Woman experiencing stomach pain in her office

When to get IV Therapy for Stomach Flu Symptoms

The stomach flu makes you feel terrible and can prevent you from being productive at work or school. Knowing when to get IV therapy for stomach flu symptoms will speed up your recovery time and help you feel better within hours of treatment.

Stomach Flu IV Treatment

Find relief from stomach flu symptoms with this IV blend of fluids, electrolytes, vitamins, and medications. Our experienced medical team is here to soothe your upset stomach, provide nausea relief, fight fatigue, and support your illness recovery.

Overview

  • We recommend getting IV therapy as soon as you notice the symptoms of stomach flu, as prompt treatment can help you feel better faster.
  • IV treatment is ideal for treating the stomach flu because it hydrates you, restores nutrients your body loses through vomiting and diarrhea, and delivers anti-nausea and antacid medications directly into your bloodstream.
  • Stomach flu may be caused by a virus, bacteria, or a parasite, but it isn’t always possible to know what caused your symptoms.
  • The symptoms of stomach flu vary depending on what type of virus, bacteria, or parasite is ailing you; however, nausea and vomiting are commonly experienced.

How to Rehydrate After the Stomach Flu

Rehydration is a critical component of recovery after experiencing the stomach flu. This section will guide you through the best way to rehydrate after a stomach bug and the essential steps to rehydrate your body and expedite your recovery effectively.

Why is Rehydration Important for Recovery?

Stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, leads to excessive fluid loss due to vomiting and diarrhea.1 Dehydration occurs rapidly and can be life-threatening if not addressed promptly.

Losing fluids during a stomach flu episode also leads to an imbalance in essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and chloride.2 This imbalance can result in muscle weakness, heart irregularities, and severe cramping. To counteract this, consider the best electrolyte drink for stomach flu. These drinks are designed to restore electrolyte balance, promoting a quicker recovery.

Consuming fluids is crucial to help rehydrate the body and maintain essential functions. Sip on clear liquids such as water, herbal teas, or broths to stay hydrated. If it is difficult to keep fluids down or you are moderately or severely dehydrated, an IV treatment can help rehydrate your body quickly.

Types of Rehydration Solutions

Rehydration is a fundamental component of managing the effects of illnesses like stomach flu, which can result in significant fluid and electrolyte losses. Various rehydration solutions are available to counter these effects and facilitate a swift recovery.

ORS is a meticulously formulated rehydration solution that consists of a precise combination of water, glucose, and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. Glucose aids in sodium and water absorption in the small intestine.

ORS is highly effective in rehydrating individuals who have lost fluids due to conditions like the stomach flu. It helps restore electrolyte balance, promote fluid absorption, and mitigate dehydration. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes ORS as a crucial tool in managing diarrheal diseases, and it is often recommended for children with acute diarrhea.

ORS is typically available in pre-packaged sachets, easily mixed with clean water. It can be administered orally in small, frequent sips to avoid overwhelming the stomach. The solution’s balance of glucose and electrolytes ensures efficient absorption in the intestine.

Homemade rehydration drinks can be prepared using readily available ingredients, usually a combination of water, salt, sugar, and (optionally) citrus juice or mashed banana. These ingredients mimic the composition of commercial ORS to some extent.

While homemade rehydration drinks may not have the precise formulation of commercial ORS, they can still effectively replenish fluids and electrolytes. They are a suitable option when commercial ORS is not readily available.

To make a homemade rehydration solution, mix one liter of clean water, six teaspoons of regular sugar, and half a teaspoon of salt. It is important to ensure accurate measurements and avoid excessive salt content. This solution should be consumed in small sips as well.

Commercial electrolyte drinks are widely available in the market and are specifically formulated to mimic the electrolyte composition of body fluids. They contain a balance of sodium, potassium, chloride, and sometimes magnesium, in addition to sugars and flavorings.

Commercial electrolyte drinks are convenient and effective in rehydration. They provide a ready-made option for those who may find homemade solutions less palatable. These drinks are especially useful when dehydration is accompanied by nausea, making tolerating plain water or homemade solutions challenging.

Commercial electrolyte drinks are typically consumed as per the manufacturer’s instructions. They are available in various flavors and can be purchased over the counter at most pharmacies and convenience stores.

Rehydration Recipes You Can Make At Home

Rehydration after stomach flu is crucial, and various homemade options can expedite recovery while addressing dehydration.

One approach is a primary Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) comprising clean water, sugar, and salt. This replicates the World Health Organization’s recommended formula and efficiently restores lost fluids and electrolyte balance.

Another practical choice is an electrolyte-rich smoothie, combining coconut water (rich in potassium), bananas, Greek yogurt, and honey.3 This hydrates and provides essential nutrients, such as potassium and probiotics. Coconut water is especially beneficial for stomach flu due to its high potassium content.

For those favoring a natural option, herbal rehydration teas infused with ginger, chamomile, or peppermint can alleviate nausea and support rehydration. Ginger’s anti-nausea properties make it particularly valuable.

These homemade rehydration options cater to personal preferences and offer flexibility during recovery. They contribute to efficient rehydration and nutrient replenishment after a stomach bug, ultimately aiding in a swifter recovery. Consult a professional if symptoms persist or worsen during the recovery period.

Proper Hydration Techniques

Rehydration after stomach flu is a crucial aspect of recovery, and employing proper hydration techniques can expedite the process and enhance overall well-being. Here are essential practices to follow:

Sip, Don't Guzzle

When rehydrating after stomach flu, it is imperative to sip fluids slowly rather than guzzling them. Sipping aids in better fluid absorption by the intestines and minimizes the likelihood of triggering nausea or vomiting. This gradual approach is particularly crucial when utilizing rehydration solutions like coconut water or vitamin C for stomach flu, which may upset a sensitive stomach.

Rehydration Schedule

Establishing a rehydration schedule can help maintain a steady intake of fluids. Consistency in fluid consumption is vital for efficiently restoring lost fluids and electrolytes. Ensure that you drink at regular intervals, even if you’re not feeling thirsty. Adhering to a schedule can prevent dehydration from worsening and promote recovery.

Avoiding Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol can have a diuretic effect, potentially exacerbating dehydration.4 It is advisable to steer clear of these substances during the rehydration phase. Opt for non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic rehydration options such as herbal teas, clear broths, and oral rehydration solutions, as they are more conducive to the replenishment of lost fluids.

Foods that Aid Rehydration

Proper rehydration after a bout of stomach flu is not limited to fluids alone. Incorporating rehydration-friendly foods into your diet can also play a pivotal role in recovery. Here are three categories of foods known for their rehydration benefits.

BRAT Diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast)

The BRAT diet consists of easily digestible foods: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are low in fiber and fat, making them gentle on the stomach during recovery.
Bananas are an excellent potassium source, essential for restoring electrolyte balance. Rice and toast provide easily digestible carbohydrates, while applesauce offers hydration and vital nutrients.

The BRAT diet is often recommended for individuals recovering from gastrointestinal illnesses because it provides essential nutrients without overburdening the digestive system.

Broth-based Soups

Broth-based soups, such as chicken or vegetable broth, are rich in fluids and electrolytes. They also provide essential nutrients.

Clear broths are well-tolerated during stomach flu recovery and can help prevent dehydration by supplying fluids, salts, and nutrients. Minerals such as sodium and potassium are essential for managing fluid balance and supporting various bodily functions.

Water-Rich Fruits

Water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, cucumber, and citruses, are composed of high water content, which aids in hydration.

These fruits offer a natural source of hydration, vitamins for stomach bugs, and minerals. Citrus fruits, in particular, can provide a dose of vitamin C for stomach flu, which can support the immune system.

Water-rich fruits can increase fluid intake and promote rehydration after a stomach bug. They also contain beneficial nutrients that can aid in overall recovery.

When to Get IV Therapy for the Stomach Flu

Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines following exposure to a virus. More commonly known as the ‘stomach flu’, this condition usually has an incubation period of 12 – 48 hours after exposure to the virus or bacteria and can last several days. You can get the stomach flu from food or water, coming into contact with someone who has the virus, or from sharing utensils or food with someone who has the virus.

We recommend getting IV therapy as quickly as possible when you’ve been affected by the stomach flu. The sooner you get IV therapy, the faster you’ll feel better. You can prevent dehydration, reduce the severity of your symptoms, and speed up your recovery time so that you can get back to feeling normal as fast as possible.

Our Stomach Flu IV starts to work within minutes, providing fast and effective relief from symptoms of stomach flu. You’ll be able to reduce the amount of time you miss from work or school, which is especially important if you have a presentation or exam coming up.

Best of all, Drip Hydration delivers treatments directly to you whether you’re at home, a hotel, or at the office. You won’t have to leave the comfort of your room to find relief from the stomach flu.

Our Stomach Flu IV Formula Includes:

  • IV Fluids: A sterile saline solution that delivers nutrients directly into your bloodstream, rehydrates your body, and ensures 100% absorption.
  • Vitamin B12: A B-Complex vitamin associated with boosting your mood and your energy levels.
  • B-Complex Vitamins: A complex of 8 different vitamins that perform a range of vital functions including improving your immune function and more.
  • Vitamin C: A vitamin that plays many essential roles throughout your body, helping to maintain your immune system.
  • Anti-nausea medication: Helps calm your stomach and improve your comfort during your recovery from stomach flu.
  • Antacid medication: Helps nullify the excess acids produced by your stomach, providing instant relief from stomach flu symptoms and improving your comfort and wellbeing while you recover.

Why Choose IV Treatment for Stomach Flu Relief?

stomach flu symptoms

Whether you’re at home, on vacation, or at work, there’s never an ideal time for food poisoning to happen. Worse, unless you know you’re eating contaminated food (and who does?), it’s impossible to know if you should avoid that salmon mousse on the menu.

Until recently, IV therapy was predominantly used in hospitals to treat serious cases of food poisoning. Serious cases of food poisoning can lead to severe dehydration, fever, weakness, and in rare cases, double vision. Fortunately, most cases of food poisoning resolve with home care within 24 – 72 hours.

Since your body can fight off food poisoning on its own, you may be wondering why to choose IV treatment for stomach flu relief. Here are our top reasons IV treatment is right for a fast recovery.

Time

Depending on the severity of your particular case of food poisoning, it may take several days for you to recover from food poisoning. In some cases of bacterial infection, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics.

Food poisoning remedies with IV therapy will bring you relief from your symptoms within a couple of hours.

Hydration

It’s easy to become dehydrated when you have the stomach flu. Diarrhea and vomiting quickly drain your body’s reserves. Sports drinks, electrolyte-infused beverages, and plain water are essential to help you stay hydrated and prevent the complications of dehydration. However, you may not be in the mood to ingest anything when you have food poisoning.

IV therapy circumvents the need to ingest anything by delivering hydrating saline solution directly into your bloodstream so you can enjoy the benefits of hydration without further discomfort.

Dehydration can cause many serious issues if left untreated, and that’s why IV therapy is ideal for combating food poisoning. The saline solution used in IV treatments rehydrate you and relieve dehydration symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and lightheadedness within 30 minutes to an hour.

Vitamins

Not only are you depleted from your symptoms, you can’t easily replenish your body’s reserves by eating and drinking as you normally do. The ingredients in our IV formulas supplies your body with the vitamins and minerals lost from diarrhea and vomiting.

Medications

Our Stomach Flu IV contains antacids and anti-nausea medication, reducing your discomfort and improving the quality of your rest for a faster recovery.

It can be impossible to think about eating or drinking anything when you have food poisoning. IV drips bypass your stomach, delivering vitamins, nutrients, and medication directly into your bloodstream so you can start feeling relief within minutes.

Direct Delivery

There’s a good chance you won’t want to leave your bed when you have food poisoning. That’s when direct delivery IV therapy comes in to play. Drip Hydration offers on-demand IV therapy so you can stay in the comfort of your own home during treatment.

From booking your appointment to the start of your IV treatment, you’ll start feeling relief from the symptoms of food poisoning within a couple of hours.

How does IV treatment for stomach flu work?

In-home IV treatment for the stomach flu is a simple and straightforward way to feel better faster. You don’t need to force yourself out of bed to travel to a clinic or IV bar to get treatment, so you can stay focused on your recovery.

Here’s what to expect from your appointment:

  • A nurse arrives at your location with the equipment necessary for your infusion
  • They will prep and sanitize the injection site to help prevent an infection
  • The stomach flu IV will be administered directly into your bloodstream
  • Your nurse will remain with you during your treatment, which typically takes 30 – 45 minutes
  • Following treatment, most people experience relief from symptoms within several hours

You don’t need to do any significant preparations before your appointment. It’s important to wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing and choose somewhere comfortable to sit during your infusion. You may also want to have a book, show, game, or even work on-hand to stay occupied during treatment.

Our stomach flu IV is most effective alongside staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest as you recover.

What are the Symptoms of Food Poisoning?

stomach flu IVRecognizing the symptoms of food poisoning can help you know when to seek treatment as quickly as possible, helping prevent vitamin loss, dehydration, and minimizing uncomfortable symptoms within an hour of treatment.

The signs of food poisoning generally start to manifest between 2 – 12 hours after ingesting the contaminated food but may take as many as 10 days. While the exact symptoms of food poisoning vary slightly depending on what you ingested, they share some common symptoms.

The symptoms of food poisoning include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Dehydration
  • Fever and chills
  • Body aches

Symptoms generally resolve within 24 – 72 hours. Recovery tends to take another day or two at minimum due to the intense toll it takes on your body. By the time the issue has passed, your body is incredibly depleted, making a full recovery take that much longer.

What Causes Food Poisoning?

Fish displayed on a bazarFood poisoning is a blanket term used to refer to several different causes of gastrointestinal distress. There are dozens of viruses, parasites, and harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. In most cases, it is impossible to know what type of bacteria caused your illness without lab tests.

There are three main causes of food poisoning: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that inhabit a diverse realm of environments. Not all bacteria cause illness, and in fact some types are required for normal digestive function. The most common bacterial causes of food poisoning include:

  • E.Coli
  • Listeria
  • Salmonella
  • Clostridium botulinum (Botulism)

Viruses are infectious agents and particles that cause a number of diseases. They can be passed from person to person across air, food, water, and touch. The most common viral causes of food poisoning include:

  • Norovirus
  • Rotavirus
  • Hepatitis A
  • Astrovirus

Parasites are tiny living organisms that use a host to reproduce and survive. Parasites come in many shapes and forms and can live in various places throughout the body. The most common parasitic causes of food poisoning include:

  • Toxoplasma
  • Giardia
  • Cryptosporidium
  • Entamoeba histolytica

Regardless of the cause of your ailment, IV therapy is a great remedy for food poisoning that can help improve symptoms and bring you fast relief.

When is IV the best option?

Contact our offices and our team of medical professionals led by founders Dr. Abe Malkin and Dr. Neal Kumar, will answer your queries.

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How can you treat stomach flu at home?

Time is the best remedy for stomach flu. Most people recover within a couple of days with rest and plenty of fluids.

These tips can help you feel more comfortable as you recover:

  • The most important thing to remember when treating stomach flu is to stay hydrated. Diarrhea and vomiting cause your body to lose fluids more quickly than usual. Since you are also losing nutrients and vitamins at the same time, you may want to opt for oral rehydration solutions such as Gatorade, Pedialyte, chicken or vegetable broth, or even coconut water. These drinks can rehydrate you and replenish electrolytes and vitamins at the same time.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages.
  • If you’re having trouble keeping fluids down, consider trying ice chips.
  • Don’t try to force yourself to eat. Wait until your stomach has settled, then try gentle foods such as bananas, applesauce, toast, rice, or yogurt. You can return to your normal diet as soon as you feel ready.
  • Take over-the-counter anti-nausea, anti-diarrheal, and anti-inflammatory medications to help improve your symptoms as appropriate.
  • Get plenty of rest.

When should you see a doctor for the stomach flu?

Although most people will recover from stomach flu within a couple of days without medical attention, it’s still important to know when to visit a doctor.

It’s important to see a doctor if you:

  • Have been vomiting for 12 hours or more
  • Have had diarrhea that has not gone away after 2 days
  • Have a fever, which may indicate an infection is present
  • Have blood or pus in the stool, as this may be a sign of a different condition
  • Are showing signs of dehydration such as confusion, headache, fatigue, and/or dizziness or lightheadedness
  • All children under 3 years old who have stomach flu should be seen by a doctor

At-Home IV Therapy for Fast Stomach Flu Relief

No one wants to get food poisoning, but it isn’t always possible to prevent. Drip Hydration delivers stomach flu relief to your door in 1 hour or less. By calling us as soon as you start to notice symptoms, you can give your body a head start to fight off this uncomfortable illness and get back to feeling normal quickly.

Our IV treatment can bring you stomach flu relief within an hour of treatment. Our nurses will come to you at your home, hotel, office, or anywhere else for fast and effective relief from your symptoms.

Have questions? Want to know more about what’s in our formula or how our treatments work? Give us a call! We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

References

[1] Stuempfig ND. - Viral Gastroenteritis;

[2] Tello L. - Fluid and Electrolyte Therapy During Vomiting and Diarrhea;

[3] Kalman DS. - Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men;

[4] Stookey JD. - The diuretic effects of alcohol and caffeine and total water intake misclassification;