Key takeaways
- Keep the small cannula site clean and dry for a while, and leave the plaster on for a short time.
- A small bruise is common and usually fades on its own.
- Wait until the puncture has sealed before swimming. A few hours is a common recommendation, but follow your nurse’s advice.
- Hold off on alcohol, keep drinking water, and get any redness, swelling, pain or fever at the site checked.
You have just had your drip, you feel better, and the sea is right there. So, what to do after an IV drip? For most people, aftercare is simple: look after the small puncture where the cannula went in, keep up your fluids and ease back into your beach day.
Your nurse will give you aftercare advice that fits you, and you should always follow that first. This guide covers the general points, with the island-specific questions we hear most: swimming, sun, alcohol and bruises.
What to do after an IV drip: the first hour
When the drip finishes, the nurse removes the cannula and presses on the spot for a short time to help it stop bleeding. A small plaster or dressing then goes on. Here is what helps in the first hour:
- Take a moment before you jump up. Sit for a few minutes and stand slowly, especially if you felt light-headed earlier.
- Leave the plaster on for a short while, as your nurse suggests, to keep the spot clean while it seals.
- Go easy on that arm. Avoid heavy lifting or vigorous exercise with it straight away, which can make bruising more likely.
- Have a drink of water and something light to eat if you have not eaten for a while.
Caring for the cannula site
The cannula leaves a tiny puncture in the skin, much like a blood test. Keep it clean and dry for a little while, and avoid picking at it or rubbing sun cream, sand or insect repellent into it while it is fresh.
It may feel slightly tender for a day or so. That is normal. What is not normal is a site that becomes more painful, red, swollen or hot over the following days, or that oozes. Those can be signs of irritation or infection, and you should get it checked.
Can you swim after an IV drip?
This is the question we hear most on Koh Lanta, and understandably so. The general advice is to wait until the puncture has sealed before you swim in the sea or a pool. A few hours is a common recommendation, but follow your nurse’s advice, as they will have seen your arm and know how the site looks.
Sea water, sand and pools all carry germs, and a fresh puncture is a small open door for them. Once the spot has sealed and there is no bleeding, a swim is usually fine. If you are unsure, ask before your nurse leaves.
Koh Lanta tip: If you want a beach afternoon straight after your drip, the calm stretch of Klong Dao or a shady spot on Long Beach is perfect for a lazy read under a parasol. Save the swim until later in the day, once the puncture has sealed.
Sun, heat and getting back to your holiday
You can usually go back out into the sun after a drip. The usual tropical sense still applies, perhaps more so if you booked the drip because the heat had already got to you.
- Stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day, roughly late morning to mid-afternoon.
- Keep a bottle of water with you and sip it regularly.
- Wear a hat and reapply sun cream, avoiding the fresh puncture for now.
- Postpone very strenuous activity for the rest of the day if you were feeling unwell before the drip.
If you had a drip for dehydration, our guide to dehydration in Thailand has more tips on staying topped up in the heat.
Keep hydrating: a drip is a top-up, not a reset
A drip gives your body fluid and nutrients directly, but you keep sweating and passing urine afterwards. If you go straight back into the midday sun without drinking, you can soon end up where you started.
Keep sipping water through the rest of the day, and use oral rehydration salts if you are sweating heavily. If you find you keep running low on fluids in the heat, the Hydration Boost drip combines 1 litre of electrolyte fluids with vitamin B complex and magnesium, and many guests use it as a top-up after long, hot days.
IV drip on Koh Lanta
Hydration Boost IV drip
Fast rehydration for hot days, long excursions and upset stomachs. A registered nurse comes to your villa, hotel or bungalow anywhere on Koh Lanta.
Can you drink alcohol after an IV drip?
It is sensible to hold off on alcohol after a drip, at least for the rest of the day, and to keep drinking water. Alcohol makes you pass more urine, which works against the fluids you have just had, and if you had a drip to recover from a big night, your body will thank you for the break.
If you were given any medicine as part of the drip, such as anti-nausea medicine or pain relief, your nurse will tell you if there is any particular reason to avoid alcohol. When you do head to a sunset bar, alternate each drink with a glass of water.
Bruise after IV drip: is it normal?
Yes. A small bruise around the puncture site is common, especially if your veins are small, you bruise easily, or the cannula needed more than one attempt. It may change colour from purple to yellow-green as it heals, and usually fades on its own over several days to a couple of weeks.
A cool compress wrapped in a cloth can make a tender bruise more comfortable. A bruise that keeps spreading, or a hard, painful lump along the vein, is worth getting checked.
When to get medical help
Seek medical advice if the cannula site becomes increasingly red, swollen, hot or painful, if it oozes, if a red line spreads up your arm, or if you develop a fever or feel unwell after your drip. Call 1669 (Thailand’s emergency ambulance number) or go to hospital straight away for severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, chest pain or fainting. Koh Lanta Hospital is near Lanta Old Town, and larger hospitals are in Krabi Town.
Your simple IV drip aftercare checklist
After a drip, most people feel ready to get on with their day. Keep the site clean and dry for a little while, wait until it has sealed before swimming, hold off on alcohol, and keep drinking water. Your nurse will give you aftercare advice before leaving, and you can find more common questions on our FAQ page or read about each step on our how it works page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you swim after an IV drip?
Wait until the puncture has sealed before swimming in the sea or a pool. A few hours is a common recommendation, but follow your nurse’s advice.
Can you drink alcohol after an IV drip?
It is best to hold off for the rest of the day and keep drinking water. Alcohol makes you lose fluid, which works against the drip.
Is a bruise after an IV drip normal?
Yes, a small bruise is common and usually fades on its own. Get it checked if it keeps spreading or the area becomes hot, swollen or increasingly painful.
When should I take the plaster off?
Leave it on for a short while, as your nurse suggests, until the puncture has stopped bleeding and sealed.