Senior Care - How to Provide Elderly Independence

How A Compounding Pharmacy Is Your OTC And Prescription Watchdog

by Stephen Silva

Taking any kind of medication is often fraught with difficulty. In many cases, medications need to be carefully monitored for side effects and effectiveness, and most patients (barring serious side effects) are not always able to recognize that their medications are not working to their advantage very well. However, a compounding pharmacist can often help patients determine whether they are responding well to their medications in a number of different ways.

What Is A Compounding Pharmacist?

Compounding pharmacists differ from a regular pharmacist in that they not only have extensive and specialized education in the compounding of medicines, but they also offer personal patient consultations about medications, health and medical history. The compounding pharmacists also work in tandem with your regular physician to ensure a very well rounded medical approach.

How Compounding Pharmacists Help

Because of the deeply interpersonal nature of the compounding pharmacist/patient relationship, it is far more likely that any health or medication issues will be noticed and addressed more quickly. Many times, patients only review their medications when they have a checkup or serious medical issue. This means that someone could be on a medication causing mild but negative effects, but not be aware of it for many months – or their next doctor's visit.

However, when you use a compounding pharmacy, the pharmacist personally oversees your medication reactions to ensure that you are doing well. This means that when you go to get a refill, the pharmacist may consult with you and determine whether you are on the right medications and health path. This regular personal attention can give patients much needed oversight with their often confusing medications.

Over The Counter

One thing that most people rarely get from their doctor is help with over the counter products. Many times, OTC products can cause side effects with other prescription medications. When patients visit a compounding pharmacy, they are able to consult with the pharmacist about their OTC items as well as their prescription items. You simply cannot call your doctor and ask questions every time you buy an OTC item – you would not be a patient for very long if you did. However, with a compounding pharmacist, you can and should ask questions about your OTC items as well, and help is readily available in the same spot.

A compounding pharmacist offers highly personalized care and supervision of medications as well as a completely well-rounded approach to your personal health. Visit one today!

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