This post was originally published on January 1, 2015.
Forget Advil, Have an IV
Happy New Year! If you’re feeling, well, like a lot of people today (and you’re in certain cities), good news: there’s a way to start the year feeling better. According to an article in The New York Times, if you have the money and you like to overindulge, an IV drip is the newest hangover cure for after parties. In New York and Las Vegas you can book an appointment with mobile IV doctors who will come to you—administering Dramamine, anti-histamines and saline straight to your bloodstream, without the hassle of actually swallowing anything.
Medicating with an IV cocktail might be a little over the top but it makes sense when the key symptoms of a hangover are headache, nausea and dehydration. Of course you can drink water and pop a pill and assume the fetal position and wait but who wants to do that when you can plug in for an hour and go on with your day?
It Works If You Work It
“This morning I felt like death,” Angel Higgins, in Vegas for her 30th birthday, told The Times. After the treatment, it was a whole new world. “I feel amazing, which is so scary,” she said. Scary. Exactly. Not to sound like a self-righteous sober person, but isn’t it a little scary that people think they can drink more without repercussions?
Regardless, the IV hangover service has become so popular that intravenous lounges are popping up in LA and Scottsdale offering options over and above the hangover cure. Clients can pick from a menu of IV cocktails tailored to a number of needs—including weight loss, energy and immune boosting. All that’s missing are the amphetamines.
I get it. No one wants to feel that morning after hell. I used to do a lot of cocaine and then when I couldn’t sleep I took a Valium and slept like a baby. It seemed like the perfect plan. Until I woke up to pee one afternoon, passed out and broke my nose on the travertine tile. It didn’t stop me of course—feeling like shit the next day is hardly a deterrent for addicts and alcoholics.
Just Don’t Expect the Doctors to Sign On
Though the medical community is not especially impressed, according to The Times article, basic hydration can’t be harming those drinkers using this remedy. Most of us don’t drink enough water anyway.
I guess the point to remember is that this kind of treatment doesn’t erase the damage that’s already been done. Over-imbibing creates a toxic environment in your body and even if you feel better, your liver is still working overtime to rid your system of what is essentially poison. Though hey, it makes more sense to stick a needle full of electrolytes in your arm than it does to grab another beer. At least this way you are managing the symptoms rather than prolonging and compounding them.
Here’s another idea: Party less. Drink enough water. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Exercise. Get enough sleep.
How’s that for a $299 detox?
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