Iv Fluids On A Regular Basis

[Lenna]

I'm sure that this has been covered in the past, but I hope people don't mind answering this again.

Does anyone get IV fluids on a regular basis to help raise their blood volume? How often? Does it help? Are doctors willing to do this?

Thanks.

Lenna

[coloredblood]

I get 2 bags through a port every 2 weeks and we ( my doc and I) are talking about going to once a week. It helps a ton! I have to say it does take over a lot of life though. But it does help and when you just can't drink enough it really does help. I hope that helps.

~nancy

[ramakentesh]

I think vanderbilt or somewhere said that it was far better as a treatment than any other of the options available - i think they were even investigating whether it could be done more commonly as a treatment for POTS.

[babettess]

I would be thrilled to get IV fluids! I struggle to get in 24 oz. of liquids a day due to my swallowing difficulty. I am definately going to check into it.

Glad to hear that it does help.

Babette

[tinkerbella]

I do, as I'm my doctor's most challenging case and get two large bags once a week in the infusion clinic at the hospital. It takes from 8 am to 2 pm on a good day if they can access my veins. I won't let them put in a porta cath right now. I'm lucky to get a bed not everyone gets a bed there. They save the same bed for me every week. I pass out as soon as I get the iv in. I used to draw and write, now I'm so tired.

It had to be very slow at first so when I first started, it was one bag and it took the whole day. Going in too fast can cause congestive heart failure. I have to have my postural pressures takes at different times to be safe. I watched a room mate go into congestive heart failure from too much fluids too fast.

There have been times I have had to be admitted, have ekgs, as results of chest pains, be sent for echos but it took quite a long time to work up too 2 bags. First 1 then 1 1/2, now 2. Now they are talking 2 days. It costs 4,000 a month and up depending upon what tests are ordered for the day. I get two full meals that day. I feel great after and for the first time in my life I have stopped licking my lips. My insurance covers it right now.

Every time I see my neuro she tells me I am still so dry, and she believes I can't ever get enough fluids. I have seen another patient from my doctor's office there and she get a chair. I would never make it in a recliner. I'm truly blessed.

I have such a wonderful cardio that started this for me. I Really appreciate being able to to taken care of in the hospital as I'm alone and I'm given such wonderful care by a staff that I have gotten to know and they know all about Pots and understand what my life is like and try to make my one day day as nice as possible. They completely go over everything everything each week so it's like keeping an update on me encase I'm admitted everything is right on file.

Right after, My pressures are always almost perfect. But, I lose fluids so fast as I can't keep them in me. I'm tired after from the long ordeal from getting a cab to and from the hospital. If you can get, it I highly recommend it.

[Lenna]

That all sounds encouraging. For those of you who have been getting IVs, how long do the benefits last? As much as a week?

[Troy]

The IV fluids do nothing for me because it seems my body has its own set level on how much fluid it allows for absorbtion any additional fluids send me running to urinate, every time Im given IV fluids I make about 2-3 visits to the toilet per bag of IV or serum, anyone else have this problem?

[dizzygirl]

i was getting IV fluids on a regualr basis. I found it to be helpfull early on. I get fluid ran thru over a 12-36 hour period. Done at my local hospital as needed.

My insurance will not pay for it to be done at home... but... will pay for overnighters in the hospital..weird!

Depending on the amount of fluid I get i will have a BP boost as well as an energy boost lasting anywhere's from 12 hours to 3 days. My doctor(s) have no problem doing this, as its been one of the few things that have been helpful

good luck

[taylortotmom]

I was on at-home iv infusion therapy for 18 months (daily) but had to have my port removed due to a serious infection that nearly killed me. I LOVED my port and the effect the fluids had on my life but the risk is a big one and needs to be carefully looked at before making a decision to go that route.

Carmen

[tinkerbella]

the more i drink the more i have to use the bathroom.

with infusion i hold it longer.

with regards to the port they can use very vein I've got, then make a map with an x-ray before i go that route. my friend was septic for over 2 years. died they brought her back and never found the source was the port untill 4 months ago.

I'm not taking that risk. plus with a port they want you at home, I'm a high risk for infection. living alone I'd rather be monitored, and it's at least one day a week an intake is done on me. It's like having a visiting nurse but better. the last one I had was useless.

the more i try to hydrate before infusion my veins seem slightly better.

I'm trying something new today, more details to come.

I think I really like it! New hydration product. I'll get back to you later.

[morgan617]

Sounds good in theory I guess, but IV's do have to go somewhere and unless it's a continuous thing, I can't imagine it being a steady help. For the short term, it would plump you up, but it absorbs pretty quickly into the system and you are back where you started. So unless you are getting it steadily, which I wouldn't want to do, get around with a constant bag of fluids going, I'm not sure what the long term benefits would be.

I have had a few times where they've run an entire bag wide open and a bit later I will feel better, for a bit, but not long enough to be stuck on a regular basis. For those that can't get anything down, of course, it has to be, but I'd pass on a continuous IV pole hanging around my house. And the port can be troublesome to some, like me, with a pacer, too high a risk of infection. But we are all different. morgan

[yogini]

I think there have been a few people on here that have been on daily IV fluids. I think it helps some, but more poeple don't do to the high cost and chance of infection.

[tinkerbella]

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