Super Fitness Health BlogCompounding Pharmacies Provide Customized Medications for People Suffering with Depression and Anxiety
Los Angeles specialty pharmacies are accustomed to providing special, made-to-order medications for people experiencing depression and/or anxiety. Typically, individuals obtain their antidepressant or anti-anxiety medicine from a standard pharmacy. However, certain issues can, depending on the distinct needs of the person, make that rather challenging. Allergies to additives and fillers, distaste for specific delivery methods, or the need for a personalized dosage can impair the ability of a traditional pharmacy to provide relief to patients. That is why specialty pharmacies are so important.
More than 21 million Americans between the ages of 15 and 44 suffer from clinic depression. Of these people, many experience anxiety issues as well. Depression is the number one cause of disability in that age group and causes an estimated $30 billion in lost productivity every year.
There is some overlap of depression and anxiety symptoms, though each mental illness is distinct. Depression is characterized, in part, by:
- Hopelessness and feelings of low self-worth
- Noticeable weight gain or loss
- Chronic lethargy
- Too much or too little sleep
- Feelings of sadness and guilt
Anxiety, however, often manifests mental and physical symptoms, including:
- Dizziness and rapid heartbeat
- Breathing trouble
- Dry mouth
- Inability to focus or concentrate
- Irritability
- Feeling hopeless
- Insomnia
If left untreated, depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. More alarmingly, depression is a factor in many of America’s 30,000 annual suicides. While different, depression and anxiety are related in that almost half of those suffering from depression experience anxiety as well.
Treatment of both anxiety and depression is most effective when several methods are joined together. Commonly, people undergo some form of professional treatment such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. In many instances, medication is prescribed by the psychiatrist to supplement the talk sessions. Other beneficial things include a healthy diet, vitamin supplements and routine exercise, all proven to elevate mood.
When medication is prescribed to relieve the symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, it is essential that it be successful without causing harm. Prescription medications offered by standard pharmacies are mass-produced and almost always contain a variety of filler ingredients. Dosage levels are optimized for profit, and coloring agents, preservatives and other additives may exacerbate allergies or result in uncomfortable side effects. North Hollywood specialty pharmacies steer clear of this by creating person-specific medication, customized with regard to ingredients, dosage and delivery method.
Specialty pharmacies coordinate with doctors and patients to make drugs created to suit a person’s particular needs. For individuals who have trouble swallowing pills or capsules, for example, a compound pharmacy could make a syrup or chewable gummy candy. Other delivery method alternatives include dermal patches, suppositories, sprays and – in certain cases – injections. The basic idea is that patients receive the medication they need to control their illness in a manner most consistent with their body’s needs.
A serious problem among people suffering from depression and/or anxiety is people going off their medication too soon or without their physician’s approval. Specialty, compounded medications are more likely to be consumed regularly because they are specifically designed for the individual taking them. Pharmaceutical compounds obtained from a specialty pharmacy take a person’s weight, height, allergies, dosage requirements and other factors into account to formulate prescription drugs that are effective without being harmful. For patients suffering from one or both of these illnesses, better relief is possible through a compounding pharmacist.
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