Better Sex: The Natural Way To Enhance Intimacy

If you think that life, as well as sex, is over after a certain age...then this information is for you. Dr. Gonzalez Lambert will focus on the matter of how physical changes might affect you and the way that it may affect your intimate life. Many symptoms of menopause, andropause, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other conditions can have an effect on your energy and joie de vivre as time goes on. Learn how you can enhance your lifestyle, forestall these changes from happening, and keep optimal intimacy as long as possible. Explore with Dr. Gonzalez Lambert the natural ways to enhance your energy, intimacy, and balance your lifestyle.

This seminar will be held at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy on Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 pm. There are 24 seats available. Please call the pharmacy at 503-640-3080 to reserve your seat early. The cost is $15.00 per seat.

Dr. Arcoma Gonzalez will lead this seminar. She is a Naturopathic Physician practicing at The Blossoming Health Naturopathic Clinic in Forest Grove.
She specializes in Cardiology, Natural Hormone Replacement and Anti-Aging Medicine.

Please call or email Pacific Compounds Pharmacy if you would like more information.
Phone: 503-640-3080
Email: info@pacificcompounds.com

Healthy New Year!

It's that time of year when we're all making our resolutions to improve our health and our lives. Maybe you want to quit smoking, lose weight, balance your hormones, lower your blood sugar or your blood pressure, exercise more.....

Whatever your resolution is, feel free to come in and consult with one of our compounding pharmacists. They may be able to help you achieve your goals or at least point you in the right direction!

We have a full line of vitamins and nutritional supplements. We can also tell you about compounded and natural medications that may be just what you need to get you on the road to better health.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year!
The Staff of Pacific Compounds Pharmacy

Merry Christmas!

The staff at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy would like to sincerely wish each and every one of you the merriest Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New year!

Are Your Hormones Making You Fat?

Come learn how hormone balance plays a crucial role in weight loss. Balancing your hormones can help you on the road to a slimmer you!

We have scheduled our first 2009 Seminar here at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy. It will be held Wednesday, January 21st at 7pm. Dr. Crystal Hannan from the In Health Naturopathic Medicine Clinic will be the speaker and she will discuss how hormone imbalance can lead to frustrating weight gain.

Reserve your seat early as space is limited. Seats are $15.00 and you can make your reservation by calling the pharmacy at 503-640-3080.

2009 Seminar Schedule to be Posted Soon

Pacific Compounds Pharmacy offers seminars on current health topics throughout the year. We are currently working with doctors and other providers to put together a schedule for the first quarter of 2009.

All upcoming seminars scheduled at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy are posted here and on our website at: www.pacificcompounds.com.

If you would like to hear about a particular health topic, but do not see it listed in our schedule, please contact us at: info@pacificcompounds.com and let us know. We will make every effort to accomodate requests.

Compounded Wart Treatment Options

Warts are growths caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and can occur anywhere on the body. Up to 10% of the population is affected by warts. Though typically benign, they can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact to other parts of the body or to other people. While about 40% will spontaneously regress within two years, warts are unsightly, sometimes painful, and can spread if left unchecked. They can be difficult to treat, but compounded medications provide a number of treatment options, such as flurouracil/glycolic acid, DNCB, podophyllum and trichloroacetic or bichloroacetic acid. If you suffer with warts, you may want to talk to your doctor about one of these treatment options:

Fluorouracil (5FU) & Glycolic Acid
5FU is an antimetabolite antineoplastic agent that hinders DNA and RNA synthesis to interrupt growth and initiate apoptosis. Glycolic acid acts as a skin peeling agent to help remove the dead cells. Common dose is 2.5-5% 5FU and 25-50% glycolic acid in an ointment base applied by toothpick or cotton swab twice daily, then covered with duct tape, with a follow-up visit in two weeks. 5FU should not be used by pregnant women.

Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)
DNCB works as a contact sensitizer, inducing the body’s immune system to attack the wart. Efficacy rates in small trials have been 80%, compared to placebo at 38%. Some patients require multiple applications to become sensitive to DNCB. Common dose is 1% DNCB ointment applied by toothpick or cotton swab once with a follow-up visit in two weeks. If there is an insufficient reaction, a second application can be applied two weeks after first, with subsequent applications once weekly thereafter. A higher concentration may be necessary for plantar warts. DNCB should not be used by pregnant women.

Podophyllum Resin
Podophyllum resin is a cytotoxic agent that prevents mitosis in dividing cells. It is used mostly to remove genital warts. Efficacy is between 45-77% of people treated. Common dose is 10-50% podophyllum in benzoin tincture, usually applied sparingly by the prescriber in office on a weekly basis. The first application should only be left on for 30-40 minutes to gauge patient sensitivity, with following applications left on for up to four hours and then removed with soap and water or alcohol to limit systemic absorption. If there is any broken skin or the patient has diabetes, is pregnant, has poor circulation or is immunocompromised, podophyllum resin should not be used as it is a caustic irritant.
Interesting fact: Podophyllum resin comes from the mayapple, a herbaceous perennial plant native to the eastern part of North America.

Trichloroacetic (TCA) or Bichloroacetic (BCA) Acid
TCA or BCA cause protein destruction in cells leading to apoptosis. They can be used to treat warts or genital warts with 60-70% efficacy, and are not absorbed systemically. Common dose is % solution, applied by prescriber in office weekly. Due to irritation at the site, TCA and BCA may not be suitable for large areas. TCA or BCA may be used by pregnant women.

All of these wart solutions are available at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy with a doctor's prescription.

Finally! A Study on Compounded Topical Hormone Creams!

Hormone Creams Ease Menopause Symptoms
Study Shows Custom-Compounded Preparations May Also Boost Heart Health

We are all very excited that a study has finally been done on compounded topical hormone creams! And not only has the study been done, but we can now see the encouraging results of that study.

Charlene Laino of WebMD Health News interviewed Dr. Kenna Stephenson about the study findings. The new research suggests that these compounds "can make remarkable changes in a woman's life," says Kenna Stephenson, MD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. "Individualized hormonal treatments are just what women need," she tells WebMD.

Follow this link to see the full article.

With the good news this study brings, also comes the hope that larger studies will follow. And, more importantly, we hope that all hormone treatments for women will be done on an individual basis because every woman is unique. We all want this to become a high priority for the entire medical community.

Giving Thanks This Thanksgiving

All of us at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy would like to express our sincerest thanks to all of our wonderful patients and customers. We truly appreciate the opportunity you've given us to get to know you and to try, in our small way, to help you in your efforts to improve your health and your lives. We are eternally grateful for the trust you have placed in us.

We would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Sale Items - 50% OFF

We currently have a small selection of over the counter supplements and creams on sale. They're going fast, so stop by soon before they're gone!

And The October Prize Winner Is.......

Congratulations to Anilise for winning our October prize drawing! She won an 8 ounce bottle of Muscle Rescue Gel. Don't forget to enter our monthly drawing the next time you're in the pharmacy.

Don't Forget To Mark This On Your Calendar!

Learn the Bioidentical Hormone Secrets from the Experts:
Restore Balance, Get Back Your Energy, and Fight Disease.
Until now, this information was only available to physicians.
Now, the Experts and their Patients Speak to the Public.

Join in on this seminar from the comfort of your home!
November 10 - 25, 2008

For Details and Registration visit:
www.bhrt1.com

Saving your Sex Life – It’s not Viagra!

By: Dr. Jan Seibert

With life’s pressing demands, most men and women at some point of their lives will suffer from sexual dysfunction. Media coverage focuses primarily on male erectile dysfunction. Unfortunately, so little media attention is targeted at problems facing women sexual health issues. Presently, commercial products to help women “get into the mood” are not openly advertised.

By 2010, over 50 million female baby boomers will reach the age of menopause. Most of these women will struggle with sexual health problems. The two main culprits are a drop of sex hormone produced and a lack of blood flow to the vaginal region caused by vascular conditions, such as high cholesterol, nerve damage from diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Years ago, the American Psychological Association classified female sexual problems as mental disorders and prescribed antidepressants to address these problems making the condition worse from the drug’s side effects.

Today more urologists and gynecologists treat the medical conditions causing diminished blood flow and nerve damage to the pelvic/vaginal regions.

Some of the symptoms women may experience are:

* Painful sex
* Inability to achieve orgasm
* Decreased vaginal blood flow.

Vaginal dryness is the one of the most common sexual health problem facing menopausal women. Some find relief using over the counter lubricants. However, more serious issues can be present that require a medical examination. Shrinking of the vaginal wall can affect the amount of lubrication present. Untreated, the vaginal wall can tear and bleed making sex painful. Women should have annual vaginal exams to monitor vaginal dryness.

Certain drugs affect women’s sexual health. Oral birth control pills, various blood pressure medications, and antidepressants can rob a woman’s ability to experience orgasms. If you notice a decreased interest in sex or are no longer able to achieve satisfying orgasms, check with the pharmacist to see if the medications your taking may be the culprit. Then see your doctor about other medication options.

Lifestyle choices also affect women’s sexual health. Smoking and drinking too much alcohol will definitely affect healthy blood flow to the vagina. Avid bike riders may also experience a lack of vaginal blood flow. Daily stress can create a drop in sexual interest, along with bouts of anxiety and depression. Talk with your partner about these issues and seek medical treatment, if necessary.

Remember we are living longer. So don’t let old age slow your sexual enjoyment. Lubrication is the key to avoiding discomfort or pain especially if your partner is using erectile dysfunction medications. Kegel exercises can strengthen vaginal muscle tone, making sex more satisfying for you and your partner. Finally, eating right, managing stress, and getting adequate sleep can make all the difference with “getting in the mood”.

Learn the Bioidentical Hormone Secrets from the Experts!

Learn the Bioidentical Hormone Secrets from the Experts:
Restore Balance, Get Back Your Energy, and Fight Disease.
Until now, this information was only available to physicians.
Now, the Experts and their Patients Speak to the Public.

Join in on this seminar from the comfort of your home!
November 10 - 25, 2008

For Details and Registration visit:
www.bhrt1.com

Get Out In That Sunshine While It's Still Here

Time In The Sun Is Needed for Adequate Vitamin D Production

Heart deaths, cancers, depression, insomnia, schizophrenia, osteoporosis, rickets, muscle weakness, body aches and pains, and immune system problems have all been linked to low vitamin D levels. So, it's important to know that you are getting enough Vitamin D.

Research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that people with the lowest levels of Vitamin D are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease and other causes than are people with the highest levels of Vitamin D. One of our main sources of Vitamin D is sunshine which is one reason that people who live furthest away from the equator often have the lowest levels of Vitamin D.

Other researchers found that while skin cancer rates are higher closer to the equator, death rates from all types of cancer are lower. They wrote in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "the benefit of moderate sun exposure seems to outweigh the risk of skin cancers."

It is also noted that people are generally spending less time outdoors than in past years and we are also wearing sunscreens when we do go outdoors. Both of these will reduce the amount of Vitamin D we can produce from sunshine. Even if you do spend alot of time outside and don't wear sunscreen, it's impossible in the winter time to produce enough vitamin D from the sun if you live north of Atlanta, Georgia.

Deborah Kotz wrote in US News and World Report:
The government's dietary recommendations are 200 IUs a day up to age 50, 400 IUs to age 70, and 600 IUs over 70. But many experts believe that these recommendations are far too low to maintain healthful vitamin D levels. They advocate for supplementation in the winter of about 2,000 IUs per day and a dose of daily sunshine in the summer. See full article.

Chronic vitamin D deficiency can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia because its symptoms are very similar: muscle weakness, aches and pains.

Obese people and dark skinned people need more vitamin D.

Shocking Vitamin D deficiency statistics:
32% of doctors and med school students are vitamin D deficient.
40% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient.
42% of African American women of childbearing age are deficient in vitamin D.
48% of young girls (9-11 years old) are vitamin D deficient.
Up to 60% of all hospital patients are vitamin D deficient.
76% of pregnant mothers are severely vitamin D deficient, causing widespread vitamin D deficiencies in their unborn children, which predisposes them to type 1 diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia later in life. 81% of the children born to these mothers were deficient.
Up to 80% of nursing home patients are vitamin D deficient.

(Statistics from: The UV Advantage authored by Dr. Michael Holick)

The easiest way to get Vitamin D is sunshine, so go enjoy it while it's here!

Thermography - or Infrared Breast Exams

Breast Cancer: Early Infrared Risk Detection and the Proactive Breast Wellness Programs

Ingrid Edstrom FNP, M.Ed

Several studies have shown that infrared imaging is a good, perhaps the best, method for risk assessment in breast cancer

Every middle-aged woman that I know is frightened about breast cancer. It does not just affect women, it affects families: our mothers, our partners, our children, our sisters and maternal aunts and grandmothers. Just think about the people you know who have been touched by this medical crisis. Many younger women worry, knowing how this cancer has struck older female relatives, and they wait, hoping they will not become a statistic themselves.

Some of the research suggests that your environment—what you eat, how you live, the chemicals & radiation received from “natural” surroundings and the built environment—may have a greater impact on your future health than being gifted with bad genetics. This information is heartening for it allows the possibility that there may be an educational process that will help to empower women to make dietary, lifestyle and environmental changes that may better their chances to avoid contracting the disease, thus altering current statistical projections.

Stats That Cause Us Fear:
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer incidence rates increased by more than 40% from 1973 to 1998 in the US nationally. Oregon consistently ranks among the top five states for breast cancer incidence and was the third highest in 2001. The incidence of breast cancer in the US has risen during the past 30 years from 1 in 30 to 1 in 7 women during their lifetime. Agencies that track these statistics are concerned that in the next 10 years it may be 1 in 5. It would not be overstating the case to describe this as an epidemic!

One must wonder, what could be the cause for such an explosive statistical growth rate in so short a time? Here in Oregon I suspect a human-caused environmental linkage—the increased usage of the estrogen mimickers, or Xeno-Estrogens, found in the highly toxic herbicides containing Dioxin (Agent Orange-like compounds) that is routinely used by the timber industry and alongside county roads, and by well-meaning gardeners and husbands who collectively spray vast quantities of these chemicals (with brand names like Round Up and Cross Bow) upon the urban/suburban landscape. Though legal, these products have been linked to prostate cancer, miscarriages, infertility and a host of other arthritis-like issues, GERD and other symptoms and malaise problems. Risk to human health is exacerbated by other miracles of modern chemistry such as Parabins (used as a preservative in cosmetics, food, shampoo & sun screen), and the excessive amounts of estrogen (added to non-organic meat via conventional animal feed, and to Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) found in some conventional cheese and dairy products) consumed by people in their diets. There are real and troubling health consequences to these compounds finding their way into the human food chain. [For instance, have you noticed that little 9 and 10-year old girls are developing breasts, 3-4 years ago the standard age was 13, which has been since the dawn of womanhood?]

Medical science has for decades been working on establishing the links between breast cancer and a woman’s genetic inheritance, as well as a woman’s environment. Yet, with all of that, the results are less than encouraging. According to Dr. John Lee’s book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, and How Hormone Balance Can Save Your Life, “Your risk of surviving malignant breast cancer is just about the same as it was 50 years ago, when the only treatment was mastectomy, about one in three. In other words, despite billions of dollars in research and hugely expensive and risky treatments, the conventional medical approach to breast cancer isn’t working, and talk of prevention is virtually non existent.”

One Woman’s Solution:
As a Nurse Practitioner and Health Educator, I am passionate about directing my career towards making a difference in these dreadful statistics, because these stats only represent the sanitized mask of real people’ extreme suffering. Is this preventable? Is there a way to empower women to create a more proactive approach to prevention?

For long have I been in that place of concern and worry with all my other women-sisters. More recently, I became one of those frightened women with a thickened area in my own breast and a “hot” infrared scan. I was at once terrified and energized to take action. Since I have a more Holistic approach to healthcare than most, I sought out an Infrared camera in Connecticut (two hours drive from where I lived in Western Massachusetts two years ago). I worked with a very skilled Naturopath and also did a lot of my own research. I started what I now refer to as a Proactive Breast Wellness Program (PBWP) that included an Anti-Estrogen Diet, supplements to help take the extra estrogen out of the system, more supplements to balance my hormones, and finally a course of bio-identical Progesterone. Additionally, I made a number of dietary and lifestyle changes. Thankfully, results were almost immediate. I was able to eliminate the thickened area in one month and reversed the inflammation in the course of just four months!

Following the ordeal, I felt that, if I were able to reverse these conditions once I knew I had the problem, then other women might also benefit. Since breast cancer is an inflammatory problem and breast cancers take 10-12 years to grow, it follows that the sooner one discovers a thermal shift (evidence of early inflammation), the better are the chances for survival. In other words, thermal assessment may well offer the best risk assessment tool possible, giving a woman the most time possible to alter the situation through her own PBWP. To put it another way, racing for “The Cure” is great but I am more interested in a preventive approach to this problem.
What is Infrared all about?

The 2003 article by Len Saputo, MD entitled, Beyond Mammography states: “The most devastating loss of life from breast cancer occurs between the ages of 30 to 50. Fortunately, women today have more options available to them to help in the detection of breast cancer than in past decades. Unfortunately, education and awareness of these options and their effectiveness in detecting breast cancer at different stages in life are woefully deficient.”

Breast thermography, which involves using a heat-sensing scanner to detect variations in the temperature of breast tissue, has been around since the 1960s. However, early infrared scanners were not very sensitive and were insufficiently tested before being put into clinical practice, resulting in misdiagnosed cases.

Modern-day breast thermography boasts vastly improved technology and more extensive clinical scientific research. The technology has been FDA approved since 1982 and is 100% safe with no compression or radiation. In fact, the article references data from major peer review journals and research on more than 300,000 women who have been tested using the technology, mostly in Europe. Combined with the successes in detecting breast cancer with greater accuracy than other methods, the technology is slowly gaining ground among more progressive practitioners.

Beyond Mammography concludes that “breast thermography needs to be embraced more widely by the medical community and awareness increased among women. Not only has it demonstrated a higher degree of success in identifying women with breast cancer under the age of 55 in comparison to other technologies, but it is also an effective adjunct to clinical breast exams and mammography for women over 55. Finally, it provides a non-invasive and safe detection method, and if introduced at age 25, provides a benchmark that future scans can be compared with for even greater detection accuracy.”

Infrared scans have the potential to pick up inflammatory changes months to possibly eight years prior to detectable lump formation detected by mammogram. All breast cancer is an inflammatory process and may take 10 to 12 years for a mass to develop. The research that I am currently involved in appears to show that the inflammation may be able to be reversed, if changes are detected early, when there is still time for women to balance their hormones and make dietary and lifestyle changes. In short, it is possible to alter the inflammatory process from progressing to breast disease. Recent technological advances in software and camera systems during the past four years have greatly improved the data from this functional test.

A 2002 study detailed in IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology, and from the Gautherie article published in the journal Cancer 1980 bears this out: Of 58,000 women imaged, 1,245 had borderline scans (all of these borderline results women had normal physical exams, mammograms, and ultrasounds and a biopsy) who showed abnormal asymmetrical infrared image of their breasts. Of this group 44% were diagnosed with breast cancer within four years. 90% of the very abnormal scans, TH4 and TH5s, were diagnosed on their first visit.

Infrared Thermography has numerous clinically proven applications, including: Risk Evaluation Screening, Adjunctive Diagnostics that work alongside x-ray mammography, MRI and ultrasound for targeting and following fast-growing cancers.

How Breast Thermograms Work:
Breast thermography measures differences in infrared heat emission from normal breast tissue, benign breast abnormalities—such as fibrocystic disease, cysts, infections and benign tumors—and from breast cancers. It does this with a high degree of sensitivity and accuracy. Breast thermography is a non-invasive measurement of the physiology of breast tissue. This technology is not meant to replace mammography or other diagnostic tests presently used in clinical practice that measure anatomical abnormalities in breast tissue. While breast cancer can only be diagnosed by tissue biopsy, breast thermography safely eliminates the need for most unnecessary biopsies as well as their associated high cost and emotional suffering, and it does so years sooner than any other test in modern medicine.

Modern infrared scanners have a thermal sensitivity of 0.05 degrees Centigrade. Because tumor tissue does not have an intact sympathetic nervous system, it cannot regulate heat loss. When the breast is cooled in a room kept at 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit, blood vessels of normal tissue respond by constricting to conserve heat while tumor tissue remains hot. Thus, tumors emit more heat than their surrounding tissues and are usually easily detected by heat-sensing infrared scanners.

Over time, cancerous tissues stay hot or become even hotter—they do not cool down. In sharp contrast, however, other possible conditions such as fibrocystic breasts, infections, and other benign disorders cool down as they resolve.

Breast thermograms have highly specific thermal patterns in each individual woman. They provide a unique “thermal signature” that remains constant over years unless there is a change in an underlying condition. Thus, over time, it is possible to differentiate between cancers and benign conditions. Based on this ability to more accurately detect cancers over time, it becomes important to have a benchmark early on in a woman’s life. For this reason, women should have breast thermography performed beginning at age 25.

This Infrared Thermography Camera system provides a painless, radiation free, low cost approach for following high-risk women with a family history or a personal history of breast cancer. This scanning tool is also useful for dense fibrocystic breasts or for women who have breast implants or have concerns about compression of the tissues in mammogram equipment. It can also be used to help assess vascular issues in the legs with diabetic neuropathy, screening for melanoma, thyroid and pain issues using heat pattern recognition.

I am available to provide “Breast Wellness” proactive, educational programs for women’s groups to empower women to make diet and life style changes to improve their health and the health of their families. Educating the Sisterhood and helping to create a better state of health for yourself and your family helps you feel that you can “Do something” that will potentially make a difference.The Proactive Breast Wellness Program will be available nationally soon as a 4 CD set with over 2 1/2 hours of narration, a data disc and a relaxation and guided imagery DVD to reduce stress and cortisol and help sleep.

Ingrid Edstrom, founder and president of IBH, is a Family Nurse Practitioner with a Masters in Health Education. Infrared Breast Health, LLC of Oregon brought this equipment to Eugene, one of only 2 such camera systems in the State. To find out more information and research articles about Infrared Thermography and Breast Wellness Programs visit: Infrared Breast Health or call our office 9am to 5pm at 541-302-2977.

Upcoming Seminars.....

Many of you have probably attended one or more of our physician led seminars. We are getting ready to set up our winter seminar schedule and wanted to offer you the chance to let us know what topics you are most interested in learning about.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see some topics to choose from. If you would like to hear about a topic that isn't listed, please give us a call or comment to us on this blog with your suggestion. You can also email your suggestion to us at: info@pacificcompounds.com

Pacific Compounds Pharmacy Welcomes New Staff Members!

Pacific Compounds Pharmacy has taken on some new staff members to keep up with the growing demand for customized medications.

We welcome:

Nicole Felice, CPT
Margaret Kellar, Technician
Natalie Gustafson, RPh

Please feel free to come on in and meet them, they are dedicated to serving your healthcare needs along with all the familiar faces here at Pacific Compounds.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As you probably know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year, over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 40,000 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year. If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 96%.

A crucial part of early detection includes annual clinical breast exams. I encourage all of you women to schedule an annual exam and all of you to encourage the women in your lives to do the same. Women over 40 should have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years--if you haven't had yours, now is a good time to schedule one.

Thermography is an alternative to the mammogram. Some doctors offer thermography for breast cancer screening. ZRT Laboratory located in Beaverton, Oregon offers thermography screening several times each year. You may call ZRT Laboratory to inquire about their next scheduled screening time at 503-466-2445.

Forest Grove Health Fair

Thanks to all who visited our booth at the Forest Grove Health Fair. We offered a full panel saliva test through ZRT Laboratory for one lucky prize drawing winner. Ann was randomly picked to recieve that saliva testing - Congratulations Ann!

If you suspect you have a hormone imbalance and would like some information on saliva testing (a simple and accurate way to measure your hormone levels) just give us a call at the pharmacy, or stop by and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Congratulations Barbara!

Barbara was the winner of our September supplement drawing.

Do The Numbers Rub Off Your Syringes?

We had a patient come in yesterday who passed along this great tip: she paints the numbers on the outside of her hormone measuring syringes with clear fingernail polish so that they cannot be rubbed off. Thanks for the great tip!

Also, if you find that it is difficult to get the last of your hormone creams out of the tube, tube crimpers are well worth the money. They make it possible to get to all the cream in the tube. We have them here at the pharmacy for those of you looking for one or two.

If you have any tips or suggestions that you'd like to pass along, please click on 'comments' at the end of this post.

Thanks, and have a great day!

Pediatric Compounding

Bring a medicine bottle out of the cabinet and smiles may turn to tears. Kids just don’t like medicine. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about that: there’s nothing fun about being sick, and taking medicine just makes it worse. While there’s no guarantee that taking medicine will ever become an entirely pleasurable experience, there are some ways to help. One of the best involves contemporary pharmaceutical compounding.

Compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients. Physicians working together with pharmacists are able to offer their patients the benefit of medicines tailored specifically for certain needs. This approach is especially helpful in treating children, as commercially manufactured drug forms are often not the best solutions for kids.

Working closely with our compounding pharmacist, the pediatrician can prescribe medications for pain relief, respiratory disorders, oral thrush, diabetes, head lice, diaper rash, cold sores/fever blisters, and more. Compounding can benefit patients in a variety of ways.

Taste is one reason a child will refuse to take their medicine. The compounding pharmacist can solve this problem with the dozens of flavors that are available. The flavor and color of the medication can be enhanced, while ensuring that the flavor’s pH is compatible with the medication’s properties. Children don’t mind taking medicine as much when it tastes like bubble gum or even chocolate.

Many children have a very difficult time swallowing capsules or tablets, especially if they have to take more than one medication during the day. To solve this problem, our compounding pharmacist can develop and prepare medications in alternate dosage forms that the child won’t mind taking. These include lollipops, gummy bears, syrups, suspensions,freezer pops, lozenges, transdermal gels and even pacifier dosages for infants - and all can be administered in any number of great flavors.

Every child is unique. Children vary in size and weight. Some have allergies and varying drug tolerances. As a result, it’s often a challenge to find a commercially available medication suitable for the individual needs of your patient. Our compounding pharmacist can be of great help in formulating a medication which comes in the exact dose needed for a child of a certain age and size.

If you have questions about any medications, please stop by or call the pharmacy anytime. We are happy to help!

Have You Ever Heard Of...............

Natural Hormones?

Low Dose Naltrexone?

Dream Cream?

Magic Nails Antifungal?

The Wiley Protocol?

Prokarin?

These are just a few of the customized therapies we compound for our patients. We have therapies for most every condition. If you have a medical condition and are wondering if there are more options out there, or if the current therapy you are using isn't working, then give us a call and we can discuss your options with you.

Congratulations Margaret - Our August Winner!

Margaret won our August supplement drawing.
Come on in to the pharmacy and enter September's drawing!

Compounding Is For Pets, Too!

About 75 to 80% of the compounded medicines we formulate are for people, all the way from premature babies to palliative care for hospice patients. And the rest of the medicines we compound are for pets, zoo animals and livestock.

Have you ever tried to give your cat a pill or capsule? Would you want to make a bear or an elephant take medicine? And then there's the issue of a dose of an antibiotic for your parakeet as opposed to an antibiotic for your horse - these, of course, are vastly different doses. Mass produced one-size fits all medications cannot accomodate all the variations of doses needed for all the different types and sizes of animals. And different animals need to be given medications in different ways, different dosage forms. A capsule or a medicated, beef flavored chew treat can work great for your dog, but your finicky kitty would probably prefer a triple fish suspension or a medicated ear rub! And yes, there are ways and flavors of medicines we formulate that work great for snakes, hamsters, turtles, ferrets, birds, giraffes and all the other creatures in the animal kingdom.

So, if you have a pet that is ill, or needs supplements, just give us a call and we can help you with a medication that is custom made and flavored for your pet or livestock.

Congratulations to Sergio - Our July Winner!

Sergio was the winner of our July supplement drawing.
Next time you're in the Pharmacy make sure to enter our August supplement drawing.

Upcoming Adrenal, Thyroid, Sex Hormone Seminar

Do you suffer with hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, weight gain, skin dryness, constipation, allergies? These are some of the most common symptoms of a hormone imbalance.

Dr. Arcoma Gonzalez-Lambert will be giving a one hour presentation that breaks down the symptoms of hormone imbalance into a useful and understandable format so that you can have that pep put back in your step. She will discuss the challenges that underlie these body systems and the treatment methods used to bring them back into balance.

This seminar will be held Wednesday, September 10th at 7:00 pm here at Pacific Compounds Pharmacy. Seats are $15.00 and reservations are required. The number of seats is limited, so please call in early to make your reservation. 503-640-3080.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Arcoma Gonzalez
Blossoming Health Naturopathic Clinic
Forest Grove, Oregon

Save Your Bio-Identical Hormones!

Hello to all of our compounding friends,

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!! The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists is organizing a National Congressional Call-In Day on Wednesday, September 10, in an attempt to increase support for the H.Con.Res 342 and S.Con.Res. 88. These are the bills that call for the reversal of the Estriol ruling by the FDA. These resolutions are expressing the sense of Congress that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new policy restricting women's access to medications containing estriol does not serve the public interest. The goal is to generate an overwhelming number of calls in one single day to Capitol Hill and create awareness for house members who are not familiar with the ongoing conflict regarding the recent ruling on Estriol. There are already 50-plus Congress members co-sponsoring these bills and we would like to increase that number exponentially!

We would greatly appreciate your support on this National Call-In Day. You can go to http://www.savemybhrt.org/ and see the information they have available on this topic. This website also allows patients, pharmacists, and physicians to obtain the phone number for your specific member of Congress and talking points to guide your phone calls. Additionally, for those members of Congress who have already signed on, we can use these as "Thank You" calls.

So, please help the cause as this could only help secure the future of the entire compounding industry. Each battle won is never a small victory!

Thank you for your time and I truly hope that together, we can all make a difference.

Best Regards,

The Staff of Pacific Compounds Pharmacy