Hydration Station

Intravenous (IV) therapy offers individuals hydration relief and nutrients by delivering fluids directly into their veins. The practice has been around for centuries, but it has reached prominence over the last few years. Now the medical technique and wellness trend is making its way into our homes, thanks to Natividad “Nat” Rodriguez, the openly gay founder of the LIVE Hydration that’s heading to Montrose.

“At LIVE Hydration, our clients stay home in their pajamas, and we come to them. We do a health profile, ask some questions, get to know them, and help them feel comfortable. Then we determine a good path for treatment with IV therapy to provide relief,” he explains. 

Launched in December 2020, the business is entirely mobile. And with two decades of healing experience as a registered nurse, Rodriguez knows what he is talking about. He started his career in San Antonio at Southwest General Hospital in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the neonatal ICU. He then worked at Christus Santa Rosa Health System as part of its pediatric ICU. After he moved to Houston in 2010, he joined the professionals at Spring Branch Medical Center., and later worked in the trauma and pediatric emergency rooms at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital’s west campus. Until recently, he was working his magic during full-time night shifts in Ben Taub Hospital’s emergency room.   

Over the years, Rodriguez has witnessed the value of IV therapy in healing. Today, his business offers treatment for flu symptoms, headaches, hangovers, vitamin deficiencies, immune deficiencies, and even aging issues. These services are normally provided in medical settings, but forward-thinking professionals are beginning to offer at-home help, as well. IV therapy services are booming in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, but are relatively unknown in Texas. 

As Rodriguez describes it, the therapy process is simple. Clients choose from a menu of infusions, or “cocktails.” For example, the Myers’ Cocktail includes magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, Vitamin C, and antioxidants. The fluids are delivered through an intravenous needle. It takes an hour or less, and some patients say the experience is preferable to an impersonal clinic or hospital visit, especially during a pandemic.

Results vary by individual. While some clients feel relief during the treatment, others may experience the benefits either a few hours later or the following day. While diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer’s are not candidates for IV treatment, many day-to-day ailments qualify.

“Why let the partying on a Saturday or Sunday wreck your work week?” Rodriguez asks. “We offer a fast and effective way to help relieve hangovers by re-hydrating your body with vitamins and antioxidants. It is always so rewarding to watch someone spring back to life afterward.”

A healer and humanitarian, Rodriguez says one of the reasons he and his partners launched LIVE Hydration was to meet the needs of the LGBTQ community. “We need to take care of one another, as family. The LIVE team has seen, firsthand, the second-class care that LGBTQ patients sometimes receive. Here in Houston, we are fortunate. Discrimination is not as rampant, but it is out there. We make sure [we’re providing] the best care available,” explains Rodriguez, who has been married to his husband, Alex Treviño-Rodriguez, since 2018.

The LIVE Hydration team consists of two registered nurses, one nurse practitioner, and a medical director. They offer a monthly membership program that provides multiple home visits over a predetermined. This allows the team to efficiently treat specific conditions at a reduced hourly rate.

Other plan options include the LIVE Hydration “Drip Party,” which has proved to be popular with couples making wedding plans. “We are sometimes booked to treat groups of people after a bachelor or bachelorette party the night before,” Rodriguez says with a smile. “Watching a group of people feel better so they can make it to a wedding is a joy to behold.” 

For more information or to book an appointment, call (281) 965-4618or visit livehydration.com.   

This article appears in the January 2021 edition of OutSmart magazine.