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Can a compounding pharmacist help with nausea medicine for pregnancy? Read below.
Pregnancy is surely an exciting time but the symptoms don’t make it a very smooth journey. Your body is undergoing a lot of changes and stresses. It sometimes welcomes a bunch of unwanted symptoms. One of the most awful symptoms of the first trimester is nausea and vomiting. While there are many prescriptions for nausea and vomiting, they aren’t all suitable for pregnant women.
Moreover, not all medications suit all women. That is where compounding medication comes to the rescue.
Who is a Compounding Pharmacist?
A compounding pharmacist is very different from a traditional pharmacist. A compounding pharmacist is geared towards solving your healthcare problems and works closely with you and your doctor to devise a suitable option for you that is deemed safe. A compounding medication gives you a quick relief by converting the conventional pills into various forms which makes it easier for ingestion and prevents side effects. By customizing a patient’s medication, the compounding pharmacist is able to solve the most complex problems for you.
Management of Nausea in Pregnancy
Research suggests that a pre-emptive treatment in early pregnancy helps minimize the severity of symptoms and has a great impact on a pregnant woman’s health and overall quality of life. Studies show that most women don’t receive appropriate information about lifestyle changes and drug treatments.
When the symptoms continue to persist despite making lifestyle, dietary and non-pharmacological interventions, finding medication is required. Do not take any medications without consulting your doctor and stay away from OTC drugs.
Types of Nausea Medicine for Pregnancy
Following are some of the most commonly used drug treatments during pregnancy:
Pyridoxine
Pyridoxine is considered to be the first-line therapy and can be used with antiemetics.
A tablet combining doxylamine 10 mg and pyridoxine 10 mg is available for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Research shows that it is generally effective and well-tolerated by most pregnant women. You can purchase these medicines separately as well after consulting your healthcare professional.
Prochlorperazine
Prochlorperazine is a pregnancy category C drug. It is not recommended to take it in high doses during late pregnancy. If used without proper care, the phenothiazines can cause prolonged neurological disturbances in the unborn child. In early pregnancy, it is considered to be fairly safe though.
Metoclopramide
Metoclopramide is a pregnancy category A drug and is commonly prescribed antiemetic in pregnancy. It is quite reassuring in terms of safety but does not have an indication in terms of the drug’s efficacy. In fact, a lot of pregnant women say that it is completely ineffective when it comes to controlling their nausea.
Ondansetron
Although ondansetron has limited safety data in pregnancy, it is often prescribed for women with hyperemesis gravidarum. You shouldn’t consider it as a first-line therapy in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Mirtazapine
Mirtazapine is essentially an antidepressant that blocks 5-HT3 receptors but is also used as an alternative drug when antiemetics fails to treat hyperemesis. It generally works well in women who fail to respond to other anti-nausea medications.
The use of corticosteroids must be limited in pregnant women dealing with intractable nausea and vomiting. It is advised to have a regular medical follow-up as steroids are not meant to be taken for extended durations during pregnancy.
None of these medications are as effective and safe for pregnant women as compounding meds.
How a Compounding Pharmacist Eases Your Pregnancy Woes?
Nausea and vomiting are hands down one of the major problems of pregnancy. For most women, the symptoms only last for the first three months. However, for some, it can even linger on to the second and third trimesters.
Unfortunately, traditional anti-nausea medicines fail to help most pregnant women and call for compounding pharmacies. A compounding pharmacist takes your individual needs into account and creates a formula that works well for you. Most women are unable to swallow pills and capsules due to extreme nausea. Sometimes, the compounding pharmacists convert the meds into a liquid or a lollipop for easier administration. A customized medication will ensure that it is safe and effective for you.
Other Benefits of a Compounding Pharmacist for Pregnant Women
The benefits of compounding are not limited to nausea medicine for pregnancy. It can also offer you relief in other cases:
Hemorrhoid Relief
Another major concern in the second and third trimesters is hemorrhoids. While it won’t seem like much of a nuisance under normal circumstances, it can add to the discomfort of pregnancy and make you feel very uncomfortable. Talking to your compounding pharmacist can be of huge help in this regard. A pharmacist will take your medical history into account, review your symptoms, current medications and create a customized cream/gel that brings you relief, minus the side effects.
Stretch Marks
One of the biggest physical concerns women have while being pregnant is stretch marks. With the changing body, stretch marks can take a toll on your confidence levels. Unfortunately, traditional creams available in the market won’t be of much help. A compounding pharmacist can take a prescription from your doctor and combine it with skin-soothing ingredients to make these products completely safe for you and your child. Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to treating stretch marks.
Help with Lactation
Breastfeeding isn’t as easy as most people show it on social media platforms. It is more than popping a nipple in your child’s mouth. The first thing you can do is to prepare your nipples for the job ahead if you don’t want to end up with cracked nipples and painful feeding experience. Avoid using over-the-counter nipple creams and opt for a customized cream created by a compounding pharmacist.
In Conclusion
It is important to be very cautious of your medications while pregnant. Avoid purchasing over-the-counter medications and always consult your doctor prior to selecting the medication. We hope you found this article helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them down in the comments section below.