You may need to take a certain kind of medication, but what would you do if the medication is made with something you are allergic to, such as the dye used to color the tablets? The answer is that you will likely need to have a compounding pharmacy make the medication for you while leaving out the dye component that you are allergic to. Another example of how compounding pharmacies are helpful can be seen in a prescription of 20 mg hydrocodone. Hydrocodone pills are made with acetaminophen and you can only take so much of this in a day. A 10 mg pill of hydrocodone has 325 mg of acetaminophen. A doctor who wants a patient to have a higher amount of hydrocodone can have them get it from a compounding pharmacy that will leave the acetaminophen out. Here is more information on compounding medications and pharmacies.
What exactly is a compounded medication?
A compounded medication is one that has been mixed by the pharmacist specifically for you and according to the specifics prescribed by your physician. Medication is compounded when you wouldn't otherwise find medication available that met every specific need intended for you by your physician. Compounding medications can come in many forms, from capsules to creams. Compounding the medication specifically for you allows you to have the medication in a strength not already available, without certain preservatives you may not be able to have, in a form you can take that's not readily available, or even in a flavor that you can tolerate.
Can over the counter medications be compounded?
You may want to take an over the counter medication in another form. For example, maybe you take a certain over the counter medication for your cough, but you hate the syrup and would prefer a pill. Or, you might take an over the counter medication that comes in a large pill that's hard for you to swallow and you would prefer chewable tablets or a syrup. However, a compounding pharmacy will not be able to do this for you, because they are only allowed to compound prescription medication by law.
Can you get compounded medications from any pharmacy?
If you are prescribed a compounded medication, you will need to find a pharmacy capable of filling it for you because the answer is no, not every pharmacy will have the ability to compound medications or certain medications.
Are compounded medications really safe?
You may worry that taking a prescription medication made right in the pharmacy may not be safe. This worry likely stems from a common fear many people have of the unknown, especially with medications. However, you will be glad to know that compounded medications are considered to be very safe. This is true because the compounded medications give you a medication that has omitted anything that may be bothersome or even potentially harmful for you.
For more information, contact a compounding pharmacy in your area.