve my mental clarity, mood and energy, and help keep my immune system strong,” Laura told us. When the hydration solution started to flow, Laura said, she got “a faint sort of vitamin-y taste” in her mouth. No problem. She sucked on a couple of peppermint candies from the bowl thoughtfully set next to the comfy chair she was reclined in while receiving her IV. Her entire first office visit took less than an hour. And a few hours later, Laura knew it wouldn’t be her last. Step 3: Looking forward “I felt great afterward,” she said. “I thought I’d probably just go home, crawl back into bed and watch a couple movies. But I felt so energetic that I did several errands first. When I got home, I was feeling happier than I had in months.” That mood shift really surprised Laura. But what really shocked her was the urge to go for a long walk shortly after she got home. That’s something she hadn’t done since that dark day several months ago when she was laid off from a job she enjoyed. “I really felt like this was a new beginning,” she told us the next week. “I really think that better health begins with better moods and more energy. Now I actually feel like getting back out into the world and focusing on finding my next professional adventure.” Want to know more about IV hydration? Click here to sign up for our short, but info-packed monthly newsletter. Or you can schedule an appointment right now.