Showing posts with label Benefits of Compounding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benefits of Compounding. Show all posts

Monday, August 29, 2016

Pharmacist of the Month: Sharon G. Hagan, RPh

The Lime in the Coconut Compounding Pharmacy is proud to announce that Sharon Hagan was chosen as the Pharmacist of the month in Professional Compounding Centers of America's (PCCA) August publication. We are honored that she was chosen for such a wonderful publication, and would like to share the article with you. 

You can learn a bit more about Sharon, as well as how The Lime in the Coconut was started, and why we love being the best compounding pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks!




A Path to Compounding
Sharon Hagan has been compounding for about 12 years, but she's been in pharmacy for longer. "When I was 18, I was employed as a pharmacy technician," she says. "I really loved my job - especially the interaction with the customers." And she still does. But while working as a technician, her pharmacist, Larry Kimble, encouraged her to apply to the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Pharmacy. "I was a tech for 16 years when I finally applied and was accepted," she says.

Then, Sharon discovered PCCA. "I had only combined some simple creams and magic mouthwash when I discovered PCCA," she says. It was an important point for her. "W-O-W!" She exclaims. "What an eye-opening experience!"

Moving forward, Sharon opened The Lime in the Coconut in 2007 "in order to offer an alternative to traditional medications," she says. And from her current position, she can both reflect back on her years in pharmacy and look forward to possibilities to come.

"The profession of pharmacy has always intrigued me, more so now than ever before," she says. "I love compounding; it allows a pharmacist to truly make a change in the lives of patients."


Favorite Formulas
One of Sharon's favorite formulas is a new addition to her repertoire. "We have added dermatology to our compounding strengths." she says, "and one formula seems to stand out - PCCA Formula #11639 (Potassium Azelaoyl Diglycinate 15%/Niacinamide 5% Topical Cream (Clarifying TM)), for our patients with rosacea." She adds that "it is an excellent formula for inflammation, erythema, skin discoloration, as well as being an antioxidant and stimulator of microcirculation." And she likes the base, specifically: "The unique avocado extract in Clarifying Base nourishes skin and decreases oil formation. My patients love this formula!"

Share also like PCCA Formula #10357 - Enrofloxacin 2% /Ketoconazole 2%/Triamcinolene 0.5% Poloxamer Otic Gel. "Thank you, Chris Simmons!" she exclaims, referring to our Vice President of Creative Development and true veterinary compounding innovator. "This one is a home run!" she adds. "Veterinarians, as well as pet owners, benefit from a one-time application instead of holding a large dog down for ear drops twice a day."

The Success Is In the Stories
Sharon and her crew at The Lime in the Coconut have had success with PCCA Formula #3408 - Tetracaine HCI 0.025% Popsicle. "A local doctor called us for help with a young girl who had dehydrated to the point of needing to be hospitalized for IV therapy," Sharon recalls. "She had stopped eating and drinking because of her sore throat." Fortunately, though, the tetracaine popsicles helped, and the doctor was pleasantly surprised when the girl started eating and drinking again. "We have created a great relationship with this doctor because of this one formula that turned her on to us," Sharon Says. "She now writes for other formulas as well."

Sharon's also had good experiences with PCCA Formula #0710 - Dibucaine HCI 0.5%/Hydroxyquinoline Sulfate 0.1% Topical Stick. "We call this our 'Chigger Stick,'," she says. "A mother came in and had her son with her," Sharon says, recalling a specific case. "He had numerous bug bites that he had been scratching the heck out of." So they called the doctor and got a prescription for - believe it or not - "Chigger Stick." "The little boy immediately applied it to the bites and said, 'Mommy, it's a magic stick. No more itchy!"




Sharon remembers another case well. "A lady came in a pulled a Chigger Stick out of her purse from a compounding pharmacy in the state that she had recently  moved from, " she says. There was one little problem, though, but Sharon saw an opportunity. "It was outdated by approximately seven years," she says. "She said she carried it in her purse always, and disregarded the expiration date because it still worked for her," says Sharon. "Humored by this, I offered to replace it for her at no cost." Opportunity seized: "She became one of my patients requiring compounds for BHRT and pain management," Sharon says. "You never know where a little Chigger Stick will take you..."

Words For a New Compounder
As you may expect from her success stories, Sharon's combined experience in pharmacy and business has taught her the importance of developing and maintaining relationships. "On a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.), commit to taking a doctor out to dinner," Sharon offers as advice. "You will have their complete, undivided attention for approximately two hours; will build a lasting relationship with them; and will not have had the expense, hustle, and bustle of feeding the whole office during lunch hour."

Feel As Good On the Inside As You Look on the Outside!
If you're looking for a pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks, we would love for you to consider working with us. It's also one of our primary goals to maintain a strong relationship between Pharmacist, Patient, and Physician. We can create a prescription that is fitted to your exact needs, and customized for you - visit our website to learn more!

Feel As Good On The Inside As You Do On The Outside!


111 Crossings West, Suite 6
PO Box 2145
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 964-6786 


Hours:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Monday, August 22, 2016

Can Compounding Help With Acne?

Acne is a skin problem that most often occurs in teenagers, but it is not uncommon for adults to be affected by it too. Medical compounding is an excellent way to tackle this problem. Another great way to get your skin back to normal is to understand acne better. The Lime in the Coconut has gathered a little information to help you recognize the reasons that acne may occur.


What is Acne?

The technical definition of acne is: "the occurrence of inflamed or infected sebaceous glands in the skin; in particular, a condition characterized by red pimples, especially on the face, neck, back, and chest." It is a skin condition that happens when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells.   


Common Causes of Acne

The 4 main things that can attribute to acne in a person are:

  • Oil production
  • Dead skin cells
  • Bacteria in pores
  • Family history of acne 
The reason that this disease most often occurs in teenagers is because that during puberty, the oil glands under the skin grow and begin producing more oil than they previously did. It is not solely a teenage problem, though. Changes in hormone levels in a body contribute to acne too. For example, this can happen during a pregnancy or in times of great mental stress or anxiety. 

Compounding for Acne

Your physician will most likely prescribe a few topical ointments to combat the acne. In severe cases, the help of a dermatologist may be required, and occasionally the addition of oral medications are necessary. 

Our compounding pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks is able to combine multiple medications into a single dosage, making it much easier to get the medicine you need into your system. We can also adjust strengths of medications to treat your particular case of acne. Traditional medicines are created to treat a vast amount of people, and in some cases may be too strong or too weak for your particular situation. 

There are also many different ways that we can compound your medications to be delivered to you. Compounding for acne allows you to get the help you personally need through extremely effective, easy to use methods that are made to fit the needs of your body. 


Additional Ways to Battle Acne

In addition to the compounding, we offer to treat acne, following these tips can help your skin to heal:

  • Wash the affected skin twice daily with a gentle cleanser
  • Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible. 
  • Don't pop pimples. This can cause additional bacteria to invade your pores, making the acne worse and in some cases it will cause scarring to occur. 
  • Never go to sleep with makeup on.
  • Only use makeup that is oil-free and does not clog pores. 
  • Keep greasy lotions and hair products off of your skin. 
  • Let acne-prone skin breathe. Do not wear tight clothing, hats, headbands, etc... that can block the skin and hold bacteria in.


Let Us Help You Achieve the Clear Skin You Desire

The Lime in the Coconut in Lake Ozark would love to help you or your teenager get rid of acne. Give us a call today so that we can work together to find the best ways to make that happen. Compounding for acne is a wonderful way to get exactly what your skin needs in the most convenient way for you possible. 



Feel As Good On The Inside As You Do On The Outside!


111 Crossings West, Suite 6
PO Box 2145
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 964-6786 


Hours:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Friday, April 29, 2016

5 Unbeatable Advantages of Compounding

Ideally, your medication should provide your body with the resources it needs to not only survive, but thrive. Having a healthy body is essential in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and we have seen time and time again that a person's physical health is strongly correlated to their overall happiness.

Our compounding pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks is dedicated to helping your body achieve and maintain the health it needs for you to lead a healthy, happy life. Keep reading to learn more about some of the distinct advantages that compounding medication offers.


Advantages Of Compounding

1. Your Prescription Is Unique To You
Compounding is more than a medicinal science - it's an art. Standard prescriptions are mass-produced in massive quantities, with little to no thought given to the individual patients who will be taking them. With compounding, on the other hand, each prescription is made specifically for its intended patient. Essentially, compounding fits the medication to the patient (not the other way around).

2. Compounded Medication Causes Fewer Side Effects
Because they are mass-produced with barely any thought given to the unique individuals who will be taking them, standardized prescriptions often cause numerous undesirable side effects. Depending on the specific ingredients used, these side effects can range from slightly annoying to incredibly dangerous. By customizing all medications specifically to each patient's individual needs, our Lake of the Ozarks compounding pharmacy is able to drastically reduce the number of side effects our patients experience.

3. Your Prescription Will Almost Always Remain Available
Massive, multi-million dollar pharmaceutical companies are more concerned with their own profit than they are with the health and well-being of their individual patients. If not enough patients are taking a certain prescription, it becomes unprofitable to continue to mass-produce it and, consequently, it may be taken off the market. Although it may be a smart business decision, it doesn't account for the hundreds of patients who were taking the medication and still in need of it. Fortunately, your Missouri compounding pharmacy may still be able to make the medication you need.

4. Your Prescription Can Come In Several Different Dosage Forms
Maybe your child (or your pet) is sick, but they refuse to take their medicine because they dislike the taste. Maybe you've always had trouble swallowing pills. Maybe the oral pain relievers you're taking are causing unpleasant side effects. When we compound medication, we can make it unique to the patients' needs. Topical pain gels, medicated lollipops, and flavored troches are just a few examples of the different dosage forms we offer.

5. Compounding Pharmacies Are Allergy-Conscious
Standardized medications often contain one or several ingredients that may cause allergic reactions in patients, such as gluten, dyes, preservatives, sugar, and/or lactose. Because they are produced in such huge quantities, the pharmacies cannot accommodate the small percentage of patients who may not be able to take the medication due to allergies. Since compounding pharmacies make all medication unique to each patient, this is rarely (if ever) an issue.

Remember Us For All Your Compounding Needs!

The Lime in the Coconut Specialty Compounding Pharmacy is honored to get to provide our customers with the medication their bodies need to stay healthy both healthy and happy. We love what we do, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help our patients in any way that we can. Visit our website at www.LimeInTheCoconutRx.com or call us at 573-964-6786 to learn more about how we may be able to help you!


Feel As Good On The Inside As You Do On The Outside!


111 Crossings West, Suite 6
PO Box 2145
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 964-6786


Hours:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM