A boutique vitamin therapy business, The Fix, officially opens for business on Monday, Oct. 15.

The Fix IV Therapy is located at 1000 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

On Monday, Oct. 15, when many area residents will still be feeling the aftereffects of running in Saturday’s Hartford Marathon or Half Marathon, a new West Hartford business may be able to provide just “The Fix” needed for rehydration and recovery.

The Fix IV Therapy lounge. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The Fix IV Therapy, at 1000 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford Center, is a vitamin therapy boutique that provides IV infusions in a spa-like setting. While it is a medical facility, run by a medical director and with all therapies administered by registered nurses, rather than feeling like a patient in an stark environment, the client receives the therapy in a lounge decorated with stylish and comfortable couches and chairs accented by blue and white throw pillows. They can watch TV, read a book or magazine, or chat with other clients. Cozy blankets are available.

When The Fix opens its doors on Monday morning at 10 a.m., clients will be able to choose from an array of “fixes” – vitamin therapies that are administered intravenously – or a vitamin “boost” that is given as an injection.

Owner Erin Fox, who grew up in Avon and has lived in West Hartford for several years, has a background in marketing and PR. She said she had tried IV Therapy while traveling, and decided the business would be a good fit for the West Hartford community.

“I had tried it before and I really liked it,” she said. “I’ve always been intrigued by alternate solutions, preventative health.”

The business is completely unique to the area, Fox said. Vitamin therapy boutiques are popular in New York City, Las Vegas, Miami, Colorado, and Texas. There is a concierge practice in Greenwich, and a cryo-practice in Westport with a drip room, but nothing like The Fix anywhere else in the state.

“I put my business plan together, and here we are,” Fox said. She said that she won’t be competing with but rather complementing the services offered by salons, gyms, and health and wellness businesses in town.

The “fixes” are ideal for athletes, either for pre- or post-activity, but there are different formulations depending on the clients’ goal. A “Simple Fix” provides instant hydration with fluids and electrolytes that can help marathon runners or other athletes have a much faster recovery. There’s also a “Party Fix” – which some like to call a hangover treatment – but it can also be used in advance to stave off any ill effects of planned over-indulging.

The Fix IV Therapy reception area. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“A lot of athletes get a ‘Fit Fix’ pre-race or event,” Fox said. She said that in New York City, the Monday after the New York Marathon is the busiest day of the year.

There’s a “Fit Fix” which can provide energy in advance of a workout or other type of exertion, a “Slim Fix” that can boost your metabolism and energy level, and an “Immunity Fix” that can be used as a preventative measure or to help you feel better faster after getting sick.

The “Myer’s Fix,” the original IV therapy which was first developed by Dr. John Myers at Johns Hopkins in the 1960s, does it all.

Fixes take about 30 minutes to administer, and while receiving the treatment the client lounges on the couch or one of the chairs, an IV bags hanging from an unobtrusive hook on the wall rather than a pole.

Clients who come in for a just a boost receive treatment intramuscularly (“in the arm or the bum,” Fox said) and are in and out quickly. The menu of boosts includes the “Energy Boost” of Vitamin B12, a “Sunshine Boost” of Vitamin D, and others intended to facilitate fat loss, increase relaxation, or enhance the skin. The “Anti-Aging Boost” of Glutathione is known as the “mother of all antioxidants,” Fox said.

All treatments given at Fix IV Therapy are overseen by the medical director, Dr. Jordan Blinder, a West Hartford resident who is also an anesthesiologist at Hartford Hospital. While he may not always be on site, he has overall responsibility, and at least one, and usually two, registered nurses will always be on site, Fox said.

“They follow all protocols set by Dr. Blinder,” Fox said. The facility is HIPAA compliant, she said.

Prior to receiving any treatment, a client meets privately with the nurse, and has their vital signs taken. All information about what treatments they receive is kept completely confidential, and even when someone is sitting in the lounge, no one can tell what fix they are receiving.

Everything in a fix, or a booster, is all-natural, Fox said, and other than Vitamin D is something that the body manufactures. Other than the Glutathione, which will not be administered to anyone with a milk allergy, there are no contraindications with any of the formulas, she said.

The complete list of ingredients is found on The Fix website.

West Hartford has a great demographic, Fox said, with an active and athletic population as well as a 20-something crowd that enjoys the town’s active restaurant and bar scene and might benefit from the Party Fix.

Fox said that the treatments are also popular with bridal parties. The space will be able to be reserved for bachelorette parties or other gatherings.

Local resident Jess Fingold was able to test out one of the fixes in advance of the official opening. “I never felt better,” she said. “I can’t wait to do it again.”

The Fix IV Therapy will be open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Prices for boosters are $25-$35 each, and fixes are $99-$189, depending on the formula.

Fox said that she will have a loyalty awards plan, and may incorporate a membership program. She plans to add concierge service as well.

Services can be booked through the website, and walk-ins are also welcome, Fox said. More information can also be found on their Facebook page.

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The Fix IV Therapy lounge. Photo credit: Ronni Newton