Services List / Compounding

Compounding

Medicines made especially for you

Spearwood 7 Day Pharmacy is one of Western Australia’s compounding chemists, providing tailored, effective treatments and remedies for a range of ailments for all ages and also to ease the processes of menopause and andropause.

Compounding is only performed by pharmacists trained and experienced in the formulation and preparation of pharmaceutical dose forms.

Most compounded products require a prescription from your doctor. Your doctor will assess whether you need a customized prescription for a compounded product. The product is then formulated and made specifically for you at Spearwood 7 Day Pharmacy.

Manufactured medications don’t suit everyone so the option of a compounded product assists those people not able to take the ready prepared form of a medicine.

We can provide individualized products not available commercially or if the doctor wants a different dose or different dose form than those available ready prepared.

Examples of commonly compounded prescriptions we produce include progesterone pessaries, melatonin and DHEA capsules, omeprazole and lansoprazole suspensions and bioidentical hormone troches, capsules and creams. Tranexamic mouthwash is made for dental use and we also compound fading creams containing various combinations of hydroquinone, kojic acid, tretinoin and other agents for age spots and discoloured skin. Another compounded topical preparation for the management of eczema is tacrolimus ointment. (see our blog on compounding for an in depth look at this product)

Items no longer available commercially include Cafergot tablets and suppositories, Econazole pessaries, Nemdyn antibiotic ointment used by dermatologists, and Buckley’s Formocresol used by dentists. Equivalent products can be formulated individually on prescription.

Compounded products are also provided on veterinary prescription for your best friend when they require a medication not commercially available to your veterinary surgeon. For example Trilostane capsules and mixtures for dogs with Cushing’s syndrome, and Aminophylline mixture for dogs and cats (liver flavoured). Other medications that your pet won’t accept as a tablet can be formulated into a tasty flavoured suspension or specific doses can be formulated as capsules or mixtures.

New products we are compounding on prescription include Guaifenesin with Gabapentin in PLO Gel , Diclofenac with Gabapentin in PLO Gel for chronic pain conditions, Verapamil Gel for Peyronie’s Disease,  Diltiazem ointment for anal fissure.

Frequently Asked Question

What is compounding?
Compounding is the art of preparing customised medications to suit a patient’s unique medical needs. It’s an ancient practice, temporarily stunted by the introduction of large-scale drug manufacturing, but now making a comeback. The technique allows pharmacists, doctors and patients to work closely to get the most from every treatment. The result of your compounding request may be a familiar form such as capsules, creams or suspensions but also available are troches (or lozenges), pessaries, suppositories and transdermal creams and gels.
What are the benefits of compounding?
Many patients are allergic to certain dyes or other medical ingredients, or may require a special dosage. With a doctor’s consent, compounding pharmacists can change the dosage, form or flavour of a medication to make it easier for a patient to ingest. Pharmacists can also alter medications to suit another delivery system, changing them into a slow release capsule, sublingual troche, lozenge or trans-dermal cream or gel. In some cases the doctor will prescribe a prescription combining bio-identical hormones at doses tailored to the patient’s particular needs based on clinical assessment and blood or saliva levels. In other situations, a product previously available in Australia is no longer provided by a large pharmaceutical manufacturer and the compounding chemist has access to formulations to give the patient the opportunity to buy the medication that they need.
Who can take compounded medications?
Anyone can have a compounded medication prescribed for them, if desired. Children often require medication in a pleasantly-flavoured, easy-to-swallow form, while patients with chronic pain can have gastrointestinal trouble, preventing them from swallowing tablets. These patients may be presented with a compounded oral suspension or in some cases a transdermal, easily-applied gel.
Which prescriptions can be compounded?
Nearly any prescription can be adapted to your personal circumstances. Ask your doctor, or contact us for more information.
Is custom compounding right for me?
It could be! Discuss the possibility with your doctor, or contact us to learn more about the benefits of custom compounding.
Do you provide veterinary compounding?
Our compounding service can also provide for a range of different veterinary preparations tailored for many different animals. Including medicines unavailable or currently produced for veterinary use, flavoured or alternate dosage form to suit a particular species.