A Closer Look
at IV Drips
What does IV mean?
IV or I.V. means intravenous. An IV drip is an infusion into a vein of fluid, electrolytes, medical drugs, amino acids and vitamins.
What is in an IV drip?
This depends on what you want to have in your IV drip! We offer an ‘off the peg’ or bespoke service. Check out the options here or give us a call to discuss further.
What marks us out from our competitors?
Our medical team carry a large range of different ingredients in our medical bags. We don’t just do “ready made” IV bags. Many companies only offer “vitamin drips”. Our drips can contain whatever you desire from combinations of amino acids, pharmaceutical drugs including anti-inflammatory, anti-sickness, analgesic medications, high dose electrolytes (such as magnesium), nootropic agents to wide range of vitamins. Many of these drugs have to be prescribed by a Doctor. We have Doctors and Nurses on duty every day and our back-end systems enable real time communication between them and in turn, real time prescriptions. We are also able to perform and analyse blood tests and target specific deficiencies.
What to expect when you book an IV drip
After booking, you will be sent an online consent form to complete. This confidential form (which is stored in our encrypted CQC standard medical database) asks for details of your past medical history and allergies. This is reviewed by one of our Doctors prior to one of the team coming out to you to ensure that it is safe for you to have an IV drip. Once this review process has occurred, a Nurse or Doctor will be cleared to come to the location of your choice. They will show you ID on arrival. They will likely ask for a few minutes to set up everything and during this time you can make yourself comfortable.
When you are ready, they will go over your past medical history, allergies and what you desire from the IV drip. You will then agree on the drip that you will have. We have IV drips for a large range of indications and our practitioners can answer any questions you have to help you choose the right infusion for you. Your blood pressure and heart rate will be taken. A tourniquet will be applied to the arm which you wish to have the drip in. Your skin will be cleaned with an alcohol wipe. A sterile (one use) cannula (IV needle) will be inserted into the vein. The metal part of the cannula is then removed leaving only a flexible plastic tube in the vein. You will feel a sharp scratch but that is it! The cannula will be connected to the giving set which is the plastic tubing coming from the IV bag. Your medications will then be added to the IV bag once it is running nicely. The practitioner will stay with you throughout the infusion. If you desire privacy, please let the practitioner know – we are used to clients needing to work over the duration of the IV drip. Once the infusion is complete the cannula will be removed, pressure will be applied to the area while it is removed from to prevent bruising. Our practitioner will remove all waste (clinical and non-clinical) and ensure that everything is left spotless! You will receive a feedback email – we hugely value your input on how we can improve our service.
What qualifications/ certifications do we hold?
All of our Doctors and Nurses are on the GMC/ NMC register. All of our products carry product liability insurance. We are CQC certified, our last inspection was in June 2021. We are fully insured.
Do IV drips Work?
It depends what you want it for and it depends what you put in the IV drip. Many poorly informed critiques of IV drips bunch them all together and belittle their effectiveness. Our lead doctors are Anaesthetic doctors who as well as working with Effect are currently practicing within the NHS. The ingredients of every “off the peg” infusion have been carefully considered in an evidence-based manner. Our base solution is considerably more premium than many more competitors (it is truly isotonic and pH neutral) and we carry in stock over 100 different medications and ingredients. We offer a solution-based product (pun intended!). Hung over? We would add anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-sickness medications. Want to boost your immune system we will in an evidence-based way give you vitamins which many companies will not even stock. Jet lagged we will give you an infusion of amino acids and medications which will almost immediately ameliorate your symptoms. Under the weather? We have you covered!. Want a sporting amino acid infusion to assist recovery and provide building blocks for muscle formation? We got you!
We are able to advise you if you have any questions.
Is My Data Safe?
Our medical system is encrypted, unconnected to our website and has 2 factor authentication. Your data is 100% safe.
Is the service confidential?
We are bound by GMC and NMC regulations. We are 100% discrete and confidential.