IV therapy is a modality or tool of naturopathic medicine that is used to bypass the gut to obtain nutrients and hydration directly to the body. IV infusions may be used in different clinical situations and needs for the patient. There are two different types of IV support at Hydrate: General Wellness IV Support and Advanced IV Support.
IV Therapy
Wellness IV Support
Wellness IV therapy is the infusion of certain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and homeopathics customized to your current needs.
Wellness IV’s are for mostly ‘healthy’ patients wanting gentle replenishment of nutrients and hydration they may need for health conditions that are transient and self limiting such as general viral infections, dehydration from overactivity or travel, chronic stress, mild sleep issues and general fatigue.
What to expect on Your First IV wellness visit (1.5-2 hours)-
For your first visit you will have an introductory naturopathic consultation (20-30 minutes) with the doctor to review your reasons for having IV therapy and a brief health history to go over allergies, medications and current health status. Following the consultation, the doctor will decide on the customized formula that is safe to administer for you. Your IV will be administered in the same visit and you will be instructed how many IV sessions are required for your case. Your IV prescription will be valid for 6-12 months after which time, a follow up appointment to review of health status will be required.
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(Includes IV infusion time): 1.5-2 hours; please come well hydrated and have eaten prior to your infusion time. You may also bring a snack if you have blood sugar issues or your treatment time is expected to be a bit longer.
Herbal tea and water are available at the clinic. -
You may feel more tired the first few hours after your infusion. This is because the body is working on healing and utilizing the nutrients that are now available (for tissue healing, removing toxins, etc.)
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First visit with IV Therapy
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Intramuscular Injections
At Hydrate Wellness, we offer intramuscular injections (or IM injections) to be able to administer vitamins, nutrients, amino acids and homeopathics in a smaller, faster way than IV therapy is administered.
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Some of our more common IM injections include B12, vitamin D, MIC (lipotropic complex), coenzyme Q10 and NAD. We can combine an injection of up 4 ingredients in up to 5 milliliters (1 tsp) into a syringe and inject it slowly in either the gluteus medius muscle (near the upperhip) or into the arm or deltoid muscle in just under 1 minute. The location of the injection depends on the amount and type of nutrient we are injecting.
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The benefits of having nutrients injected intramuscularly are that they are quick, almost painless and provide a slow release effect of nutrients into the body. The drawback is that you will only be able to inject certain nutrients at certain doses and you will miss out on the hydrating effects of a full IV.
Doses of nutrients vary significantly; the amounts of nutrients able to be administered into a muscle are much smaller compared to a venous infusion so you may miss out on some of the synergistic and metabolic effects of a well rounded IV infusion.
Book your first IV/IM appointment
Advanced IV Support
Advanced IV therapy is any IV that has certain risks and potential complications. Any IV may be risky to certain individuals, however, advanced IV’s do have specific parameters that need to be met in order to safely administer. This is why we require you to complete a one hour First Visit Naturopathic Medicine visit so our ND can discuss the lab work, testing and treatment schedule for your specific case.
My Approach
Naturopathic physicians are excellent at dealing with chronic disease. In an initial naturopathic consultation, I take the time to assess the whole person to get to the root cause of disease. In doing so, the therapies suggested may include IV therapy. Advanced IVs are an option for treatment in addition to other safe and effective medicines that are indicated for your case. Advanced IVs are an aspect of a complete treatment plan, not a standalone therapy meant to treat the patient’s health concerns in its entirety. We need a comprehensive holistic approach to not just treat, but also enhance health overall and prevent disease from continuing.
Advanced IV Therapies-
What is Chelation?
Chelation comes from the Greek word meaning chele or ‘crab claw’. It is a therapy that binds heavy metals in the body and directly removes them via your liver and kidneys. It is safe and effective, however it does require blood work and specialized testing that is completed at the clinic. Chelation uses the medications calcium EDTA and or DMPS to bind to certain heavy metals. We will discuss the potential benefits and indications of chelation therapy in your initial visit. The treatment takes 1.5- 3 hours depending on your IV prescription determined by our naturopathic physician.
How Does It Work?
When metals like lead, mercury, iron, copper and arsenic build up in your body, they can be toxic. Chelation therapy uses special medications that bind to metals in your blood. You get the chelating medicine through an intravenous (IV) tube in your arm. Once the drug has attached to the metal, your body removes them through your liver and kidneys. Before you get this treatment, your naturopathic doctor will have you do a provoking urine test to establish the levels of heavy metals in your system. This treatment is only approved in Canada and the US to treat metal poisoning.
How many treatments do I need? Most patients may require 5-30 treatments. Treatments are usually administered 1-2 times a week. The number of treatments and costs depends on your case and would be discussed with you with our naturopathic physician.
This type of IV cannot be booked online, please contact the clinic through phone (250.590.1482) or email info@hydratewellness.com.
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What is ozone?
Ozone is a molecule found naturally in our atmosphere- it is what protects us from the sun's harmful rays and potentially a myriad of medical conditions when used therapeutically. As a molecule, it is similar to oxygen except that it has three oxygen atoms instead of two. This makes it highly reactive and useful for medical treatments.
Historically, ozone therapy has been medically used for over 150 years, its efficacy has been proven along with little to no side effects. Ozone has been used as a sanitation tool for water purification, dentistry, wound care, and treating many diseases. There are many indications for ozone therapy clinically. These indications will be discussed with you in your initial visit, including costs and how many treatments would be needed.
What should I expect during an ozone treatment?
For those who are receiving ozone therapy they would expect treatment once or twice a week. A sample of blood is drawn from a vein, mixed with a volume of sterile saline solution in an IV bag then the sample is ozonated with a syringe of ozone gas that is generated from an ozonator attached to an oxygen tank. The ozonated blood sample is then reinfused back to the body over a period of 30- 45 minutes. Up to 30 treatments may be recommended over the course of up to 15 weeks.
The combination of ozone and specialized UV light rays increase the biological activity of the blood cells, thereby increasing immune boosting effects for eradicating bacteria, fungus, virus, and cancers as none of these diseases dwell under moderate to intense O2/UV conditions.
This type of IV cannot be booked online, please contact the clinic through phone (250.590.1482) or email info@hydratewellness.com.
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Iron infusions are now offered at Hydrate Wellness. Iron is essential for our ability for our blood cells to carry oxygen to our tissues and is also an important cofactor for many biochemical reactions in our body, particularly our nervous system. You may require an IV infusion if you cannot take iron by mouth, cannot absorb iron adequately through the gut, are deficient due to blood loss or you need to increase iron levels fast to avoid medical complications or a blood transfusion.
Iron infusions are considered advanced IV’s due to its potential for side effects in some people. It is only recommended for those who are diagnosed with iron deficiency and who may or may not have anemia. Because of its potential for adverse reactions, all patients who think they may need iron infusion therapy must go through a complete naturopathic visit, have recent iron test results done with the proper blood work.
What should I expect in an iron IV infusion?
We primarily use Venofer (or iron sucrose) at Hydrate Wellness. Monoferric is available only to those who have not tolerated iron sucrose or who have received monoferric in the past or meet the criteria for a single high dose iron infusion. The infusion can take up to 3 hours so we recommend bringing a snack with you to avoid low blood sugar issues. You are still able to get up and move, use the washroom during your infusion time.
This type of IV cannot be booked online, please contact the clinic through phone(250.590.1482) or email info@hydratewellness.com.
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NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a naturally occurring coenzyme of niacin that helps cells in our bodies produce energy. It does so by converting the energy we get from food into cellular energy. NAD can be used in addiction recovery, post-concussion support and mitochondrial (energy) optimization.
What to expect: Once you have had the initial 1 hour Naturopathic Medicine visit, the clinic has received required test results and our ND has established a safe and effective treatment plan for you, you can begin scheduling Advanced IV therapy. These IV’s are not available to be booked online so please call the clinic at 2505901482 to arrange a suitable infusion time.
Duration: Advanced IV’s can take anywhere between 1-4 hours depending on the therapy you are doing. You may be receiving your IV 1-3 times weekly over several weeks or months.
Results: Once you have completed your IV therapy schedule, you will have a follow up appointment (30-60 minutes) with our Naturopathic Physician who will decide your next steps.
For inquiries on other IV infusions, please contact the clinic to inquire if they are available.
p: (250.590.1482) or
e: info@hydratewellness.comOnline booking if this matches your IV needs: First visit Naturopathic Medicine here.
Additional IV Therapies-
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or ascorbate) is a key nutrient that humans must ingest as it cannot be made in the body. It is essential to our existence. When given at lower or moderate doses (up to 5 grams), vitamin C works as an antioxidant to prevent high levels of oxidative stress. In higher doses, vitamin C can help destroy bacteria, viruses and cancer by increasing oxidative stress but protects our healthy tissue. Hydrate Wellness offers low dose vitamin C and high dose vitamin C treatments.
High Dose Vitamin C therapy is the infusion of a large load of Vitamin C directly into the bloodstream to kick-start the physiological processes that prevent disease, and is considered an advanced IV since certain blood work will be needed in order to safely infuse. Please book an Initial Naturopathic Visit with our clinic naturopathic doctor to discuss if this therapy is needed for you and the required testing to safely receive it.
This type of IV cannot be booked online, please contact the clinic through phone (250.590.1482) or email info@hydratewellness.com.
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Phosphatidylcholine is a type of phospholipid whose primary function is to support cellular membranes – both outer membranes that surround organelles and structures within your cells (like the mitochondria).
A healthy cell membrane improves how cells work, in regards to efficiency and the overall function of each cell. All our essential organs, especially our liver and central nervous system use large amounts of PC to function normally.
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Glutathione (GSH) :Glutathione is a potent antioxidant found in most living organisms. It is capable of preventing damage to important cellular components from free radicals and toxins such as heavy metals. It also has an inhibitory effect on our melanin producing cells (that cause darkening of our skin) when given at higher doses.
It is one of the body’s main antioxidants and is administered as an add-on after receiving the preload or pre-bag of essential nutrients it needs to perform its important function.