By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Suffering from a migraine, dehydrated or needing a quick cure for a hangover, a new Hays business says it can help.
Nikki Cherryholmes, family nurse practitioner, has launched SecondWind IV, which offers IVs for a variety of ailments.
Cherryholmes opened a storefront at 2205 Vine in Hays on March 30.
The elderly population tends to get dehydrated easily, and they can receive an IV with electrolytes.
The business has mixtures that will help alleviate hangovers.
"We also have packages for athletes or people who worry more about aging or sun damage. We also have a migraine mixture. We have a little bit of everything. They focus on different populations," she said.
The mixture that is given to migraine sufferers includes a steroid to decrease swelling and medication to decrease nausea.
Ingredients in the athletic bags help build muscle, and magnesium helps relax muscles. The fluid in the IV bags also will help the muscles relax and heal, Cherryholmes said.
Some of the supplements used in the IVs can be obtained over the counter. However, you only absorb 30 percent of the supplement if you take it orally, Cherryholmes said. Through an IV you absorb 100 percent of what you are given.
IV hydration businesses have become popular in larger cities, but the closest businesses to Hays would be in Wichita, Kansas City or Colorado.
"It was a unique concept that we thought Hays needed and could utilize," Cherryholmes said.
The IV bags come from a distributor, but Cherryholmes mixes her own treatments.
Cherryholmes still works as a nurse practitioner for a local clinic, In addition to her training as a nurse practitioner, she said she researched IV therapy and has taken classes specifically on this topic.
IVs always come with a risk of infection, Cherryholmes said, but it is very minimal.
Appointments are recommended. SecondWind IV will take appointments from 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Cherryholmes said she may take some appointments during the week if needed.
You can book an appointment on the business' website at vagaro.com/secondwindiv or call 785-365-0800. You also can follow the business on Facebook.
The IVs take 30 to 45 minutes. The IVs cost $75 to $150.
Cherryholmes also offers injections with some of the same ingredients. They take five to 15 minutes. Her injections include B-12, which can boost energy and improve mood; vitamin D-3, which can help bones, reduce inflammation, boost energy and improve mood; Toradol, which helps reduce inflammation and pain; and Zofran, which helps reduce nausea.
Injections cost $30.
A bag of fluids in an emergency room costs $780, Cherryholmes said. That does not include the co-pay when you walk through the ER doors and any other testing.
For someone who just needs fluids, appointments take 45 minutes compared to potentially hours of waiting in an ER.
Cherryholmes reviews medical histories and allergies before she administers an IV. Not everyone is able to receive these IVs, she said. People who are in chronic respiratory or kidney failure can't handle a large amount of fluids quickly.
Cherryholmes makes the final decision if an IV treatment is appropriate for a client.
Cherryholmes will travel outside of Hays. You need to call for an appointment and pricing.