If you suffer from migraines, you know the pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound can be genuinely debilitating. You probably also know the point at which a migraine stops being manageable at home. For many people the emergency room becomes the fallback — along with the co-pays, the waiting room, and the imaging bills that follow.
Some patients ask us about IV hydration as an alternative to that cycle. Below, one of our patients describes her own experience in her own words.
"I get headaches frequently that are so severe that nothing over the counter or even prescribed helps. Once the headache sets in, I feel like something is ripping through my skull. I can no longer bear the pain, and I am off to the ER. There, the usual protocol is a CT scan and a cocktail of pain meds that take my headache away but usually make me feel worse from the other side effects. However, on one trip to the hospital, the doctor gave me a 'cocktail' of a different sort — a yellow 'banana bag' IV composed of nothing but fluids and vitamins. It took away my migraine, and I actually felt energized instead of drugged.
The problem with an ER banana bag is that my co-pay is $100, and the bills for the CT scan that follow — which insurance does not always pick up — run around $300 if I'm lucky. So a migraine costs me a nice chunk of change and a considerable amount of time.
I have had many MRIs over the past 10 years and have seen many specialists, and like most migraine sufferers, I've been told no one can pinpoint the cause. It was my neurologist who recently recommended the RELIEVE: Myers Cocktail at RevitalIV. This treatment has me in and out in under an hour and a half. I realize this is not for everyone, but I am thankful to have an alternative." — Beth, RevitalIV patient
RevitalIV's RELIEVE: Myers Cocktail is a blend of fluids, magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. The Myers Cocktail formulation has been described in the clinical literature for a range of conditions, and magnesium in particular has been studied in relation to migraine (Gaby, A.R., "Intravenous Nutrient Therapy: the Myers' Cocktail," Alternative Medicine Review, 2002).
Responses vary considerably from person to person. IV hydration is not a cure for migraine, it does not address the underlying cause, and it is not a substitute for evaluation and treatment by a neurologist or headache specialist. RevitalIV always recommends speaking with your physician before beginning any wellness treatment — and if you experience a sudden, severe, or unfamiliar headache, seek emergency care.
If your physician has suggested IV hydration may be worth exploring, call (561) 406-2202 or book a consultation at our Jupiter, FL clinic.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The patient account above reflects one individual's experience; results are not typical and vary from person to person. IV vitamin therapy is not approved by the FDA for the treatment or prevention of migraine or any other condition. Consult a licensed healthcare provider about your individual health situation.
