What is a Compounding Pharmacy

The idea behind a compounding pharmacy is very unique. It is actually how all pharmacies were 50 years ago. A compounding pharmacy is simply where a pharmacist combines one or more active ingredients in order to make a customized treatment for a patient.

This is what many people prefer over a regular pharmacy. A compounding pharmacy can help eliminate side effects to certain medications. A compounding pharmacy is there to combine pharmaceutical-grade ingredients, just like a regular healthcare practitioner would do.

A compounding pharmacy can combine ingredients into specific dosages, depending on what you need into capsules, pills, lozenges, creams and gels. This is one of the reasons patients turn to compounding pharmacies in order to get the best medication possible for their specific needs.

Benefits of a Compounding Pharmacy

• No Preservatives – As with anything, preservatives are often not beneficial to your health. Yes, preservatives will help food and medication last longer, but there is a health risk involved with this. Side effects may be caused by both preservatives and the medication itself. So, if you get an allergic reaction, it may not be a reaction to medication, but a preservative used.
• Can Add Flavoring – Have you ever had a pill or lozenge that didn’t taste very good? By using a compounding pharmacy you can have them customize your prescription by adding in some flavoring to make it more palatable. This can’t be done with premade prescriptions: it is illegal to modify them after the pharmaceutical company issues them.
• Decreased Side Effects – With regular prescription medications you may experience some side effects. There is not a lot that you can do about that. The reason is because you can’t get a lot of mass produced medications to your exact specifications. This is where a compounding pharmacy comes in handy. By being able to choose which ingredients you consume, you can decrease the side effects a great deal, which will help improve your health as well as determine what the proper ingredients and dosage is for you.
• Ability To Fine Tune – One thing that many healthcare providers don’t like about some medications is that they don’t have the ability to fine tune them. With a compounding pharmacy you do have this option. Being that not everybody is the same weight, has the same body composition and lives the same lifestyle, their prescriptions are going to be different as well, in ideal circumstances.

A compounding pharmacy does more than your typical pharmacy. That’s why so many people prefer them. If you are having trouble with your medications and you just can’t seem to find something that works without all the side effects, then give a compounding pharmacy a try.