Is IV Vitamin Therapy painful?

Ask how a drip will feel ahead of the visit instead of guessing.

Find out from the clinician how the IV will feel

Put the question to the clinician who will place the line. Ask what you will feel, and how to signal them when something is wrong.

Tell the clinician your needle history first

Say these out loud before the needle goes in:

• That you dislike needles or have fainted during one.
• That a past IV or blood draw was hard.
• That you take pain medicine or blood thinners.

Ask what to do if the site burns, swells or aches during the drip, and who is in the room to hear you.

If the drip contains NAD+, get the exact product name and ask the clinician what is known about it. Bring the hospital newsroom report on questions to ask before trying IV therapy and the medical school health publication's article on whether IV vitamin therapy is a health boost or an expensive placebo to that conversation, and use them to shape your questions.

For any other drip, read the Houston Methodist article on whether IV hydration and IV vitamin therapy really work. Add the UCLA Health article on talking with your provider before undergoing IV vitamin therapy to your reading, and bring your questions to the clinician.

List your needle concerns and the bag contents

1. List your needle concerns ahead of the visit.
2. Ask what you will feel and when to speak up.
3. Have the bag's contents written down for you.
4. Read the consent form before you take the chair.

Ask for the plan if the drip hurts

"It's not bad" is an opinion. A named plan for a bad reaction is a procedure. Ask for the plan, and let a licensed clinician assess your situation.