E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS"Hangover Heaven," a bus equipped with IVs, is travelling the Vegas strip, offering hangover salvation to revelers a little worse for the wear after a big night out. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
OK, now it's official: Everything that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas -- even your alcohol-infused headache and upchucking tummy.
A mobile, hangover treatment center – a bus adorned with plush sofas, a well-coiffed doctor and special IV bags – is set to roll out Saturday, trolling the Las Vegas strip from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., vowing to quickly flush last night’s fun overdose from your wilted body.
Hangover Heaven is the brainchild of Dr. Jason Burke, a board-certified anesthesiologist who trained at Duke University and who –- if his venture pops the financial cork -- hopes soon to quit his day job as a hospital anesthetist.
Hangover Heaven
A board-certified anesthesiologist has created a mobile hangover treatment center to rid Vegas revelers of their day-after symptoms.
For $90 to as much as $200 (if you also choose his IV vitamin mix), Burke will pick you up, offer a cushy seat, plug an intravenous line into your vein and cleanse that post-party pain with a blend of fluids containing electrolytes and other solutions to cure dehydration, the anti-nausea drug Ondansetron, and the anti-inflammatory drug Ketorolac. The treatment takes about 45 minutes.
Burke’s first-ever patient: himself.
“In the recovery room, I treat people who have nausea, aches and pains, disoriented feelings. I treat that all the time with intravenous anti-nausea medications, anti-inflammatories and IV fluids. And I thought: this would treat a hangover,” said Burke, who earned a medical diploma at the University of North Carolina in 1996, msnbc.com confirmed.
“One day I had a bad hangover. I put in an IV with these medications and I was absolutely amazed at how well it worked.”
Across the medical community, reaction to Burke’s enterprise is some smirks and concern about potential risks.
“We always think of hydration as a way to treat a lot of problems," said Dr. Mark F. Newman, chair of the department of anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center, who knows Burke. "And obviously, we treat people post-operatively all the time with [anti-nausea] drugs ... and anti-inflammatories. On their own, they’re all safe,”
But Newman cautions, "in the way that Jason’s using (these drugs) in Las Vegas, we don’t have any data that would say, in that environment, it would be safe or efficacious."
Just because a treatment is safe in one environment doesn't mean that it would be in a different one, Newman explains. “You’re in a situation where you’re potentially giving medications that can have side effects. Are you able to respond appropriately?”
Besides, hangovers are nature’s little wrist slap, added Michael Roy, executive director of Clearview Treatment Programs in Los Angeles.
“It’s helpful for people to experience the negative effects of their drinking so they do not repeat excessive drinking episodes,” Roy said.
Then there’s the damage alcohol can do to people with heart problems or other high-risk conditions, said Art Caplan, Ph.D, director the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.
“The hangover bus doc is flying in dangerous territory,” Caplan said via email. “What if he deals with diabetics or epileptics or someone with some other high risk disease? If (that client) croaks, he is losing his license no matter what consent they sign.”
In response, Burke said he won’t treat anyone who is “visibly intoxicated” or anyone who informs him they have “complex medical problems.” He called his anti-hangover medley “mainstays of the anesthetic regimen” used “thousands of times a day all over the world,” thus making the risk of complications “just not that high, especially for a single dose.”
From his ethical vantage point, however, Caplan just doesn’t see how a physician can endorse – even tacitly – vacationers getting tanked.
“I know this is Vegas, but, come on … Docs should not tell you to get blind, stinking drunk and then offer to wash you out,” Caplan said.
More from Vitals:
Out-of-whack sleep habits can cause diabetes
Leave a Comment:
I think this is a decent idea. I mean there are certain situations to where this could be very effective. For instance, say a guy is getting married and his friends want take him out for a bachelor party the night before. The guy(s) drink a little too much and instead of feeling really crappy on what should be one of the greatest days of his life he could have this doc pick him up and give him a hangover flush. Now the guy feels great and can really enjoy his wedding. But like the article said there are possibly some risks involved with this whole idea. I think that some of the guidelines set forth by the doctor who would be providing this services would possibly decrease the chances of something happening. Then again I don't have any medical experience or degress..
Hangover cure? Smoke a dube. Or just smoke the dube and skip the drinking altogether. That's what I say, and I'm a board-certified party expert!
I can second that. I've yet to find a more efficient cure for a hangover: cures nausea, encourages drinking and eating, which in turn replenish blood chemistry back to normal, and keeps the headache at bay. Plus, there's essentially no risk of overdose or other unpleasant side effects.
Why again is it illegal? Oh yeah, that's right: racism and industrial greed. So, why is it still illegal? Stupidity and ignorance.
Dumb...
Actually, paramedics RNs and docs have known about this "hangover cure" for years. Dr. Burke is just making money from it.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I've known many to do this over the years.
I don't ascribe to drinking so heavily that you are that sick or hungover, however I have had it happen when I didn't realize how much alcohol was in the margarita's. After the first one, it is much harder to taste the tequila and I had no idea she was free pouring more and more each batch that was made. I later found out I drank the equivalent of about 8 big margarita's. If I could have had something to help with the aftermath, I would have taken it. When I was young I drank a lot more when going out- especially when out dancing, but I left that behind along with a lot of other foolish behavior. But I can see where it could be great for some- especially if they have to get on a plane before they start feeling better. The other passengers might appreciate it too. My secret for the next day was always a can of Campbell's Beef Noodle Soup. Helped replace the salt, fluids and the noodles were pretty easy on the stomach.
I have to say I find this pretty genius...however he must be very careful. The ramifications could be huge. No doubt he will encounter those that will lie about what they have taken just to get his "cure."
It sounds like an interesting idea/service, but I've already tried hangover recovery shots likes Hangover Joe's that work and they only cost $3. Id probably spend the 90-200 on more drinks and drink three doses of the recovery shots then spend all that cash on getting rid of the headache.
I think its a great idea or service, whatever you want to call it. But Ive already used hangover recovery shots like Hangover Joe's Get up and Go and they worked awesome and only cost $3. I think i'd sooner spend the extra 90-200 on more drinks or better topshelf liquor and then triple up on a 7-eleven bought hangover recovery shot.
When I was in the Marine Corps, our Corpsman would hook us up to some IV's and we would drink with them in or get one in the next day. Was a pretty fast cure for a hangover, so Im pretty sure this will be very sucessful.
It's interesting that we continue to seek removing the consequences of negative habits instead of modifying our behaviors. Alcohol is a drug no matter how you look at it.It damages brain cells while causing liver damage slowly over the years.Not to mention the deaths and injuries due to drunk driving, the problems with domestic abuse and broken family relationships.While this man now seeks another way to publicly patrol the streets to encourage people who have drunk too much to avoid nature's way of warning them they have harmed themselves 'again'.It seems only until something drastic happens will some people finally change their drinking habits before they finally get the message moderation in all things.And as for that night before wedding ritual of getting plastered, what a silly idea in the long run.It may be an old tradition in some social circles, but others consider it a great time to get together as families to share and prepare for a wonder life affirming opportunity of celebration with a great meal, traditional ceremonies and manage to get to bed at a decent hour.So the next day, all party members are refreshed and have a beautiful memorable day long festival time.Hollywood would have us believe it's all about getting drunk and sex the night before.But most nations it isn't.You only get one body to last a life time.Be wise so it will serve you well. A common saying heard in old age is, if I had known I was going to live this long, i would have taken better care of myself.If you don't feel healthy and happy now, it isn't going to get any better later unless you change.
What would you do in the ER, which costs significantly more, for ETOH Poisoning?
IV Fluids, anti-nausea, anti-inflamatory and O2 therapy.
FYI, worked wonders in the 80s, works great today.