What is Compounding Medication?
A compounding medication can be defined as a medicine specially formulated for individuals according to his/her doctor’s prescription. Just like baking a cake, in the manufacture of compounding medication, one or more active ingredients are mixed in a certain amount to make compounding medication.
General Benefits of Compounding Medication:
1. Allowing Access to Discontinued Medications
Large producers stop manufacturing drugs which makes it tough for the patients who nonetheless want those medicines. Compounding can help in recreating these discontinued medications.
2. Making Medication Easier for Use
Some medicines have a very unpleasant taste, making it difficult for patients to take them as prescribed. Compounding can help create personalized prescriptions from scratch based on the taste of the patient. This is especially useful for patients who may not be taking medication such as children, elderly patients, and even pets.
3. Allowing Alternative Dosage Forms
Compounding medication can be created in different dosage forms. Patients who find it difficult to swallow pills can easily take the medicine in liquid form. Compounding medications come in the form of liquids, pills, topical creams, patches, gel, or injectables.
4. Making Medication Allergy-Friendly
Some patients who are intolerant to dyes, lactose, gluten, or alcohol have adverse reactions when taking certain medications. In other cases, commercially available drugs may contain excipients, such as fillers and preservatives, which patients cannot tolerate due to sensitivity or allergies to these substances. Compound pharmacists can make formulas that do not contain harmful ingredients so that patients can still receive adequate treatment.
What is the Role of Compounding in Hormone Therapy (HT)?
Patients receiving hormone therapy (HT) can take combined supplements. When the production of certain hormones is insufficient, doctors will prescribe bio-homogeneous hormones to supplement the body for such treatments. Bioidentical hormones are made to correspond to the molecular structure of your body’s hormones. Every woman is different and deserves this treatment. Hormone levels vary from person to person. only for you.
Different compounds used in bioidentical compounding medication are as follows:
- Estrogen (combination of estriol and estradiol)
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Why Compounding Your Medications is Important for Women’s Hormonal Health?
Menopause:
A woman has reached menopause when woman’s ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone and because of this, she has not had a period for one year. It is a natural process but can include other physical symptoms. Compounded bioidentical hormone therapy is very effective for women suffering from menopause.
Infertility:
Due to age and hormonal changes many women suffer from infertility. Compounded medication can be used to treat women suffering from infertility.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS):
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance leading to irregular periods or no periods at all and difficulty getting pregnant because of irregular ovulation. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) with compounding medication can help restore the hormonal balance of the body.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency:
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop working normally before she turns 40. It is different than premature menopause. Women suffering from POI experience an irregular menstrual period. It is often caused by chromosomal abnormalities other hormonal issues in the body. Compounding medications are very effective in the treatment of primary ovarian insufficiency in women.
Every woman has unique hormonal make-up and body needs; so being able to change the ingredients based on a women’s particular needs makes them much more effective than other hormonal therapy.
