As a soldier in the war that is this year’s flu season, I’ve been in bed for two out of the past three weeks. My days have been marked with sneezes, persistent coughing and the occasional vomiting. Running low on motivation and sources of vitamin C that don’t taste like fake oranges I decided to try an IV clinic.
Now, this may not be the best option for those afraid of needles but, the soft prick in my arm was quickly replaced with the cooling effect of the IV bag releasing liquid into my body.
I received an IV cocktail called The Doctors Apple. It is a 1000ml bag with a defensive blend, vitamin C and B-Complex.
Each IV is placed by a registered nurse in an open clinic atmosphere filled with couches, televisions and soft music. The nurse that administered my IV bag took my blood pressure, asked pertinent medical questions and gave me some tips that would help me get better faster.
Hydralive offers several different cocktails that help with athletic prep and recovery, illness recovery, detox, weight loss, beauty and hangovers. They also offer oxygen treatments and IV supplemental treatments ranging from nausea relief to anxiety relief. The experience it totally catered to what you need and how you’re feeling.
The fluids coming from the bag made me really cold but there were blankets draped over almost every chair.
As I sat back and let the bag do its magic I flipped through Netflix with the apple remote given to me and put on Hitch with Will Smith.
Every now and then the nurse would come over and compress the bag in order to move the liquid through the IV more quickly, each time causing a rush of cool liquid to enter my bloodstream.
Other clientele spoke softly and the receptionist offered me a drink that would help with my energy levels and downright tasted like raspberry flavored heaven.
Treatments range in pricing depending on what size bag you want and what supplements you put in them. A 500 ml dose is $36 and a full 1000 ml dose costs $60. Supplements cost anywhere from $18-$42 and monthly memberships are also available. Another plus — Hydralive offers a student membership discount that is valid with a student ID.
The treatment can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour so bring a book or some homework, sit back and relax and let the healing begin.
Afterward, I was shocked by the amount of energy I actually did have. Pure energy, with none of jitters that accompanied my usual venti caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso.
The treatment is comfortable, relaxing and a great way to treat yo’ self in a way that won’t give you a hangover or a food baby.
