Infusions

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that HOAF’s medical oncologist may prescribe to kill or stop the growth of cancerous cells. It uses powerful medication to prevent tumors from rapidly growing in size and may be used in conjunction with other treatment methods such as surgery or radiation. The length of your chemotherapy session will depend on the treatment as prescribed by one of HOAF’s medical oncologists, but in some cases, it may last a few hours, with most patients needing several rounds of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a very reliable form of cancer treatment, but it does have side effects such as vomiting, upset stomach, hair loss, fatigue and a loss of appetite. Our team is here to help you manage any potential side effects you may experience.

Biotherapy uses substances made from living organisms to destroy cancer cells. It has the power to treat many different types of cancer by slowing the growth of tumors or preventing the cancer from spreading. The goal of biotherapy is to help your immune system recognize and destroy harmful cells. The job of our immune system is to fight off invaders such as cancer, but sometimes it hides in the body and is indistinguishable. Biotherapy helps the immune system spot and kill abnormal cells. It may also be used when other treatment methods are not effective. Furthermore, one of the many benefits of biotherapy is it often doesn’t cause as many side effects as other cancer treatments.

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses your immune system to fight diseases such as cancer, infections or blood disorders. One of the many ways immunotherapy works is by stimulating the function of your immune system so it has enough strength to fight harmful cells like cancer. It also may target certain proteins and turn off receptors to prevent cancer cells from outsmarting the immune system. There are several types of immunotherapies: monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, cytokines, cancer vaccines, CAR T-cell therapy, oncolytic virus therapy and immune system modulators. HOAF develops customized treatment plans for each of our patients and will discuss with you which avenue makes the most sense in your healing journey.

You may have taken antibiotics in the past such as a z-pak (Azithromycin) for bronchitis or amoxicillin for an ear infection. Those medications are usually prescribed in the form of a pill that you take by mouth over the course of several days until the treatment is finished. At HOAF, we may recommend delivering antibiotics intravenously (through an IV) to fight a more serious illness. When medication is administered intravenously, it often contains a more powerful dosage and is able to work quicker since it bypasses the digestion phase. Our team may also suggest IV antibiotics if your disease isn’t responding to oral medications or you are experiencing severe symptoms such as vomiting.

Iron is a mineral your body needs to make hemoglobin, which is crucial for red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body, and when your iron is depleted, it makes this job more difficult. As a result, a person may experience symptoms of weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, hair loss, brittle nails and more. Iron is found in many foods we eat and is also available as a dietary supplement. If you are not getting enough iron from your daily meals or have developed anemia (iron deficiency), iron replenishment therapy may be beneficial for you. Our iron replenishment therapy is relatively quick, only taking about 15 to 30 minutes per session, followed by a short monitoring period from our care team.

Hydration infusion, or IV fluids, are given to our patients who are experiencing dehydration. It is the process of delivering fluids to your body through your vein. A person may benefit from having hydration infusion if they are dehydrated from experiencing an illness such as vomiting and diarrhea, excessive exercise, too much time outdoors in the heat without replenishing water, or if you are undergoing surgery. If you become dehydrated, it can affect your overall electrolytes in your body, dip your energy levels, cause frequent headaches, create gastrointestinal problems like constipation and much more. At HOAF, our hydration infusion is a simple, safe and effective procedure to restore your body’s water supply.

Electrolytes are essential minerals that help the balance of fluids in your body. They also support many key bodily functions such as pH balance, muscle contraction, nerve signaling and hydration. The main electrolytes your body uses are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, and bicarbonate. Your day-to-day electrolyte and fluid losses happen naturally through sweat and waste. However, certain activities may deplete those electrolytes more quickly. Rigorous workouts, exercising in the heat or battling vomiting and diarrhea are all causes of electrolyte loss. Our infusion treatment gives you a concentrated form of electrolytes that will have you feeling better in no time!

At HOAF, we recognize that side effects from your cancer or blood disorder treatment can be difficult. That’s why we offer supportive medications to make sure our patients are as comfortable as possible while they undergo treatment. Receiving the necessary care shouldn’t be stressful or overwhelming. With the help of supportive medications, you can manage your side effects by alleviating some of the symptoms like upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or headaches in order to live your life. We never want our patients to feel like they cannot go about their days due to miserable side effects. HOAF is your partner in health, and we believe in getting side effects under control so you can get back to doing the things you love!