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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to have been shocked of the selling of IV drips in our shopping centre.

270 replies

Trialanderror02 · 25/10/2020 12:43

Hi
bit of background my DD has intestinal failure, and so requires IV nutrition via a central line every day for 14 hours. This has landed us in many tricky dangerous situations over the years. Her IV nutrition bags are for fluids / vitamins / micro elements / metals / glucose. This bags are yellow fluid not usual IV saline bags.
We were shopping yesterday for pyjamas in Westfield’s and I was shocked to discover in a pop up seating area with IV stands and 2 women taking selfies attached to these exact looking IV bags, apparently this is a thing 🙈 I looked at the “ menu “ which literally looked like a cocktail bar menu. You could design you own IV bag by adding certain elements for more money etc.
Am I behind the times to be shocked about this casually being sold in the middle of a shopping centre ?
One of them is called a party drip.

OP posts:
Thisgirlcanrun · 25/10/2020 21:24

@CherryPavlova
That is a good link re: IV fluids used in hospitals from NHS website but I think that it is more to do with the improper use and monitoring of patients receiving IV fluids whilst in hospital (which was making headlines back in then) which isn’t the same as what the OP is describing (which sounds as if it is even more dangerous)

Original poster
Trialanderror02 · 25/10/2020 21:29

@CherryPavlova it’s very hard to explain because there is so little awareness on it haha
IV fluids is basically what they would use if someone came in with a sever stomach upset and dehydration or for infection recovery etc basically used all the time.

You wouldn’t see these sort of bags in a&e or commonly on the wards.

Vamin is slightly diff to what they are doing as they use a diff element to make them but they contain the same ingredient Elements like all the vitamins and minerals and micro elements and these are for people that have intestinal failure who’s bowels do not absorb at all.

What these companies are basically doing is moving the normal IV fluid element with the vitamin / nutrition element of vamin bags and selling it as a good hair / good immune system / fitness regime treatment.

OP posts:
CherryPavlova · 25/10/2020 21:44

I've just looked at their website whilst waiting at the station. They are working through a legal loophole. They are unregulated except via their codes and are offering a service with significant potential risk. There is inadequate oversight and governance.
Only an idiot would use them.
There has been legal investigation but because technically they are not providing any medical services, they fall between two pieces of legislation. Nurses working there risk their registration- if indeed they have registered staff. I'm not sure its proven what staff they have doing what.

Original poster
Trialanderror02 · 25/10/2020 21:47

@CherryPavlova the only staff I can verify is their ambassadors but even they are not like medical doctors all nutritionist of some form.

OP posts:
nicebreeze · 25/10/2020 21:57

I lived in South America for 2 years and had to attend a hospital once with a boyfriend who has injured his arm. We'd been drinking and I was feeling grim a few hours later so a lovely nurse hooked me up to a drip of fluids and it was heaven! I always long for that when I'm hungover now. I'd love to have this one provided I knew it was legit and safe

Fizbosshoes · 25/10/2020 22:00

I've heard of vitamin drips before, and seen celebs attention seeking on insta using them before but never seenin a public place

doadeer · 25/10/2020 22:04

I knew you could get this in spas etc as I've seen it on the brochure but never seen it in a shopping centre! Goodness

DaisyDreaming · 25/10/2020 22:05

@GetAMoveOnTroodon the tpn shortage in the UK at the moment is the making up of personalised bags, I saw online one child ended up in PICU purely from being on off the shelf bags instead of personalised ones. Not that I’m justifying these places!

As the the medicine part I had a look at one place who was claiming that a hang over bag had pain killers and anti acids, I was picturing IV paracetamol and rantidine or something but it was purely stuff like vitamins, nothing like they were advertising!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 25/10/2020 22:12

What exactly do they plan to do if one of their customers goes into anaphylaxis?

I don't know the answer to that, but when it happens at least they'll find out just how true the claims of employing medical professionals is

Thanks all the same but I think I'll pass, having just spent a week in hospital with enough needles to last me a lifetime

Audreyseyebrows · 25/10/2020 22:28
Shock
TrufflyPig · 26/10/2020 05:32

I’ve just been on the website, giving the usual crap about ‘boosting your immune system’ there’s no such bloody thing!

Minxmumma · 26/10/2020 06:03

Is it not just a bit grim. Being hooked up by some random bod in the middle of a shopping centre. IV bags are for people who need them not because you got wasted and need a pick me up. And I shudder at the possible infection risks.

I'd be very concerned that they aren't properly trained or could end up doing serious harm to someone. I know it's all vitamins and minerals and stuff but do they know if there is any interaction with anything else their client? Patient? is taking?

zatarontoast · 26/10/2020 06:20

There was a woman on Rich House Poor House who had become a multimillionaire from having a vitamin clinic where you got them via a drip, it seems to have been a sleb thing for years. It seems at the beginning of the pandemic some were pushing them as a protection from COVID, as I saw doctors in Instagram speaking out against them saying they were a scam.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 26/10/2020 06:51

@Trialanderror02

You are correct there has been a huge issue with a company providing TPN where many children were left without nutrition and had to rely on basic IV fluids for weeks but according to the people above on this thread it’s got nothing to do with people needing it to survive.
If that’s aimed at me, I am sorry if I’ve given you that impression. I know your DD’s PN is essential for her survival. Being dependent on any medication is pretty terrifying at the moment - PN is the icing on that particular cake.

All I was saying is that these drips aren’t Vamin. You’re absolutely right that if they are using the vitamin & electolyte additions (I kind of hope they are for safety reasons...) a shortage would affect the units making PN - but the quack drips (as I am now going to call them) will represent a small level of usage in comparison, and the DHSC has powers to direct supply to where it’s needed. The recent shortages occurred as a result of problems actually making the bespoke products for patients, not ingredients.

That’s not to try to dismiss you, but to reassure you - at least a little bit. I am worried about shortages too.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 26/10/2020 07:42

@CherryPavlova

I've just looked at their website whilst waiting at the station. They are working through a legal loophole. They are unregulated except via their codes and are offering a service with significant potential risk. There is inadequate oversight and governance. Only an idiot would use them. There has been legal investigation but because technically they are not providing any medical services, they fall between two pieces of legislation. Nurses working there risk their registration- if indeed they have registered staff. I'm not sure its proven what staff they have doing what.
They claim to be CQC registered...

I might spend a bit of time digging on this and sending screen shots to regulators. The OP has got me on a mission! Grin

Bagadverts · 26/10/2020 07:42

Thanks for more on the liver. I did know it was very important- worry
to think that healthy people don’t realise that a good diet will almost completely cover all your needs (maybe vitamin D).

Elsewyre · 26/10/2020 07:44

@Trialanderror02

What annoys me the most is why it has to be in a public area of a shopping centre if people wants to do this the company should have their own clinics not a pop up shop on an open area of the shopping centre.
Because it's free advertising
Elsewyre · 26/10/2020 07:45

@Trialanderror02

You are correct there has been a huge issue with a company providing TPN where many children were left without nutrition and had to rely on basic IV fluids for weeks but according to the people above on this thread it’s got nothing to do with people needing it to survive.
But what's the issue?

Theres not a shortage of the bags themselves is there?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/10/2020 10:46

It might be worth pointing out ‘nurse’ is not a protected title. Anyone can say they are a nurse or even a trained nurse. Anyone can say they employ qualified nurses

The protection in the U.K. is for the full title ‘registered nurse’

You learn something new on here every day ...

WheelchairWoes · 26/10/2020 17:25

Unfortunately it's a thing here in the states too. It's touted by naturopathic 'doctors' as a way to heal all kinds of shit and is popular among the anti science community. A lot of people are using them to 'prevent' covid too

DagenhamRoundhouse · 26/10/2020 17:32

I remember some years ago (say 10) at Milton Keynes Shopping Centre one of those teeth whitening booths. In view of the fact they use bleach and people were getting bleeding gums and pain, I was surprised this was allowed. I think it's been tightened up on now.

jesst81 · 26/10/2020 17:41

I did this in Vegas! However that was in my hotel room although I probably still would have done it in a shopping mall.

user1493559472 · 26/10/2020 17:44

I have seen a shop doing iv bags with vitamins in it in the Smithfield area in London. NO,NO!!!
I am a nurse too and agree with the comment about drunk teenagers. I loved waking them up on the hour, every hour to do their Obs.
They would learn their lesson then!!

tommyhoundmum · 26/10/2020 17:47

Had heard about this but assumed it was vitamin injections only in a surigcal room.

People are so sad.

Annie2245 · 26/10/2020 18:01

I’ve never seen this but just reading about it makes me really annoyed ! Earlier this year I had a bone infection in my foot and needed 12 weeks of intravenous antibiotics it took 7 weeks of jumping through hoops and arguing with drs to get me to a point where I was allowed to go home and a nurse visit daily to change the bottle, which ran over 24 hours.
My point is it took so much fighting because it was dependent on so many people to be available to check the line, change the bottles, monitor the site and change the dressings.
As I say not the same thing but I think it’s awful that intravenous needles are being inserted into veins by probably untrained staff. In the middle of a non sterile highly populated shopping centre and in the middle of a pandemic !!
Hope your little girl is getting on ok, my story is nothing compared to a tpn regime At home largely managed by parents. I hope you’re all coping ok, I can totally see why it upset you, Having anything intravenously shouldn’t be a flippant let’s try this out fad !! X