You need medication for your hormone-related condition, whether it’s thyroid disease, menopause, weight management, or something else. But the prescriptions you’ve tried have fallen short. Maybe you can’t swallow pills, or you can’t tolerate the coloring or additives in the commercial drugs you’ve tried. Or maybe the standard doses haven’t given you the desired outcome.
When the mass-produced medications on the market don’t meet your unique needs, you have another option: compounded medications.
What are compounded medications?
Compounded drugs are an alternative to prescription medications that come in standard formulations. A compounded medication is created for your individual needs through the collaboration of your provider and a licensed compounding pharmacist. The medication contains the active ingredient in a customized dose and form that’s prescribed by your doctor. As the most trusted name in compounding, Belmar Pharmacy creates compounded medications with minimal fillers, which can also be tailored to your specific needs – including allergens to ingredients like corn, dyes, or gluten.
Healthcare providers and compounded medications
Many doctors don’t provide medication education for patients about the different options that are available to them, simply because they are less educated about compounding, or they haven’t found a compounding pharmacy that meets the strict standards upheld at Belmar’s six pharmacies across the country. Some providers are open to using compounded medications, but others are resistant to the idea because of their own misconceptions or lack of knowledge. These providers may not be aware of the benefits of compounded medications and compounding pharmacies.
Some providers may even believe that the ingredients in compounded medications are not regulated by the FDA, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Belmar Pharmacy upholds the highest regulatory standards in compounding and chooses to only source active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from FDA-registered facilities. Additionally, we are the only national pharmacy organization with LegitScript certification and National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) accreditation at all six of our compounding pharmacies – a process that involves rigorous inspections on state and federal levels.
If you have a provider who is new to prescribing personalized medications, you can tactfully advocate for yourself to get the therapies you deserve, which may be a better option for your individual needs.
How to ask your doctor for compounded medication
It helps to prepare yourself beforehand and take a stepwise approach to the discussion. The following steps provide a framework for this important conversation.
1. Educate yourself ahead of your doctor’s appointment
Read about how compounded medications may relate to your condition. There’s information here on the Belmar website about compounded medications for thyroid issues, sexual wellness, menopause, and weight management. Then make a list of everything you want to discuss at your visit, including questions about your prescriptions and why you think compounded medication may be a good option for you.
2. Offer feedback on your current medication
Talk with your doctor about your current therapies. Provide specific feedback on what’s working and what’s not ideal.
For example, if a commercial drug worked in the past, but issues have been resurfacing lately, explain your symptoms and why you think they may be related to the medicine you are currently taking. Or if you’re taking a commercial drug and think you’re having a reaction to preservatives or dyes it contains, inquire about alternative options.
3. Bring up compounded medications
Ask if switching to a compounded medication might help with the challenges you’re facing.
For example, if you’re taking commercial hormone therapy to address menopause as an oral pill or transdermal patch, and you’re not getting the results you’d hoped for, talk to your provider about customizable bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Commercial products have strength and formulation limitations, and not every patient can find the balance they need among so few options. At Belmar Pharmacy, compounded BHRT comes in many forms, like under-the-skin pellets, topical or vaginal creams, sublingual tablets, or even injections – something for everyone.
Tell your doctor what you learned about the benefits of compounded medications, such as how the custom formulations may be ideal for your unique needs. Ask what compounded prescription your provider recommends for your health concerns. Use this guide to compounding to share with your doctor.
4. Keep advocating for your wellness
If your provider seems uninformed about compounded medications or seems resistant to the idea, don’t give up. Continue to advocate for yourself by offering additional information, like directing the provider to the clinician section of the Belmar website.
If your doctor dismisses your suggestions completely, reach out to Belmar. We can guide you through options to help you move forward with compounded medications, such as helping you find a new provider who understands and prescribes compounded medications for a variety of hormone-related conditions.
Additionally, once you begin receiving compounded medications from Belmar Pharmacy, you (and your provider) gain access to our expert compounding pharmacists and clinical teams for questions and consultations about your prescriptions. As the most trusted name in compounding, working with Belmar is a win-win for everyone.
