Monday, September 28, 2015

Why You Need To Know About Compounding Pharmacies

by Patrick Thompson

Pharmaceutical distributions to the public are generalized not customized. In order to satisfy the masses, prescription-drug production caters to the general population not the individual. An example of this can be as simple as blood-pressure medication, produced the same way for everyone. This creates serious problems for the patients who cannot tolerate certain ingredients found in regular prescribed medicine. Some patients develop allergies and cannot ingest necessary medications to treat their condition. At that time, those patients will look into compound pharmacies for personalized care. Compound pharmacies have been developing individualized prescriptions for decades; they were here first before prescription medications changed to be one size fits all.

The question is if these compound pharmacies are safe. Yes, simply because the ingredient used in compound pharmacies must have approval of the FDA. Of course, it is important to have a prescription only by a licensed practitioner, and the distribution must be by a licensed pharmacist. Compound pharmacies do not use unsafe drugs removed from the market. The State Board of pharmacy requiring inspections every six months regulate all pharmacies. Some insurance companies will not reimburse prescriptions drugs from a compound pharmacy directly, because they are not required to have a National Drug ID code. However, an insurance company will accept universal claims forms sent for reimbursement. Financially, the expanse evens out some drugs are more expensive than the mainstream and some wind up being cheaper.

Millions of people have individual health care needs; some medication discontinues purely for profit reasons. Many patients are allergic to dyes or binders in their medications. A large amount of patients needs a tailored dose, or they cannot ingest medication available only in pill form. Compound pharmacist prepares the medication with a variety of options, such as creams or liquids. Women going through menopause greatly benefits from compound pharmacies. The drug Premarin used worldwide to reduce menopausal symptoms; made with estrogen isolated from the urine of pregnant mares and distributed as hormone therapy to the public for many years did not serve women well.

The Women's Health initiative (WHI) studied the ability of Premarin therapy to protect against heart disease, and strokes. They warned that the pill showed a high risk in developing breast cancer. The WHI did not specifically say to stop taking Premarin; they said Premarin was not successful. Women remained with the risk and symptoms of menopause without solutions. Women still needed estrogen and looked into compound pharmacies for answers. Bio-identical human hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone are individualized.

Studies show that women who took bio-identical human hormones experienced lower cholesterol levels, as well as an increase in bone density. They showed reduced hot flashes and night sweats, and improved overall health. Physicians prescribing bio-identical hormones report positive results. A combination of eating right, exercising, and regular checkup goes a long way toward helping women live healthy lives. Finding compound pharmacies to develop individual replacement therapy needs makes the difference between living vibrantly and healthily, in contrast to feeling miserable during menopausal years. Many people benefit from individualized prescription drugs offered by compounding pharmacies resulting in overall better health.

About the Author
When looking for customized prescription medication options in the GTA, you need to stop by a compounding pharmacy in Toronto and see what specific services they have to help you. You may be very surprised with the good news!

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Glasses vs. Contacts

By Michelle Costanza Weis

For anyone experiencing poor vision, the great struggle between glasses and contacts has most likely taken place in your head on several occasions! A few decades ago, contacts were scary, and less used because they were so new. However, contacts have now been around long enough, and choosing between the two can officially to considered an actual decision based on preference. So what is your preference? Enjoy this guide as we discuss the pros and cons of both prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses; it's a hard decision, but hopefully this will help a bit!

When contacts first came out, they were a little intimidating for veteran eyeglasses wearers. However, now over forty million Americans alone wear contacts every single day, so they have definitely proved to be a top competitor of the classic eyeglasses. Contact lenses now have several different options to offer - much like how glasses frames come in a multitude of different materials, etc.; you have different types to choose from! Contact lenses are available in daily, weekly, or even a constant pair you can wear and use for everyday use. They certainly have made their mark on society - without blocking your face! You can even opt for colored lenses, and give yourself a new eye color to show off!! So, now that we can trust the use of contacts more, you'd think it'd be an easy decision, but it certainly isn't!

Prescription eyeglasses have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. While they weren't always as light weight, stylish, comfortable - or even hip as they are today, some form of glasses were being used. As the years continued and optical technology advanced, so did our modern-day eyeglasses. While you still physically have an object on your face, they are much less "in the way", and annoying as they once were. Additionally over the past decade or so, glasses have started making a name for themselves - in an opposite direction as the once "geeky" and unwanted-but-necessary accessory. They are cool now. They are far more comfortable, can be made for just about any vision correction needs, and they are actually cool! So, now what are you going to choose??

Many people who experience vision problems choose to have both options: contacts and eyeglasses in their possession. This allows them to choose day-to-day what they'd like their style, and needs to be! Many people who wear contact lenses on a normal day may keep a pair of cheap glasses handy for times when their eyes are just feeling extra sensitive - like at night after work or school, or on a day when they feel like they have debris that they simply can't remove! Whatever decision you choose - prescription glasses or contact lenses - it might be a good idea to keep both options nearby and handy. Good luck and happy shopping!

About the Author
Michelle Costanza Weis
Hillary Glaser is a social networking specialist and expert in cross-media promotion, currently working on promoting prescription eyeglasses.