Frequently Asked Questions

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1. What does compounding mean?
   Compounding is the process of preparing a customized medication to meet a patient's individual needs.
   
   
2. Do you need a prescription from a health care provider for a compounded medication?
   Yes, every compounded medication requires a prescription.
   
   
3. You are too far for me to visit. Can you just ship my medicine?
   Yes, we can ship your medication using the US Post Office, UPS or Fed Ex. The choice is yours. If necessary overnight shipping is also available.
   
   
4. Do you accept insurance?
   We are able to bill a number of Blue Cross prescription plans. For all others the patient is responsible for payment. We do provide a completed compounding insurance form that you can submit for reimbursement.
   
   
5. What is the turn around time to receive my prescription?
   Many prescriptions can be filled the same day. Some medications take more time to compound and if we have to contact your health care provider or if an ingredient needs to be ordered it could delay processing your prescription by a couple of days.
   
   
6. Do I physically have to come into the pharmacy with a written prescription?
   Your health care provider can either call in the prescription or fax it to the pharmacy. We can then ship your medication or you can drop by and pick it up.
   
   
7. I am allergic to preservatives and dyes that are in many medications. How can you help me?
   As long as the medication is available to us from an FDA approved pharmaceutical wholesaler we can compound it for you in any dosage form without preservatives and dyes. This also applies to those who are lactose intolerant.
   
   
8. My baby needs a medication that is only available in an adult strength. Can you help me?
   Yes we can make that medication in the exact dosage that you require. Many pediatric medications can be compounded into liquid form and we can flavor them to your child's taste.
   
   
9. I have been prescribed a certain medication for years, and now when I went to get the prescription filled the pharmacist told me it is now off the market and is no longer available. Help me. It is the only thing that works for me.
   We can compound that medicine for you as long as the active ingredients are still available.
   
   
10. I have an elderly/terminally ill patient who cannot swallow her medications. Can you compound them together in a different dosage form?
    Yes we can. We can compound them into a suppository or a topical gel.
    
    
11. I have a patient who has extreme neuropathic pain. Most of the medications which she now takes orally are giving her ulcers and extreme heartburn. Can you help?
    We can compound all her medications together and put them into a topical gel which she can take orally to alleviate the side effects that she is experiencing now.
    
    
12. I am a veterinarian and many of our animals have a problem taking medicine. Can you help?
    We compound many prescriptions for dogs, cats, birds, etc. We have all the different flavors available for every different specie.
    
    
13. I am a dentist and have a patient that has mouth ulcers. We have tried so many different things and nothing works. What can you do to help this patient?
    We can put some medication for healing the ulcer in a polyox bandage. She will spray it on the ulcer and because of the consistency of the bandage it will stick to the mucosa. We can also put in some local anesthetic, eg. lidocaine, which will numb the pain. We also compound many different mouthwashes for this and other conditions.
    
    
14. Where do you get the active ingredients that are used for compounding?
    The ingredients come from an FDA approved pharmaceutical wholesaler and are all USP registered materials.
    
    
15. What is the difference between a compounded hormone and hormones that I can get from a pharmacy that does not do compounding?
    A customized compounded hormone is a hormone that is not synthetic. It has the exact same molecular structure as what the body makes and is derived from a plant source - either soy or yam. It is also customized for you in the strength, combination, and dosage form that your health care provider thinks you will benefit from.
    
    
16. When should I use customized hormones instead of hormones that I can have filled at the chain pharmacy close to where I live?
    
    • When commercial hormones do not relieve your symptoms.
      
    • When there are adverse side effects.
      
    • When the strength and the dosage form are not a good fit for you.
      
    • When the commercially available hormone patch is causing skin irritation.
      
    • When you have an allergy to additives that are in commercial medications.
      
    • When you feel strongly about taking hormones that are identical in the molecular structure to what your own body makes.
      
      
17. Will your pharmacist consult with me on the correct use of these hormones?
    Yes, our pharmacists are extremely knowledgeable on the use of customized hormones and they also are available for consultations with your health care provider.
    
    
18. Where can I find a health care provider that will help me in considering whether this is right for me?
    We can help you find someone who will be the right fit for you.
    
    
19. Should my hormone levels be tested to see exactly what I need to take?
    This all depends on you and your health care provider. Some will take blood levels, others will do salivary levels and some like to treat based on symptoms. There is really no right nor wrong answer.