Hydration · Posted · Updated · By the Elevate team
At-home IV therapy: mobile infusions where you need them
The short answer At-home IV therapy means a registered nurse comes to your home, office, hotel or event with everything needed for an IV drip. Your nurse checks your health first, then the drip runs for about 30 to 45 minutes while you rest on your own couch. No waiting room, no drive.
Getting an IV used to mean a crowded urgent care or emergency room, sitting near other sick people and watching the clock. At-home IV therapy changes that: a nurse comes to your door with fluids, vitamins and, if you need them, medicines.
This guide walks through how it works, what to expect, what people book it for, and whether it fits what you need.
The short version
- A registered nurse brings everything to your home, office, hotel or event.
- Fluids, vitamins and medicines go straight into a vein instead of through your stomach.
- People book it for dehydration, hangovers, colds and flu, migraines, food poisoning, jet lag, immune support and athletic recovery.
- No insurance; HSA and FSA cards welcome.
- Every visit starts with a health check, and your nurse may advise against an IV.
What is at-home IV therapy?
It's an IV given outside a clinic: at your home, work, hotel or an event. A sterile saline fluid, with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and sometimes medicine added, goes straight into a vein. It skips your stomach and gut.
Wellness drips vs. medical home infusion
These are two different things. Wellness drips, like ours, are for hydration, vitamins and short-term relief from things like a hangover or jet lag. You book them when you want them.
Medical home infusion is ordered by your doctor for a diagnosed condition, like IV antibiotics for an infection, treatments for some autoimmune diseases, nutrition for people who can't absorb food, or chemotherapy. It runs on a set schedule with ongoing medical care, and is often billed to insurance. If you have a long-term condition or take several medicines, talk to your own doctor before booking a wellness drip.
How an at-home IV works, step by step
1. Booking
Book online, or call or text
2. Your nurse arrives
A registered nurse arrives with the IV bag, tubing, any medicines and the equipment to check your vitals, and sets up wherever you're comfortable: your sofa, your bed or a recliner.
3. A health check
Your nurse goes over your health history, the medicines you take and any allergies, and checks your vitals. Your nurse may adjust your drip, or advise against an IV.
4. The drip
- Your nurse checks your blood pressure, pulse and other vitals.
- Picks a vein and cleans the skin.
- Places a small, thin tube in the vein, usually in your arm.
- Starts the drip and sets the speed.
- Stays with you and watches how you're doing the whole time.
- Takes the IV out and tells you how to look after the spot.
The drip itself runs for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Booking for a group
Several people can have a drip at the same place in the same visit: wedding parties, teams, office wellness days, a girls' weekend. Group perks: 5 to 9 guests: 10% off every IV. 10 to 19 guests: 15% off every IV. Wedding parties: the bride or groom gets a free Myers' IV. 20 or more: 20% off every IV. Wedding parties: the bride and groom both get a free Myers' IV. See IV parties and events.
The health check, and when an IV isn't right
Every visit starts with a safety check, and it's not optional. Your nurse asks about:
- Heart or kidney disease
- Pregnancy, or whether you might be pregnant
- Blood pressure problems
- Any past reaction to an IV or a medicine
- How you feel right now, including chest pain or shortness of breath
- The medicines and supplements you take
An at-home IV is not emergency care. For severe chest pain, signs of a stroke (a drooping face, a weak arm, slurred speech), trouble breathing or confusion, call 911.
During your visit
Setting up
Your nurse picks a clean, well-lit spot with a flat surface for supplies. You sit or lie wherever you're comfortable. Many people watch TV, work on a laptop or just rest.
Starting the IV
Your nurse cleans your skin, places a small, thin tube in a vein, tapes it in place and connects it to the bag, which hangs from a portable IV pole.
While it runs
Your nurse stays with you the whole time, watching the drip speed and how you feel, and can slow it down if you're uncomfortable.
What you might feel
- A cool feeling in your arm as the fluid goes in
- A metallic taste, with some vitamins
You're free to talk, use your phone, read or relax. Most people find the whole thing pleasantly uneventful. More in Understanding IV Infusion Side Effects.
What people book at home
Hydration
The base of most drips: plain IV fluid, for dehydration from heat, travel, vomiting or diarrhea. Ours is The Saline: Normal saline, with add-ons if you want them. See dehydration.
Immune support
Vitamin C, zinc and B vitamins, often booked in cold and flu season. Support, not a cure. Our Elevated Immunity is Myers' Cocktail plus high-dose Vitamin C and Glutathione. More in Zinc, Glutathione and Vitamin C: The Immunity IV Trio.
Hangover and recovery
Fluid, B vitamins and medicine for nausea and pain. Our Bounce Back is Anti-nausea, pain relief, B12, B Complex.
Energy and performance
B vitamins, amino acids and electrolytes, often booked around big events. Our Pre-Game Kickoff is B Complex, B12, Taurine, Amino Blend; the Recovery Cooldown is B Complex, B12, Glutathione, Magnesium, Amino Blend.
NAD+
NAD+ is an add-on on our menu. More in IV NAD+: What People Use It For.
Our whole menu runs from $120 (The Saline) to $375 (Elevate Total Immunity).
Why people choose an IV at home
No waiting room
Skip the urgent care wait, the drive, the parking and the crowded waiting room, which matters most in cold and flu season.
Comfort
Rest on your own couch or bed, with your own blanket and the lights how you like them. A family member can stay with you.
Time
Work on a laptop, take calls or watch TV during your drip, instead of losing half a day to a clinic.
Groups
Wedding parties, teams and office staff can all have a drip in one place, in one visit.
"Within 2 hours of my text she arrived at our house, administered 3 drips, and had us full of feel better vitamins."
Jen W., about Nurse Kate
Risks, and who should check with a doctor first
When a trained nurse does it, an IV is generally safe, but it's still a medical procedure, and the risks deserve an honest look.
Common and minor
- Some discomfort where the IV goes in
- A bruise around the vein
- Mild irritation or swelling at the spot
- A short drop in blood pressure if the drip goes in too fast
Rare but serious
- Fluid leaking into the tissue around the vein
- An infection where the IV went in
- Inflammation of the vein (phlebitis)
- An allergic reaction to a medicine or ingredient
- Too much fluid for people with heart or kidney problems
- An air bubble in the line, which is extremely rare with proper technique
Talk to your doctor first if you have
- Heart failure
- Kidney disease
- High blood pressure that isn't under control
- A pregnancy: we only give an IV in pregnancy with your doctor's OK. See pregnancy hydration.
- A lot of medicines, especially water pills (diuretics) or blood thinners
Always tell your nurse about long-term conditions and the medicines you take, so the fluid and ingredients can be adjusted.
Cost and payment
Our drips run from $120 (The Saline) to $375 (Elevate Total Immunity). Add-ons are extra; see the whole menu. No insurance; HSA and FSA cards welcome, as well as credit and debit cards.
How to get ready for your visit
Before your appointment
- Drink some water an hour or two before, unless you've been told to limit fluids.
- Eat a light snack.
- Pick a spot with comfortable seating and a small table or flat surface.
What to wear
Loose, short sleeves, so your nurse can easily reach the veins in your arm.
What to have ready
- A list of the medicines you take
- Any allergies
Kids and pets
Keep an eye on children and pets during your drip, or keep them in another room, so your nurse has a clean, calm space to work.
Afterwards
Most people go straight back to their day.
Looking after the spot
- Keep the small bandage on for a few hours.
- Avoid heavy lifting with that arm for the rest of the day.
- Watch for redness, swelling or pain that gets worse.
- Keep drinking water, and go easy on alcohol.
Call us or your doctor if you get
- A fever after your drip
- Redness spreading around the spot
- Bad or worsening pain
For shortness of breath, chest pain, or feeling faint or confused, call 911.
Booking again
Some people book now and then around big events, travel or a busy season; others only when they're sick or worn out. Ask your nurse what makes sense for you.
Questions about at-home IV therapy
How quickly can a nurse come to my home?
Book online, or call or text
Can I work or move around during the drip?
Yes. Most people sit or lie back and use a laptop, a phone or the TV. Your arm is a little limited by the line, and your nurse can help with a quick trip to the bathroom. Don't drive during your drip, or right after it if you had medicine that can make you drowsy.
How often can I get an IV at home?
It depends on the drip, your health and what you need it for. Regular high-dose vitamins or large amounts of fluid should be guided by someone who knows your full medical history. Ask your nurse, and your own doctor if you have a health condition.
Where do you come to?
We come to you in Southern West Virginia, Morgantown, Wheeling and Pittsburgh. Some of the towns we visit: Greater Charleston, Morgantown, Wheeling and Pittsburgh. Check every place we go.
Want the drip at home? Every day, 8 AM to 8 PM, in Southern West Virginia, Morgantown, Wheeling and Pittsburgh.
