What is compounding?
Compounding is the art and science of creating personalized medicine – medicines that will fit specific age requirements and individual preferences. One size does not fit all, one pill may be suitable for one patient but not for others. For a child who can’t swallow pills, a patient with an allergy to certain pharmaceutical additives, a patient who needs a topical form of medicine which is only available in oral dosage forms, and for a patient who needs medicine in drug shortage list, pharmacy compounding can be life-changing, even life-saving. (PCCA)
Compounding pharmacies work with prescribers to fill a gap in health care through customized solutions for specific patient needs to enhance patient compliance, expand treatment options and improve patient quality of life.
What types of medications can your pharmacy compound?
Revitalife Compounding Pharmacy specializes in compounding bioidentical hormones, sterile preparations for erectile dysfunction and intravenous infusions of multivitamins and minerals, amino acids and other therapeutic substances. We also provide pediatric preparations such as suspensions and syrups and compounding of a commercially available medicine to a different dosage form as per the physician’s advice and treatment requirements.
What is Bio-Identical Hormones?
Bioidentical Hormones are derived from plant sources that undergo laboratory processing in order to convert to purified hormones that have an equivalent chemical structure to the hormones that our body produces.
Technically, the body can’t distinguish bioidentical hormones from the ones your body produces. On a blood test, your total estradiol reflects the bioidentical estradiol you’ve taken as well as the estradiol your body makes. On the other hand, commercially available conjugated estrogen is metabolized into various forms of estrogen that aren’t measured by standard laboratory tests. Proponents of bioidentical hormones say that one advantage of bioidentical estrogen is that estrogen levels can be monitored more precisely, and treatment can be individualized accordingly (Harvard Health).
Bio-Identical HRT vs Synthetic HRT?
At the molecular level, bioidentical hormones represent the exact molecular structure as the natural hormones that your body produces. These are derived from plant sources that undergo laboratory processing in order to convert to purified hormones. Synthetic hormones, on the other hand, are modified or conjugated structures of the natural hormones. These synthetic hormones have significantly exaggerated responses across multiple hepatic and non-hepatic measures of hormonal effects and do not deliver the full range of “messages” a natural hormone does (Moskowitz, 2006).
What are the sources of the raw materials used?
All active pharmaceutical ingredients used for compounding are US FDA approved derived from plant sources such as wild yam that undergoes laboratory processing in order to convert to purified hormones that have an equivalent chemical structure to the hormones that our body produces.
When to start BHRT?
If you are starting to feel hormonal imbalance symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, heavy, irregular or painful periods, go and check with your doctor. Your physician will know whether you need to start with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
Need help in finding doctors who are experts with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy? Check with us for our partner doctors and clinics.
How to start BHRT?
The first and best way to start using BHRT is to consult your doctor for proper assessment and diagnosis. Baseline hormonal testing is important in ensuring the safe and proper application of BHRT. Hormone levels must be monitored on a regular basis. Until a proper balance of hormones is established, hormonal analysis through laboratory testing should be performed every two to three months. After that, each patient should have follow-up consultations with his/her doctor and laboratory hormonal testing performed on a semi-annual basis.
Do I need a prescription to order/refill compounded medications?
Yes. Prescription is required for compounding and dispensing of bioidentical hormones.