Frequently Asked Questions
There are several ways that people refer to IV nutritional therapy. Some people call it IV vitamin therapy, while others call it IV micronutrient therapy. Regardless of name preference, the purpose remains the same: to provide supplemental vitamins and micronutrients into your body to improve the body’s state of health and overall well-being. IV stands for intravenous, meaning that the vitamins and micronutrients are administered into the body through the veins.
IV nutrient therapy administration has become increasingly popular in recent times. Some athletes receive intravenous vitamins after their games to help improve speed up their recovery. Another common reason people seek out IV vitamin therapy is in managing certain medical conditions; some studies that have been performed indicate that supplemental IV vitamin administration may help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia, migraines, and hypertension, among others.
IV vitamin therapy is not a new concept; it has been in existence since the early 1960’s. One of the earliest types of IV Vitamin therapy developed was by the late Dr. Myers; he came up with the Myers’ Cocktail comprising magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, and other B-complex vitamins. Since the Myer’s Cocktail’s original development, many other combinations of IV Vitamin therapy have been developed.
That depends on your veins. People with smaller veins will have a slower flow rate to ensure comfort, while people with larger veins will infuse faster. For general safety, the infusion from start to finish takes between 45 minutes to an hour in most cases.
We chart or answer your questions.
Of course we can! The smallest needles we offer are used on infants in the hospital. But remember, a small needle will equate to a longer infusion time. Also, any needle is sharp on the end, so the size of the needle doesn’t affect the small pin prick of insertion. However, once we’re in the vein, we remove the metal needle and all that remains is a small plastic tube.
We understand no one likes needles, and causing extra pain isn’t going to help. Our nurses are all Vascular Access Board Certified (VABC), and are very experienced in IV insertion. We are also able to utilize ultrasound technology to visualize your veins in the event we aren’t able to locate one by sight or touch. Most insertions are successful on the first try.
This answer depends on you and your health goals and some personal health factors. Speak to your nurse at the time of your infusion to determine a good schedule to optimize your health per your treatment protocol.
A layperson may be interested in finding out if IV Vitamin therapy is beneficial for them. However, given the fact that there are many types of intravenous micronutrients available, a patient should consult with their healthcare provider first. After performing an assessment, a healthcare provider is able to recommend what combination of vitamins and minerals a patient needs to achieve their health goals. Additionally discussed are the types of IV Vitamin therapy available, risks and benefits of its use, components of IV Vitamin compounds, as well as some common use cases. If someone is wondering if IV therapy is right for them, they should consult with their doctor first.
Once your body has absorbed all it can, it will eliminate out the rest through your urine. It is completely normal for your urine to look and smell like flintstone vitamins for up to 12 hours after your infusion.
Some doctors do, and that’s FANTASTIC. These doctors are obviously concerned with treating your body as a whole. But most doctors are indoctrinated by medical schools to treat everything with a drug. The medical schools are paid for by big pharmaceutical companies, so they control what the doctors are taught. Pharmaceutical companies make money by selling you drugs that cover up disease and do not deal with the underlying health issues. Plus, they can’t patent vitamins, so if they can’t make tons of money, they aren’t interested.
The bag of fluids is at room temperature and most of the ingredients are refrigerated. Because the entire infusion is below body temperature, many clients report feeling cool or cold. This is very normal and expected. Clients are encouraged to bring a sweater or blanket with them at the time of infusion.
Intravenous vitamin infusions are generally safe, with minimal side effects. When they do occur, the side effects are usually a mild skin irritation at the site of injection which resolves quickly. In addition, some side effects may occur because of a hypersensitivity reaction to one or more of the ingredients in an infusion. For example, magnesium in an infusion bag may cause a flushing sensation around the head, neck, and chest areas. Glutathione is another ingredient which can sometimes make you flush. Side effects are very mild and resolve quickly. If you are concerned during your infusion, we can slow down the infusion, or stop it completely.
IV fluids often remain in the body for a few hours after absorption. However, the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes in the infusion may stay in your body for days, weeks, or even months. This is very dependent on your body’s requirements and the sort of IV infusion you receive. Several key aspects and biological processes influence the length of time IV fluid remains in your body, such as metabolic rate, hydration status, and current illness.
- Most people generally consume their vitamins and micronutrients through their food; some people may also take additional multivitamin supplements. When vitamins, micronutrients, and water are ingested orally, they go down to the stomach and intestines, where they are broken down by gastrointestinal enzymes and then absorbed into the bloodstream. There is a limit to how fast these substances can be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and unfortunately, only about 20% of the nutrients we ingest orally are absorbed. Other factors that impact the amount of vitamins absorbed from the intestine are an individual’s metabolism, age, genetics, and interactions with other orally consumed products.
- Ultimately, a significant amount of the orally ingested vitamins and micronutrients is lost, and only small amounts pass to the rest of the body. As with most of the vitamins and micronutrients going to waste, the body does not derive the full benefits of these substances when they are orally ingested as food or other supplements.
- IV fluids are retained and passed through your body differently from fluids obtained by ingesting. An IV drip infusion accomplishes the following tasks:
- It delivers water, critical nutrients, and medication straight to your circulation, allowing them to reach your organs and body cells easily.
- IV drip infusions, unlike drinking, do not push water through your digestive tract. This means you keep the nutrients and electrolytes that would otherwise be lost during digestion.
- IV drip treatment can help with pain management, immune system support, and gut health enhancement. Although IV fluids are only in your body for a few hours, the effects continue long after the fluids are removed. They also provide a more efficient method of rehydrating.
Semaglutide FAQs
Administer it subcutaneously (fat) in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm once weekly.
The dose is increased every 4 weeks as tolerated to the maximum effective dose (not more than 2.5mg).
If dose escalation is not tolerated due to side effects (eg, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation), the increase in dose can be delayed by another four weeks. We will continue the maximum tolerated dose until your goal weight loss is achieved.
You may NOT take semaglutide if you are pregnant, have a personal history of pancreatitis, are a type 1 diabetic, or have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A or 2B.
If you take semaglutide with insulin or an insulin secretagogue (eg, a sulfonylurea), blood glucose should be monitored very closely, multiple times a day. Furthermore, a dose reduction in insulin or the sulfonylurea may be necessary to avoid hypoglycemia. Please consult your primary care physician about starting semaglutide if you take insulin for the control of diabetes.
Very rare cases of angioedema and anaphylaxis have been reported with semaglutide. Please disclose ALL allergies to our nurse practitioner during your good faith exam, and to our registered nurses when asked.
Patients with diabetic retinopathy should be monitored for complications.
Just like almost every medication out there, some people may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation while taking semaglutide. These are generally mild symptoms, and usually resolve very quickly over a couple of hours.
Gastrointestinal symptoms could occur upon starting the medication and when increasing the dose each month. Please make it a goal to drink adequate amounts of water while taking this medication.
If you experience nausea upon starting the medication, contact us if you don’t feel better after a few days and we can prescribe a temporary medication for nausea (ondansetron/Zofran).
Eat nutritious food throughout the day to avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), lightheadedness, or weakness. If you are diabetic and take insulin, check your blood sugar more often so you can prevent hypoglycemia. Be sure to include lean protein sources in your diet.
Move your body and engage in strength training to prevent muscle catabolism. Muscle growth with resistance training will increase your resting calorie burn, and cardiovascular exercise will improve your heart health. It’s a win win!
Avoid high calorie beverages like juice, soda, and alcohol. Drinking your calories is the best way to sabotage your success.
Water is your friend, and drinking plenty of water while taking this medication will help with weight loss, appetite control, and will help prevent constipation. DRINK YOUR WATER!
Very good question! A better question is, what does having the extra weight cost? Your health, self-contentment, physical ability, and personal outlook are all improved when we move towards our goals. Weight loss is no different. If weight loss is your goal, we can help you reach it.
Treatment packages and pricing for the low-dose program:
Month to Month $349/month
3 months Paid In Full $897 ($299/month)
6 months Paid In Full $1500 ($250/month)
Our program is as low as $250 per month for the low-dose protocol. Most people do not require the high-dose protocol and remain on the low-dose protocol for the entirety of their weight loss journey. There is an increase in cost if you choose to move to the high-dose protocol. Lastly, the only additional cost to the program is a one-time $50 fee billed with your first month to pay for the good faith exam performed by the nurse practitioner.
When our nurses deliver your medication and perform their check-in assessments, you will be sent an invoice to your email on file. Alternatively, you may pay online using a credit card prior to your appointment. Our nurses do not accept cash or check for safety reasons, so please be ready with your credit card if you choose to pay at your appointment. We also accept HSA and FSA cards.
On our website, you will find the “Client Intake Form”. The form is a brief medical questionnaire we forward to our medical director and nurse practitioner to review and for conducting your telehealth good faith exam. When filling out the form, indicate that you want to lose weight using our semaglutide program. Once the form is submitted, we will contact you to schedule your telehealth good faith exam, and to schedule the delivery of your first month’s doses.
Our nurse practitioners perform these exams on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8am and 9am EST. The exam takes place on the phone, and usually doesn’t last more than 10 minutes.
One of our experienced registered nurses will come to your home or office. They will perform an assessment and education session to ensure client safety . Our nurses will teach you how to safely self-inject at your first visit, as well as provide full education and answer all questions you may still have about semaglutide weight loss therapy. The entire process takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
No, we do not. You are expected to pay, in full, for all visits and charges incurred at each visit. These charges may or may not be covered by your insurance. Southern Oasis IV, LLC does not provide or fill out claim forms for insurance purposes. It is your responsibility to save receipts needed for any purpose (such as HSA and FSA plans).
The medication will be delivered in syringes, so there is no need for you to worry about if you’re giving yourself the right amount of medication. We take this step to prevent medication errors which are all too common when dealing with multiple types of units, such as milligrams, milliliters, and international units. It can become confusing, but don’t worry. Our expert staff takes care of this step for you.
This varies for each person, but most people don’t notice a change in appetite or weight during the first 2 to 4 weeks. This allows your body to adjust and acclimate to the new medication with minimal or no side effects. Then, as we increase the dose, you will notice changes in appetite, feelings of fullness, and eventually weight loss. Others experience weight loss the first week or month. The research says the real benefits are noted to start between month 3 and 5. Stay the full course for at least 4 months to evaluate if this medication is working for you or not.
Each month, our nurses will check in with you to determine if you’d like to continue the program and to assess efficacy and safety. If you are eligible to continue, the nurse will schedule your next appointment, your medication will be delivered, and you will be invoiced to your email.
We assure you, these needles are so tiny, you’ll barely feel a thing. Our nurses will teach you how to self-inject and show you exactly what to do. We use the tiniest needle possible of 31 gauge (same as an insulin or Botox injection). The injection is done in the subcutaneous level of the skin (not deep), so the needle is short. It’s barely felt when done on the abdomen. Once you have received the thorough education our nurses provide, we’re sure you’ll be very confident in your ability to self-inject.
You are right, the internet is a scary place! A lot of false information is out there, as well as people looking to make the most profit by offering you inexpensive semaglutide from China or Africa ($200 – $300 or less for 3 months’ supply in some instances), but what they’re really selling you is watered-down semaglutide or worse, semaglutide salts, which can be dangerous. We only use compounding pharmacies in the United States, and they all are highly regulated by the State Board of Pharmacy, overseen by the FDA. Your weight loss success and safety is our success. We want you to succeed, and we want you to be safe and healthy.
We are here for you Tuesdays through Saturdays 8am to 5pm. You are more than welcome to call or text anytime though, and even if it’s outside normal business hours, we will get back to you as soon as possible.