Compounding pharmacies are pharmacies that formulate medications from scratch; they also dispense pre-made medications and customize them to meet individual needs. Sometimes, you may not know that a compounding pharmacy can solve your treatment needs or may be wondering why your doctor sent you to a compounding pharmacy.
Here are reasons why you may need a compounding pharmacy:
Allergies to Components in Medication
Many pills often have inactive ingredients that may be potential allergens, such as gelatin, dyes, or lactose. Such additives may pose a problem for patients with specific sensitivities; this is where compounding comes in by making it possible for them to still use the medication without the risk of an allergic reaction. Compounding pharmacies will compound all the medicine’s active ingredients without the fillers, then put it in a liquid form, free of the allergens.
If Not Suitable for Children
The formulation of a host of medicines on the market occurs with adults in mind; therefore, dosages are inappropriate for children; primarily due to their weight. Additionally, younger children often require medication in liquid form due to their inability to swallow pills.
Compounding enables pharmacists to customize the dosage into a form suitable for a child. Also, compounding pharmacies will formulate a liquid version of the medicine, usually dispensed in pill form. They can also improve the medication’s flavor to make it easier for a child to have it.
If Mode of Use Is Dangerous
Cream-based medication, such as inflammation and muscle or nerve pain management, often contains six ingredients. Suppose a patient was to take all of these medications as oral drugs. In that case, they could experience a severe depression of the nervous system, raising concern for their ability to maintain lung function.
Therefore, compound pharmacies put all the ingredients in the creme form, allowing patients to apply them directly to the affected areas. Seeking a compounding pharmacy prevents you from suffering the hazardous side effects that would have otherwise resulted from your cocktail of pills.
Your Medication Requires Customization
It’s impractical to prescribe three or more ointment tubes to a patient, then expect them to always apply the ointments in an appropriate order. As a patient, you are less likely to have the necessary tools to mix the medication at home.
Seeking a compounding company helps customize your prescription to the best form possible. Customization in compounding pharmacies is typical for eye drops, topical hormone therapy creams, mouthwash, suppositories, and medicines for anal fissures or hemorrhoids. You can also get compounded mixes for transdermal ointments, gels, or creams.
The Medication Isn’t Available Commercially
In some rare cases, you may need medication that any pharmaceutical company doesn’t manufacture. Therefore, your prescription won’t be available at any pharmacy; this is because some medicines are not always a lucrative endeavor for large manufacturers to make; nevertheless, patients will still require their treatment.
If the treatment prescribed to you isn’t commercially available, simply approach a compounding pharmacy in New York, they will personalize the specific medication you need.
Your Medication Is Off-Label
Sometimes, a physician may prescribe a medication for off-label use. Off-label use refers to using a drug to treat a condition other than the one the FDA approved it for. An example is Naltrexone; the drug is offered in a 50mg tablet used to treat alcohol-use and opioid disorders. Some recent studies show that low doses of Naltrexone help with autoimmune diseases. There isn’t a means to possibly split a 50mg tablet into the 3mg dose. When a doctor prescribes low dose naltrexone to you, approach a compounding pharmacy. The pharmacy orders naltrexone powder, weighs the appropriate amount, then places it in capsule form for you at the lower required dose.
A Compounding Pharmacy Can Help
A health care provider will prescribe compounded drugs only when the commercially available medications cannot satisfy your treatment needs. If you still do not understand why the doctor prescribed the particular formulation, there is no harm in asking your physician. Whether it’s flavoring the medicine for your children, customizing the strength of your dosage, removal of allergens, or changing the medication’s form, any reputable compounding pharmacy will help you meet your needs.
