Categories
Medicine

Taking Multiple Medications? How Compounding Improves Your Routine

How do you deal with a solid routine when it comes to taking multiple medications? Read further for the details.

A lot of chronic conditions require patients to take multiple medications for proper management. It is especially true for those struggling with diabetes and heart disease. Stats show that half of Americans take a minimum of two prescription drugs in addition to different vitamins. In most cases, multiple medications are required to treat single or multiple conditions. It can be quite challenging and difficult to remember.

If you are also taking multiple medications, compounding will be very helpful for you.

The Risk of Multiple Medications

While multiple medications are necessary to treat medical conditions, it comes with certain drawbacks. Firstly, it is very difficult to remember taking multiple drugs during the day. Forgetting to take the meds or taking the wrong dosage can lead to long-term health conditions and ineffective treatments. There is always a risk of unwanted drug interactions and side effects.

Compounding Comes to the Rescue 

This problem can be solved if your health care provider finds a way to consolidate medication. Imagine how much relief it would give you to replace several medications with one or two pills. This can be achieved with the help of compounding and can have fantastic benefits for you. Compounding combines multiple drugs into one dosage of choice. Essentially, each medication becomes an ingredient, and compounding pharmacists turn it into a pill.

Compounding Can Improve Your Health 

Compounding enables you to take one pill instead of multiple ones. It helps patients stick to their daily medication and the chances of forgetfulness are greatly minimized. With consistency, patients are able to take full benefits of taking the drug which translates into healthier, happier patients.

Removing Pesky Side Effects

Sticking to the daily routine of multiple meds could be derailed due to the multiple side effects. A lot of patients have undesirable side effects and refuse to take certain medications on the days they are not feeling great. If your pharmacist is aware of the problem, he can work together with your health care provider and eliminate the side-effect causing ingredients from the formula or offer a replacement. Any allergy-causing ingredients can also be eliminated and improve the convenience of patients sticking to the therapy.

Altered Form for Of Medication 

Another benefit of compounding pharmacy is its ability to alter the drug form. For instance, it can turn a pill into a syrup and wise versa. It can be extremely helpful for people who have trouble swallowing or taking the drug orally. In certain cases, a compounding pharmacist can also turn certain oral drugs into topical medications. The goal is to integrate the medication into your daily routine and not the other way around.

Bringing It All Together 

When it comes to prescription medications and supplements, the efficacy is highly dependent on consistency. Taking multiple drugs on a daily basis is inconvenient, to say the least. Moreover, polypharmacy can sometimes be quite dangerous. Compounding ensures that patients are receiving all the essential medications in a single dose.

This simple change improves efficacy and effectiveness. However, it is very important to take your doctor on board and then process their advice to achieve the best possible outcome.

Enhance Your Medication Management

With the busy lifestyles and age, we can tend to forget to take medications which is never a good idea. This is especially the case with older adults and young children. Compounding can make medication management easier for you but converting multiple medications into a single pill, syrup, topical medication, and injectables.

Put Your Time to Better Use 

I know you have faced this at least once in your lifetime. If you have to purchase multiple medications, chances are one pharmacy will not have all of these meds in place. In most cases, you will need to visit a couple of pharmacies to get all your prescriptions. By opting for a compounding pharmacy instead of a regular one, you can actually put your time to better use instead of hopping from one pharmacy to another.

Add Flavor to Your Meds 

If you are taking care of a child who has to take multiple meds, you can understand how hard it is to make them consume the medication. No one can force a child to eat something bitter. It is sometimes the case with older adults as well. A compounding pharmacist can alter the flavor and smell of your meds to make them easier to consume. It can be a life savior if you have fussy kids and promote better consumption.

Customized Dosages 

If you are someone who requires special attention and in-depth care, a standard pharmacy selling commercial drugs is not the most suitable option for you. This is especially true if you demand different doses. If you opt for the lowest/highest dosage available, it might not work well for you.

A compounding pharmacist can custom-develop quantities that are made for you. You don’t have to settle for anything less, at least not in terms of your medication. Moreover, it meets your exact needs which can make a huge difference to your treatment. The right medication for sensitive patients can help avoid adverse side effects and improve your medical conditions.

Final Takeaway 

At Burt’s Good Neighbor Pharmacy, we are highly committed to helping you achieve your health care goals. Whether it is treating everyday conditions to achieving personal wellness, our pharmacy care team members can find solutions that fit you like a glove and improve your quality of life. With over 40 years of experience as your local pharmacy serving the community, we know what would work best for you.

Compounding can come in handy when you are taking any kind of medication for managing single or multiple conditions. This is especially true if you are taking a lot of medicines on a daily basis. It is time to take your healthcare provider on board and explore compounding medication. If you have any further questions regarding the benefits of compounding, feel free to reach out to us and we would love to help you out.

CONTACT US TODAY!

Categories
Compounding

Menopause Medication: Is Compounding the Best Option?

When it comes to menopause medication, there are options you may not be fully aware of, such as compounding medication. Read all the details below.

Every woman experiences menopause at one point in her life. It is the time that marks the end of the menstrual cycles. If you have gone 12 months without getting a menstrual period, you will be diagnosed with menopause. It typically happens to women in their 40s and 50s. The average age for menopause is 51 in the United States.

It is a natural biological process but is accompanied by plenty of unpleasant symptoms; hot flashes, sleep disruption, lower energy levels, and poor emotional health. Multiple treatments are available that can help you deal with the symptoms.

From lifestyle adjustments to hormone therapy, treatments can help you out.

Most Common Symptoms of Menopause

In the months/years leading up to menopause, women experience the following signs and symptoms: irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, chills, sleep problems, weight gain, loss of breast fullness, thinning hair, loss of sexual drive, and dry skin.

The symptoms can vary from woman to woman. Most women do experience a certain level of irregularity in patients before they end. Skipping periods is a common part of perimenopause. Oftentimes, women skip a month or a couple of months and then start monthly cycles. The process can go on for quite a few years before you reach menopause.

Compounding Menopause Medication

Compounding medication is certainly the best option when it comes to menopause medication. Compounding pharmacies combine, remix, and alter the active ingredients and additives to tailor it as per the specifications of your doctor. Then, the medication is created under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. It can be compounded in the form of capsules, creams, pellet implants (commonly used for hormone replacement therapy and helps with menopausal symptoms), etc.

Compounding is Personalized for You

Speaking with your doctor about your specific concerns and needs along and working with a specialized compounding pharmacy will help you better understand the chemistry of your body as you move through pre-menopause, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.

You, together with your healthcare provider can identify the best medical solution that suits your needs. The top reasons why physicians recommend compounding medication for menopause are:

  • The patient might be allergic to preservatives, dyes, mass-manufactured medications, and binders.
  • The patient might need a customized dosage of medication.
  • Patients find it difficult to swallow a pill and need alternative forms of medication.
  • Compounding medication can give you multiple options with bioidentical hormones.

Hormone Replacement Therapy – Best Treatment Option for Menopause

Hormone replacement therapy aka HRT is one of the most popular treatments for menopause. It essentially replaces hormones that are at a lower level as you reach menopause. HRT relieves most of the symptoms of menopause; hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, reduced sex drive, and more.

Getting Started on HRT

If you have started to experience menopause symptoms and wish to get started on HRT, the first step is to visit a GP. In certain cases, your doctor will ask you to undergo certain tests first. Then, your doctor will explain the different kinds of HRT available and the possibility of a compounding HRT.

Once you and your doctor are set on a plan, the procedure will begin. Typically, most women get started on a low dose. Your GP will monitor the effects of the treatment and adjust the dosage accordingly. Generally, doctors recommend trying a treatment for 3 months before giving the final verdict on whether it is working for you or not and alter the dosage/treatment accordingly.

Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy

There are multiple options available when it comes to HRT. The most common ones are:

HRT Hormones – Most of the women take a combo of estrogen and progestogen. Some women also take only estrogen if they don’t have a womb.

Ways of Taking HRT – There are multiple ways to go about hormone replacement therapy especially with the miracles of compounding; tablets, skin patches, gels, and vaginal creams, pessaries, or rings are a few of them.

Treatment plans for HRT– There are different plans for HRT. Women can take HRT in cycles, or continually without stopping, or once every few weeks. It all depends on what your GP thinks will benefit you.

Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Safe?

Yes, it is safe when done right. Ultimately, it all comes down to finding a customized solution that works wonders for you. With hormone replacement therapy, there is always a risk of getting too much and too little hormone which can lead to imbalance/fluctuation. It is one of the biggest factors in increased health risks. Synthetic hormones don’t have customized dosages and can deliver more hormones than your body needs. That is where compounding medications come in for the rescue.

Compounded Solutions

The majority of the bioidentical hormones are available through a prescription compounding pharmacy. It gives women the chance to get customized dosages of these hormones. One patient might need a little less estrogen while the other one might need a bit more testosterone. Our team collaborates with your doctor to find a perfect compounded prescription that keeps your hormones in balance.

Apart from the compounded hormones, compounding pharmacy also offers different dosage forms; capsules, creams, sublingual drops, and more. It allows patients to choose a delivery method of their choice and a level that suits their body.

Why Choose Us As Your Compounding Pharmacy?

Burts Rx recognizes that healthcare is a very important form of self-care and wants to be your trusted resource for personalized menopausal relief. We do so by offering quality compounding and effective communication. Our goal is to ensure the best outcome for every single woman struggling with menopause.

With over 40 years of experience as your local pharmacy serving the community, we understand what Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village patients need most. We are dedicated to constant innovation and improvement. Reach out to us if you need help with compounding medication menopause medication or any other medical condition. Leave your questions in the comments section below and our team would be happy to help you out.

CONTACT US TODAY!

Categories
Compounding

Pain Awareness Month: The Importance of Compounded Pain Medicine

It’s pain awareness month, which means it’s important to highlight the importance of compounded pain medicine and all it’s great advantages for pain relief.

The month of September is termed Pain Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness amongst people regarding physical pain and how to manage it effectively.

A lot of people live in physical pain on a day-to-day basis due to different medical conditions. While on the outside, such individuals might seem to be completely normal, living a fully active life is a dream for many. With the advancement of science, patients are able to have an increased functioning and quality of life while minimizing suffering.

With the right skills, medication, and support, people can manage their physical pain effectively and lead a fairly normal life. In certain cases, it means building a healthy relationship between the patient and health care service provider. Alongside that, compounding medication can work wonders for some patients. The key is to never give up and be determined to find a suitable solution.

Compounding Medication and Certain Facts

Treating pain in the human body is an amazing example of how much/or how little science knows about medicine. We all know that the same medication can have different impacts on different individuals. Science still needs to make a lot of progress in regards to neurological differences in the perception of pain.

Medical conditions in the human body interact with each other in unexpected ways it makes diagnosing and addressing the pain extremely difficult. Certain medications can contraindicate with the use of other drugs, making the options of pain management very limited. That is where the compounded pain medication comes in and offers patients relief.

Facts About Compounded Pain Medicine

For those of you who are not aware of what compounding is, we‘ll try to explain it in the simplest manner possible. It involves stripping down the medication to base elements and formulating it in a manner to suit the individual needs of patients. The benefit of the compounded medication is fewer side effects and reactions.

If you have tried everything else for chronic pain, it’s time to give compounding pain medication a try.

Importance of Compounded Pain Medicine

Let’s dive further:

Combo Medications

For every kind of pain, whether it be neuropathic, fascial, muscle, organ, cancer, or visceral, there is a drug available that works best for a particular pain type. There are medications that address only one type of pain while others address all of them but are not as highly effective.

With the help of combination medication, you can counter the pain with minimal side effects and very few doses. Instead of keeping a track of multiple pills, you will have to take only one or two pills to manage your condition.

You can use one medication to treat multiple conditions; pain and allergies, pain and infection instead of popping in multiple formulas.

Control over Dosage Level

Managing your dose is the primary job of your pharmacist. It is especially common for pain relievers because there is a risk of tolerance and high risk involved. For instance, NSAIDs can cause various stomach-related issues in people.

In certain cases, doctors are resistant to increase the dosage of narcotics due to the risk of sedation/addiction. If that is the case, compounded numbing agents that are applied by patch, gel, cream enhance the effects by relieving subdermal and surface pain. The compounded medication works wonders for patients with musculoskeletal issues.

Compounding medication is not only suitable for adults. It works for children and pets too. In children, liquid solutions to combat pain minus the side effects work really well. The same is the case with pets.

Easier Dosing Formats

If patients are struggling with chronic conditions, they usually have to take multiple medicines that can include large pills, injections, and certain bitter drugs. Altering the consumption method of these medications drastically improves the quality of life for these patients. For instance, giving a child a bitter anti-biotic is a task on its own. Similarly, older adults forget to take multiple medicines. That is where the compounding comes in and offers:

      • Adding flavor to a medicine
      • Changing pill to an injectable
      • Changing injectable to topical
      • Dissolvable lozenges
      • Creating liquid medication

Wider Treatment Options

There are certain conditions where oral pills are out of the question (patient cannot swallow the pill, oral cancers, extremely young children). That is where compounding becomes necessary to widen the treatment options and in certain cases, becomes the only suitable solution.

Topical creams work amazingly well for treating the surface-level pain on the skin than narcotics. They temporarily turn off the nerve signals which offers instant relief. Products that contain NSAIDs work wonders for patients undergoing Rheumatoid Arthritis whereas pills take much longer to start working.

Similarly of a patient who is recovering from a stroke or any other major illness can benefit from a change in dosage format due to their lack of ability to swallow pills. In this case, an injection seems more suitable. Essentially, compounding is done to ensure the medication fits the patient and not vice versa.

An Essential for Hospice Patients

Hospice patients have specialized needs when it comes to effective pain management. End-of-life care is very complicated and health professionals aim at achieving as much pain control as possible without causing sedation. A lot of patients face extreme complications as a result of the overdose.

Compounding medication comes in the best interest of such patients not only in terms of pain management but also in terms of patient’s dignity, respect, and safety.

Final Thoughts

Firstly it is important to raise awareness in people about the intensity of pain patients go through and how it affects their day-to-day lifestyles. Raising awareness is the only way forward if we wish to build a supportive community around those suffering.

Right awareness, pain management tools, compounding, together can work to improve pain management and help patients live a comfortable life. It also reduces the confusion surrounding the number of doses required per day, gives better control, easy formats, and allows patients to better manage their pain.

It is in your best interest to speak to your healthcare service provider or a pharmacist to see whether compounded pain medicine is right for you or not.

CONTACT US TODAY!

Categories
Compounding

Managing Skin Concerns with Compounded Dermatologic Medications

Dermatologic medications come in all shapes and sizes to treat a variety of skin concerns. 

Skin is our largest organ and makes up for 16 of the body mass. It is not only an exterior shell but a shield against pollutions, germs, UV rays, and other harmful agents. Your skin is the reason behind your body temperature being regulated, experiencing sensory inputs, and differentiation between different textures. See, it is much more than an outer layer that people use for defining their beauty.

A Brief Introduction to Dermatology

It is no surprise that our skin experiences different problems now and then. Whether it is acne, pigmentation, allergic reaction, or in some cases, cancer, skin deals with a lot. These problems do not only take a toll on your confidence but can also be extremely uncomfortable and painful. Dermatology refers to medicine that focuses on making your skin healthy and deals with all kinds of minor and major skin issues.

Compounding pharmacists not only use dermatologic medications and treatments to beautify your skin but also help you deal with major skin concerns such as warts, eczema, rashes, and more. Essentially, compound dermatology medicine will cater to all kinds of skin problems.

Types of Dermatologic Medications

Dermatology medications come in all shapes and sizes to treat a variety of skin concerns. These dermatologic medications and treatments can be consumed orally or applied topically. Some of the common dermatologic medications include:

  • Antibiotics (These are commonly used to treat infections)
  • Anthralin (Helps treat inflammatory diseases)
  • Antifungals (They help fight fungal infections)
  • Corticosteroids
  • Benzoyl Peroxide
  • Skin acids
  • The list goes on and on

It is important to understand that every skin is different and reacts differently to different products. Some people have oily skin, others have dry and some are extremely sensitive to medication. Hence, going to a medical or cosmetic store to pick up cream, gel, or an oral tablet by yourself is not such a great idea. The key to effective results lies in perfect dose, delivery, and compounded medication.

Conditions Compounding Dermatology Can Treat

Compounding dermatologic medications can help treat:

  • Acne
  • Rosacea
  • Sunburns
  • Eczema
  • Psoriasis
  • Nail fungus
  • Scarring
  • Blisters
  • Rashes
  • Vitiligo
  • Warts
  • Fine lines
  • Wrinkles
  • Scalp problems
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Hair loss
  • Stretch marks
  • Excessive sweating
  • Brittle nails
  • Many more

Essentially, any skin-related issue bothering you can be treated effectively if you land on the right compounding pharmacy.

What is Compounded Dermatologic Medications?

Think of compounded medication as a custom medication for your own skin concerns. It would be best if you found a trusted and reliable compounding pharmacy that will create a perfect concoction of compounding medication for your needs. Some of the benefits include:

Customized Dosages – If a certain product doesn’t fit your needs, your compounding pharmacy can alter the dosage to fit your skin.

Selective Ingredients – If you are allergic to certain skincare ingredients in medications, a compounding pharmacy can eliminate those ingredients.

Unique Blend – A compound pharmacist will blend active ingredients to yield the best results.

Complete Customization – Whether you need a lotion, cream-gel, ointment, or a pill, it can be customized as per your needs.

Compounding Treatments per Patient = Effective Results

There are endless reasons why people prefer their topical and oral medications to be formulated specifically. For instance, people with extremely oily skin would always prefer a gel to a liquid. Such requests can be entertained at a compounding pharmacy when preparing the prescription. This makes it easy and convenient to use medication. Even the best of medications are useless if the patient is not religious about using them. Through the miracles of compounding dermatologic medications, you will get a product that fits you best. As a result, people are more inclined to use it.

While step one is sure to get a proper diagnosis, step two has to involve a personalized and effective treatment plan. Through the right treatment plan, you can achieve quick results. Instead of trying a dozen commercially available treatments and failing, try one that will actually work for you.

The Compounded Dermatology Medication Difference

Whenever you visit a drugstore or even a high-end skincare brand, you will notice that all skincare products are categorized based on these five types; normal, dry, oily, sensitive, and combination. I personally haven’t seen a more that goes more into depth. Unfortunately, all skins do not fit into these broad categories. Moreover, there is a lot more to the skin than its type. There is stress:

  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Age
  • Weather conditions
  • Dietary factors
  • Other environmental conditions

Do any of the mass-produced products take these elements into account? The answer is clear, and that is no. However, a combination of all these elements decides how our skin is going to look and feel.

Luckily, compounding dermatological and cosmeceutical pharmacists will take all these elements into account and develop a treatment/product that will suit you. Compounding dermatologic medications are a great and far more effective alternative to any of the store-bought options. Before you think about spending money on store-bought skincare products, think again and make the best decision for your skin’s health.

Final Thoughts

Skin is precious. It is more than just a beautiful or problematic exterior. Social media and the internet have lead us to believe that the only purpose or goal of the skin is making us look perfect. However, it is way beyond that. Whatever you put on the skin gets absorbed by your body. If you have been used to grabbing a random product in the beauty section, it is high time to rethink your choices. Prioritizing your skin’s health equals prioritizing yourself.

If you want to look and feel good in your skin, compounded dermatology medicine can be of great assistance. All the products handed over to you will be completely safe to use for you, and the chances of unwanted allergic reactions can be minimized greatly. Hence, it is advised to trust a compound pharmacist before trusting a salesperson in a nearby beauty store. If you have any queries, leave them down in the comments section below, and we will get back to you.

Categories
Medicine

What Is Buccal Administration? 9 Things to Know About Buccal Medications

Buccal administration is a way to take medication without chewing or swallowing. Here are 9 things to know about buccal medications and when they may be a good option for you.

Bucca means cheek. Therefore, the buccal area in your mouth is the cheek. With buccal administration, you insert it in between your cheek and gums. Do not chew it, swallow it, or wash it down with a drink. Hold it between your cheek and gum and let it dissolve naturally.

The tissues of the mucus membranes inside your mouth absorb the medicine and send it directly into your bloodstream. It takes only about five to ten minutes for the medicine to start working on symptoms when applied this way.

Buccal medicines can come in sprays, liquids, tablets, lozenges, and films. Before buccal administration, there are some things you should know, like the ones listed below.

Facts About Buccal Medications

1. Compounding

A compounding pharmacy can compound all buccal medications. This means your pharmacist can create your medicine from scratch. They use a recipe unique to your needs and preferences. It’s like a personalized, customized product.

2. Emergency Use

Buccal administration is crucial in emergencies and if a person is not conscious but needs medication for survival. Someone else can place the medicine in the buccal pouch inside the mouth.

3. Adverse Reactions

If you have an adverse reaction to a buccal medication, you can spit it out, preventing further adverse reactions.

4. Buccal Administration

Buccal medications can sometimes be challenging to keep in place. It’s best to avoid talking, drinking, or moving the mouth until it dissolves completely. In some, they can trigger an overproduction of saliva, making you want to swallow. Instead, wait until the buccal medication has dissolved.

5. Accidental Swallowing

If you swallow a buccal medication by accident, don’t worry. It will not harm you. However, the medicine may not work as well, or you may not achieve the desired effects.

6. Side Effects

You will likely experience fewer side effects by taking buccal medications due to the gastrointestinal tract and liver bypassing. Side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea occur with some oral medications that must be swallowed.

7. Buccal Administration vs. Sublingual Administration

Buccal medications are different than sublingual medications. Although both are to be dissolved inside the mouth, buccal drugs are placed in the cheek, and sublingual drugs are placed under the tongue.

8. Effects

Buccal medications allow you to receive a higher percentage of the effects because they bypass the digestive system, breaking down some medicines.

9. Doses

Buccal administration also bypasses the liver, allowing you to take lower doses but receiving the same benefits.

These last two facts involving digestion and metabolism are often referred to as the first-pass effect.

 

 

First Pass Effect

The first pass effect is the process in which your body breaks down medication and delivers it into your bloodstream so it can be distributed throughout your body. Having a high first-pass effect means less medicine will reach your bloodstream and circulate through the body. A low first-pass effect means more of the medication will be distributed in your body.

Many oral medications like tablets and capsules are coated in materials to lessen the degradation of the medicine when it encounters stomach acid. Inevitably, when the medicine reaches your bloodstream, you do not receive 100% of its effects.

Buccal medicines solve this problem.

Types of Buccal Medications

Almost any medication can be compounded into a buccal form. Common buccal medications include Suboxone, or buprenorphine-naloxone, used to treat opioid addiction. Fentanyl is used for pain, antipsychotics for schizophrenia and bipolar, and nitroglycerin for chest pains related to heart problems.

Other buccal medicines prescribed include anti-seizure, testosterone, nicotine, and antibiotics. Each medicine should be taken with care. Working with your compounding pharmacist, you can learn the dos and don’ts of taking medication.

Buccal Administration: How To Take Buccal Medication

Before taking any medication that will be placed in your mouth, make sure you wash your hands first. Double-check the instructions on the label to ensure the correct dosage. For example, some doctors instruct breaking tablets in half or taking two tablets at once, so you want to follow orders.

Some buccal medicines are meant to spit out after a specific time; others are intended to dissolve entirely in your mouth. This information will also be on the label instructions.

Remove the medicine from its packaging. If it is a liquid, use a syringe provided by your pharmacist to measure the correct dose. Pull your cheek out to see the space between your cheek and gum, and place the medicine in that spot. Allow the medicine to dissolve.

If you think you want to try buccal administration, it’s time to talk to your compounding pharmacist.

Why Use A Compounding Pharmacist?

Compounding pharmacists make you the priority when it comes to creating medication. Most drug manufacturers create drugs to meet the needs of the mass market. For example, they create aspirin in 25mg and 50mg doses, using the same active and inactive ingredients, with the same outer coatings.

  • What if you are allergic to the ingredients?
  • What if you only need 15mg? Or 100mg?

You find yourself cutting and trying to get as close as possible to the correct dose that alleviates your symptoms.

Compounding pharmacists can create a dose in the exact amount you need.

Other advantages of compounding pharmacies include their ability to make your medicine taste better, adding flavors you enjoy. They can create your buccal medication, or any other medication, in a form that is easiest for you to consume. If you prefer liquid over the pill, they can make it. If you like film over liquid, you can get it.

Compounding pharmacists can combine medications to reduce the number you take each day. For example, they can mix your daily vitamins into your prescription. They can also check for possible drug interactions.

Finally, compounding pharmacies can create medication that can match any religious guidelines you would like to follow, accounts for allergies, and saves you money when possible. Because compounding pharmacists are so accessible, you can seek advice and information about buccal administration at any time, including today. Call or stop in the pharmacy to learn the many options you have regarding your medication.

And if you need more information about how a compounding pharmacy can help, contact Burt’s Rx today! We offer services such as pediatric compounding, pet compounding, compounded medication for pain management, BHRT, and dental compounding.

Categories
Drugs

5 Benefits of Custom Prescriptions That You May Not Know

Nearly 4.2 billion prescriptions were filled in 2019, but did you know that rather than receive manufactured pharmaceutical prescriptions, you can get custom medications specialized to meet your needs?

The United States compounding pharmacy market industry is expected to reach nearly 5 billion dollars or more by 2027. This may be because people recognize the benefits of personalization, even with medications.

Rarely are there illnesses or diseases that are one-size-fits-all. So, why would anyone expect a one-size-fits-all medicine?

Further reported reasons for growth in this industry include an increasing geriatric population, convenience, and because there have been drug shortages with some medicines. Fortunately, pharmacists have recognized a need for improvement in this area and have provided custom prescriptions at their compounding pharmacy.

What Are Compounding Pharmacies?

Most pharmacies keep an inventory of common medications prescribed. The drugs arrive pre-made and pre-packaged. When you turn in your prescription, the pharmacist or technician will take the pre-made medicine and put it in a container with instructions specific to your doctor’s request.

The pharmacist may alter the medicine, but in limited ways, like cutting it in half. This type of delivery is most common.

However, across America, there are over 7500 pharmacies where the pharmacist is making medications from scratch. They follow a recipe and then alter it to meet the individualized needs of patients for whom a physician has given a prescription. Rather, these pharmacists are creating custom prescriptions.

What Are Custom Prescriptions?

Most medications you receive are made by a pharmaceutical brand name or generic name manufacturing company. Custom prescriptions are not available on a commercial basis. Only you have access to the medication made for you based on your doctor’s instructions.

Custom prescriptions can be made for almost any medical issue. The most commonly made custom medicines are for skin conditions, hormone replacement treatments, and pain management.

Pills and tablets are usually commercially made, and there is no need to compound them. However, it is more common for pharmacists to compound liquids, creams, ointments, lozenges, and suppositories.

Pharmacists must meet specific criteria to make custom prescriptions.

Who Can Make Custom Prescriptions?

Licensed and State board-certified pharmacists can compound medications. They receive guidelines and oversight by the state licensing boards. They must prove they are using safe ingredients and proper compounding methods for each medicine they create and must follow standards set forth by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention.

Benefits of Custom Prescriptions

There are many benefits of working with a pharmacist who can tailor medications to meet your needs. Below are five benefits you may not be aware of.

1. You Don’t Have To Worry About Allergies

Medications are made with the chemicals you need to heal and with ingredients that preserve the medicine and bind it or coat it. These added ingredients can present problems for people with allergies.

With custom prescriptions, your pharmacist can take your allergies into account and ensure they are not an ingredient in your medicine. They can add or remove ingredients as needed to ensure your safety.

For example, many people do not know that some medications contain gluten in the form of excipients. If you are allergic to gluten or have Celiac’s disease, this can lead to dangerous consequences. In this case, your compounding pharmacist would create a custom medication that does not contain gluten to ensure that your medication works properly while also keeping you safe.

2. Medicines Can Be Adapted to Your Preferences

Commercially made medicines usually come in standard sizes, shapes, and flavors. This means many people will be forced to use medications that are difficult to consume and taste bad. While most people find a way to take medicine no matter what, others will skip doses or stop taking them altogether.

Skipping doses or discontinuing use can result in more severe health concerns. A compounding pharmacist can help patients reach their health goals by creating medicines people do not mind taking as prescribed.

Your pharmacist can prepare medicines in many different forms, including liquids, creams, lotions, sprays, ointments, powders, and more. Likewise, they can create your medication with different flavorings, which can be beneficial for convincing children to take medication.

3. Gives You Better Access to Medicines

Commercial pharmaceutical companies seem to always be on the lookout for the newest medication to promote. In doing so, they stop promoting the older medicines that were just as effective. Many companies go further and stop making older medications.

If your doctor wants you to take one of the older, less accessible medicines, your pharmacist can customize it for you when it is not available elsewhere.

4. Your Pharmacist Knows Your Health

When a compounding pharmacist creates medicine for you from scratch, your safety is a priority. Therefore, they take the time to get to know you and your health. They check for possible drug interactions with others you may be taking, including over-the-counter drugs.

For example, if you have several medications for pain, your pharmacist can create a cream or lotion with those ingredients that make them much safer as a topical. If you were to take the medicines orally as pills, you might be taking too many medications.

You do not get this close attention at larger retail pharmacies.

5. More Accurate Dosing

Pre-packaged medications come prepared in doses that increase in specific increments. For some, none of the pre-made varieties are best.

Custom prescriptions can be made for the dose you need. Your size, weight, sex, and other factors will help to determine the correct quantity of medicine. With commercially prepared drugs, this is impossible.

Compound pharmacists can take all of these into consideration. This can help ease or eliminate potential side effects of medicines. This is especially helpful to children who have been prescribed a medication that is mainly created for adult dosing. Pharmacists can adapt the medicine for child safety.

Final Thoughts on Custom Prescriptions

Building a relationship with your pharmacist can benefit you and your entire family. At retail-only pharmacies, you are another number in the crowd. Compounding pharmacists take everything from your lifestyle to religious restrictions into consideration when creating medicines for you, your loved ones, and even your pets.

That’s right. Pharmacists can customize pet medicines to make it easier for them to stay healthy.

Depending on the medicine you need, you may even be able to save money with custom prescriptions. Additionally, other factors your pharmacist will review is your preference for a storage container and ease of access into the container.

Compounding puts you first rather than the giant pharmaceutical corporation. You deserve to be a priority when it comes to your health. Because your health issues are unique, so should be your medicine.

Reach out to your local compounding pharmacy today to see how you can customize your prescriptions.

Categories
Medicine

Managing Heart Medications: How A Compounding Pharmacy Can Help

Managing heart medications can be a tough task but a compounding pharmacy can help your regimen. 

According to the Center for Disease Control, someone in America dies every 36 seconds due to heart disease. That translates to one in four people and over 650,000 people a year, and they are often younger than 65 years old.

These numbers do not include the alarming statistics of how many people have heart attacks or heart-related issues and do not die.

Researchers have found that heart medications are one of the first lines of defense in preventing heart disease and related events. They are essential for those seeking positive heart health.

What is Heart Health?

Heart health refers to a lifestyle that includes making healthy choices in all areas of your life so you can live longer. It means understanding the risks of not making good choices while taking measures to reduce the chances of having a heart attack or other major health events.

Heart health includes:

  • Focusing on healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Managing weight
  • Managing stress
  • Being physically active
  • Getting proper sleep

A big part of positive heart health is taking medications prescribed by your doctor. While no one enjoys taking pills daily, they can add years to your life and allow you to make lifestyle changes before it is too late.

After a thorough exam, your doctor will assign the best medications to treat the issues you have that could lead to heart disease.

Heart Medications

There are numerous heart medications to help prevent a heart-related event. The one you may be prescribed will be based on your issues, like high blood pressure, chest pains, cholesterol imbalance, or clotting.

Anticoagulants

One group of heart medication is called anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners. These medications prevent blood clots from forming. They do not dissolve blood clots that have already formed, however.

ACE Inhibitors & Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Another anti-clotting medication focused on the prevention of blood platelets from sticking together. Medicines that help your blood flow easier are referred to as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. They expand your blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely, so the heart doesn’t have to work so hard to do its job.

Beta-Blockers

Beta-blockers decrease your heart rate and the force of contraction to lower your blood pressure. It keeps the heart from having to continuously work overtime to function.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers are also used to treat high blood pressure by preventing calcium from entering the cells of the heart. Cholesterol-lowering medications are similar and often prescribed to lower the amount of plaque buildup in your blood cells.

Diuretics

Diuretics are also commonly prescribed for heart health if your body needs assistance in ridding itself of excess fluids that can buildup and make it harder for your heart to function.

Before You Take Medication

As noted, there are many heart medications, and the ones listed above are just a few of the most common types.

Before taking any medications, make sure you understand why you are taking it, what it is made of, how to take it, and what to do if you have an adverse reaction. The more you know about your medication, the more control you can have over its effectiveness.

Do not just take medication blindly. Ultimately it is your health at stake.

Ask questions to your pharmacist, the expert in pharmaceuticals. Your pharmacist can also help bust the myths connected to taking heart medications.

Myths About Taking Heart Medications

The American Heart Association has put together a list of the most common myths regarding heart medication. The first, that it is okay to stop taking your heart medication when you feel alright.

Myth #1

Stopping your medication cold turkey at any time can be dangerous. When you are feeling good, it is because you have been taking your medication. That is a clue you should continue your medication. If you stop taking medication, you could cause precisely what you are trying to avoid, a heart attack or stroke.

Myth #2

Another myth is that you can supplement or replace your heart medications with vitamins or over the counter formulations. This can be dangerous in that some supplements may cause negative interactions with your heart medication. For example, vitamin K can have an interaction with blood thinners.

Myth #3

The best way to avoid interactions is to ask your pharmacist to check your medication list. This leads to a third myth that natural supplements work better than prescribed medicines. This is false because you can’t be 100% sure of the ingredients in supplements, especially those not approved by the FDA. Also, there have been few, if any, studies showing the effectiveness of preventing heart-related events.

Myth #4

A few more Mythbusters include the following: generic brands are just as effective as brand name; it is not okay to pop over the counter medications for headaches or congestion without checking with your pharmacist or doctor first, and the pills alone will not keep you from dying – you must have a healthy lifestyle too.

Myth #5

Finally, some people believe they are stuck with taking a one-size-fits-all medication. Not so. In fact, your pharmacist can create compounded medicine made to order, meeting your needs only.

The Importance of Compounded Heart Medications

A compounding pharmacy creates specialized medication for your needs. They formulate your doses using your prescription, as well as personal issues you have. For example, if you have allergies to certain ingredients, your pharmacist can ensure your medicine does not include those ingredients. Or, they can ensure your medication does not interact with anything else you are taking.

Compounding allows your pharmacist to changes doses, create more comfortable to ingest varieties, and they can even combine your medications so that you are only taking one total dose per day.

Pharmacists who compound medication locally can make sure you are getting the safest, freshest medicines in a form that is easiest for you to take.

Start building your relationship with your local pharmacist today. Ask questions and allow them to help you improve your heart health.

Categories
Compounding

The Most Common Compounded Prescriptions to Know

There is a difference between pharmaceutical manufacturing and compounding. In this guide, we will discuss the difference and explore the most common compounded prescriptions.

Big companies manufacture many prescriptions in the United States. The FDA approves manufactured medications; therefore, they must follow FDA guidelines and be sold commercially. They are created to meet a one-size-fits-all treatment for patients. However, you may be one of the many who do not benefit from a one-size-fits-all kind of medicine. Too often, what you need is not commercially available. The strength, dose, concentration, or how they are consumed may not be right for you.

When this happens, you can seek help from a compounding pharmacy with high-quality compounded medication.

What Is A Compounding Pharmacy?

Here, the compounding pharmacist can make medicine specifically to meet your needs. Your doctor can write a prescription, your pharmacist will create it, and you can be confident the medicine will work for you, with less chance of side effects.

Compounding pharmacies are a big deal in the United States. Currently, it is a 4.7 million dollar industry and is only expected to grow. They are regulated by the State Pharmacy Board rather than the FDA. There are multiple reasons compounding is preferred over manufactured drugs.

Your doctor may choose a compounded medicine if you have allergies to common commercially produced medicine fillers like gluten or dyes.  Also, some people stop taking medication as prescribed due to unpleasant side effects. Or, they don’t see an improvement, so they assume it is not worth taking. This may mean they need a more customized medication.

For adults, there is a long list of the most common compounded prescriptions that come with individualized benefits.

Compounded Prescriptions for Adults

Your pharmacist can compound many medicines prescribed for adults and specifically for women’s health.

Bio-Identical Hormones

Bio-identical hormones are offering relief of negative symptoms for women and men. These are medicines that are not provided via manufactured medication. Because of this, your pharmacist must hand-create your medicine with each order.

This is an excellent benefit since your hormones are completely different from others, especially the opposite sex. Compounding helps you better meet your hormonal needs.

Diabetes Medication

Also, many people with diabetes are prescribed Metformin. What you may not know is that Metformin can be compounded in a transdermal ointment. Rather than taking a pill, you can apply Metformin in a topical cream to your body, avoiding some of the side effects some experience.

Blood Pressure Medication

Medicines for blood pressure like Lisinopril, Losartan, and Amlodipine are commercially made in pill form. Compounding pharmacists can create tablets that can be crushed into powder form and dissolved in a liquid for drinking. The same is true of commonly prescribed medicines for cholesterol like Atorvastatin.

Other Common Compounded Prescriptions

Antidepressants, anti-anxiety, allergies, and antibiotics can also be compounded to meet your needs. Further, medicines used to treat thyroid and gastrointestinal issues are commonly compounded by pharmacists.

Taking pain medications can be dangerous if the dose is wrong or if the strength is too high. Compounding pain medicines often prevent side effects and dangers such as this.

Finally, some of the most common compounded prescriptions are cosmeceuticals. Your pharmacist can compound products that fight aging and help you take care of your skin based on your specific needs.

There are even many medications used by children that can be modified or created.

 

 

Compounded Prescriptions for Children

Some of the most common compounded prescriptions are made for children.

Antibiotics

Children get sick. It is inevitable. When they do, doctors often prescribe antibiotics like Amoxycillin. Not too many children can take a pill form of this antibiotic. However, compounding pharmacies can offer it in a liquid form, making it easier for both parents and children.

Other antibiotics commonly prescribed and compounded include azithromycin, cephalexin, and ciprofloxacin, containing both antibiotics and steroids.

Steroids

Steroids like prednisone and fluticasone can be compounded based on a child’s needs and the severity of symptoms. Allergy and asthma medicines like Singulair can be compounded in a variety of forms. In addition, many doctors and parents choose liquid doses and nasal sprays as an alternative to pills.

Other Compounding Options

Additionally, commonly prescribed ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin, pain medicines like Hydro codeine, and cough medicines like dextromethorphan can be compounded.

Compounded Prescriptions for Pets

Pets are family too. We recognize the importance of providing medications your pet can easily consume and work much better than commercially manufactured prescriptions. Most veterinarians recognize the benefits of custom compounding for pets too.

Common examples of pet medications include antibiotics like doxycycline. This can treat many types of bacterial infections, including Lyme disease. Pets with upset stomachs may be prescribed Famotidine, while pets with allergies may be treated with Diphenhydramine or Doxepin.

There are medications prescribed to pets that are also prescribed to humans. Doxycycline mentioned above is one. Others include:

  • Tramadol for pain
  • Prednisone for inflammation
  • Sucralfate for digestional issues like ulcers
  • Hydrogen Peroxide in emergency injuries

Benefits of Compounded Prescriptions

Hate trying to swallow massive pills? No problem. With compounding, your pharmacist can provide your medicine in a form that meets your needs. This means drugs can be created as:

  • Topical creams
  • Liquids
  • Capsules
  • Gel caps
  • Small pills, or massive pills if that is what you prefer

Further, pharmacists can add flavoring to your medicine. This is especially helpful when administering medication to children. It makes that yucky but much-needed medication a little bit easier for kids to handle. For pets, you can choose flavors like chicken, beef, or fish to make it easier to administer.

If you have allergies, your pharmacist can formulate your medicine without the ingredient causing adverse reactions. They can change the casein and eliminate unnecessary ingredients. Finally, when you and your doctor discover the exact dosage for your treatment, your pharmacist can replicate your doctor’s orders.

Choosing the Right Pharmacy

As mentioned, there are many compounding pharmacies in America. That doesn’t mean they are all right for you, however. There are specific things to look for when choosing a compounding pharmacy.

Choose a pharmacy that includes you in the planning process of your compounded medicine.

The right pharmacy will get to know you and guide you in making the right decisions about your prescriptions. They have many years of experience and care about your community, something major chain pharmacies can’t always do. The right pharmacy makes your health a priority.

And check out Burt’s Rx’s compounding pharmacy services, which include pediatric compounding, pet compounding, compounded medication for pain management, BHRT, and dental compounding.

Categories
Compounding

Seeking a Solution for Medication Problems? A Guide to Compounding Medication

Compounding medication is a valuable option for many individuals who are in need of custom medication or dosage methods; but what does it mean to compound medicine?

Many people’s first exposure to a compounding pharmacy is when they suddenly have a need that mass produced medication cannot meet. Alternatively, you might have just been passing by your local pharmacy and wondered what it means when they say they offer compounding.

While it is common to be unaware of the benefits of compounding medication, it’s important to know that the concept is not new. In fact, pharmacists have been compounding since the earliest days of medicine. Finding out more about what it involves will help you find better solutions for common medication problems.

What Is Compounding Medication?

Compounding medication occurs when a pharmacist uses their expertise to prepare a medication or delivery system that is tailored to fit a person’s specific needs. There are many reasons why a medication may need compounding. For example, your pharmacist may compound your medication if you have an intolerance to a specific ingredient. Or they may compound a medication that has been discontinued by a major manufacturer.

How Is This Different From Manufacturing?

Major drug companies mass manufacture medications before sending them out to their markets. While this method does help people get access to common drugs quickly, the one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for everyone. Pharmacists carefully prepare compounding medication in a pharmacy according to your needs. For instance, you may need a certain medication adjusted to decrease or increase the strength. A compounding pharmacist can customize it based upon your personal characteristics.

What Kind of Training Does a Compounding Pharmacist Need?

Pharmacists must complete strict educational and training requirements before they can practice compounding medication in a pharmacy. After graduating from their pharmacy school program, they may also have to pass exams. These test their skills before they can obtain their license. Continuing education courses are also an essential part of their work. They maintain their knowledge of new innovations occurring in the field of medicine.

Can Pharmacists Compound Medicine For Kids?

Pediatric compounding can be done, and has many benefits. Parents of children who cannot tolerate medications often visit compounding pharmacists. This is because many medications can be compounded specifically for kids to change the flavor or remove ingredients such as gluten that irritate their allergies. It is also possible to compound medication to alter how individuals consume it. Being able to rub on a topical ointment is often easier than a needle for kids who need pain medication.

 

What Else Can a Compounding Pharmacist Do?

A compounding pharmacist would never claim to be a magician. This is because they focus on the science behind what they do. However, many people are not aware of just how popular compounding is for everyday things.

  • For example, cosmeceuticals are prepared by compounding pharmacists, and this simply involves blending pharmaceutical grade ingredients into your every day beauty products.
  • You could have an acne medication compounded into your daily moisturizer to enhance the effects of your skin care routine.
  • Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is also an option that can help you treat the symptoms of aging such as menopause with individualized creams.

1. Adjust Medication Strengths

One of the most common reasons for compounding medication is a need for a specific strength that is not commercially available. This is common when a person has unique needs. For example, a child who requires pain medication that is usually for adults. Alternatively, you may need to adjust the strength of your medication to make it more effective or to minimize unwanted side effects that come with larger doses. A compounding pharmacist is the one who does this for you.

2. Enjoy Palatable Flavor Options

There’s a reason why people always say that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. There are some medications that are simply so awful that it requires some expert adjustments. It is also common for parents to find that getting their child to take a strong-tasting antibiotic is impossible without the help of a compounding pharmacist who can add in a more palatable flavor. It seems so simple, yet adding a burst of cherry or cotton candy flavor makes it easier to take medication. Besides, even adults can enjoy turning a mundane event such as taking their medication into a flavorful experience.

3. Choose a Better Delivery Method

Pills or injections are not always the preferred delivery method for medication, and it is common for some people to skip their dosages due to fear of needles or choking on a pill. This is another issue that commonly occurs with children or seniors. Health conditions such as anxiety, vomiting and diarrhea can also change how you need to have your medication delivered. When compounding medication, you can choose to have it prepared as you wish. It can be a flavored liquid suspension or a topical gel that is rubbed onto the skin. Suppositories and sublingual troches are additional options for delivery that your pharmacist might suggest depending upon your specific needs.

4. Remove Unwanted Filler Ingredients

Many commercially prepared medications come with filler ingredients such as red dye or gluten that may cause adverse side effects in sensitive individuals. Fortunately, you do not have to give up on treating your health condition because of an allergy. Simply let your compounding pharmacist know about your allergies. From there, they can mix you up a medication that is free of lactose, preservatives or any other filler that triggers your symptoms.

Customizing your medication is the ideal way to ensure that it fits all of your needs, and compounding medication goes way back to the earliest days of pharmacies. You now have the option to choose how to prepare and deliver your medication. This opens up new ways to treat your health conditions on your terms so that your body can heal.

Hearing about compounding medication for the first time is enough to pique your curiosity. Now, you can explore the potential that taking control over your medication can have for your health and well-being. Whether you have been searching high and low for a hard-to-get medication or just need a solution to stop your child’s gagging when you give them their nightly pill, stepping into a compounding pharmacy is the ideal way to finally find an answer to your needs.

Categories
Compounding

6 Medical Situations That Call for Compounded Medications

Compounded medications can be incredibly useful to some patients who require individualized care. These are 6 common medical situations where customized medication can be beneficial.

Every patient has their own individual health story and biochemical makeup. Even though the world of medicine relies on research, studies, and proven treatment methods to alleviate sickness, illness, and disease, the approach to treatment should address the needs of the individual patient, always.

This can make prescribing medication incredibly complex and is just one of the reasons pharmacists and physicians have such in-depth training on everything from contraindications to potential drug interactions.

For some patients, the need for an individualized approach can be a matter of life or death. Certain complicated medical situations and conditions may make commercially-available medications unsuitable or downright dangerous for these patients. Instead of prescribing a brand-name pill, many physicians and specialists will prescribe compounded medications that are custom-made at the pharmacy to eliminate concerns like filler allergies, unique dose requirements, or delivery format concerns.

When Should You Consider Compounded Medications?

To spread awareness about the benefits of compounded medications, we’ve outlined a few of the complex conditions that benefit from custom medications. If you have questions about whether a compounding pharmacy is right for you or your unique health situation, consult with your pharmacist today.

1. Allergies and/or Sensitivities

One of the most common complex conditions that necessitate compounded medications is allergies and sensitivities. Although most commercially-available drugs are tested to spur on reactions in as few people as possible, the potential for allergic reactions and sensitivities does still exist.

Drug allergies and sensitivities occur on a spectrum. A reaction could be as simple as mild itching or as complicated as full-blown anaphylaxis. Either way, treatment can become dangerous and ill-advised.

Through compounding, pharmacists can remove the offending filler or addition and break the medication down to its base compounds, recreating it into something that’s safer, more reliable, and less likely to cause a reaction. In some cases, allergy sufferers may also benefit from combining certain medications with anti-allergens instead. Pharmacists can often compound an antihistamine with the offending product if treatment is critical.

Even treating allergies and sensitivities directly may be easier with compounded medications. If a single medication isn’t enough, pharmacies can often combine medications for a better result. This includes pairing traditional antihistamines with H2 receptor blockers like Zantac.

2. Infants/Children

Infants and very young children are exceptionally sensitive, and that’s reflected in their specialized medical needs. Before the age of five or six, dosages must be weight-adjusted and tailored to the child’s needs. In the case of neonatal and preemie care, the need for customized medication is often even greater because infants have yet to develop a liver and kidneys that can efficiently clear medication.

Compounding gives the pharmacist the power to add only the exact dosage needed in the best dosage format for the child. In some cases, this is remarkably simple; adding flavoring to an antibiotic is an excellent example. In other cases, such as developing parenteral medications for preemies who can’t yet swallow, it can be much more complex. Pediatric compounding is quite popular as children and infants are two of the most common patient populations that utilize compounding in the pharmacy.

3. Patients Over 65

Like infants and children, geriatric patients also have special medical needs. They are frequently more sensitive to side effects and complications and may react to commercial medications. This is simply because the aging body needs to work harder to clear medication in the first place.

Geriatric patients who struggle with dementia and cognitive disorders may also benefit from a dosage format change, especially if they’re unable or unwilling to swallow. Depending on the medication, the pharmacy may be able to re-compound the ingredients into the following:

  • patches
  • creams
  • injectable medication
  • liquids
  • capsules

Each of these can make it easier for caregivers to give medications and secure patient compliance.

4. Nursing Mothers

Treating a nursing mother for health conditions isn’t always easy. Often, doctors attempt to find a treatment that prevents or limits how much of the medication reaches the bloodstream, and thus, the mother’s milk. Sometimes, all that’s needed is to change the dosage format rather than the medicine. For example, a topical cream may still impart benefits without the risk of systemic circulation. The same is true for patches.

Not every medication compounded at the pharmacy is by prescription; the pharmacist can also compound soothing nipple creams, antifungal topicals, and anti-inflammatory topicals that reduce swelling and pain in mastitis.

5. Complex Genetic Conditions

Certain complex genetic conditions may predispose patients to a greater or lesser response to medication. This includes genetic conditions like a duplicated CYP2D6 gene that produces the enzyme directly responsible for processing codeine into morphine within the body.

Pain patients who have this duplicated gene process codeine faster than the average individual. Therefore, they may experience less relief for a shorter period. They’re also more prone to overdose because of the rapid metabolism.

Some genetic conditions demand compounding, not because of a specific gene, but because the genetic condition causes dangerous side effects from otherwise harmless compounds. This includes:

Though these disorders effectively cause an allergic reaction, they aren’t the same as everyday allergies and can be much more severe.

Often, patients with these complex conditions spend years identifying the exact brands and substances they can take safely. Since commercial medications can change fillers or formulations, it’s safer to have compounded medications every time.

6. Hospice and End-of-Life Care

Both hospice and end-of-life care demand a different approach to medication than in everyday patient care. Whereas concerns about addiction or sedation may be realistic for a patient who will survive their illness, this is less of an issue for a patient who is dying. Thus, doses are often escalated to whatever dose keeps the patient comfortable without causing additional illness along the way.

What makes end-of-life care especially puzzling is that doses are often much higher for compassionate medications like painkillers and sedatives. They may increase far beyond what commercial drugs can provide depending on how long end-of-life care lasts.

The patient’s level of consciousness can also dictate dosage format. These dosages may change back and forth over the course of care. If the patient loses consciousness and becomes unable to swallow or take their medication, caregivers need to give compassionate care prescriptions in a format that doesn’t require effort.

Compounded medications for end-of-life care addresses both of these issues by providing whatever dose the patient needs in whatever format he or she needs. The pharmacist can make up powders, liquids, patches, creams, or even IV medications as needed by the patient, rather than as provided commercially by drug companies. This allows for greater comfort care and less stress over medications as families say their goodbyes.

Compounded Medications and Your Health

Compounding was once the only way medication was created; centuries ago, a physician would prescribe your medication and the local apothecary would create it from scratch using only herbs and base compounds. Though it isn’t as widely used as it was in the 17th or 18th Century, compounded medications still have a significant role to play in medicine even today.

The combination of time-tested strategies and newer methods makes it easier than ever to create a medication that’s just right for the needs of every patient.

This is default text for notification bar
This is default text for notification bar
Exit mobile version