Usually when you think of medicine, pills or tablets are the images which come to mind. In fact, even if you are familiar with compounding pharmacies, or get your medicine from a compounding pharmacy, you are probably most familiar with pills as a dosage form. Typically, they come in nice orange bottles with white tops or something similar.

There’s a universal factor associated with medicine in pill form. The primary reason for that stems from the fact pills are easy to disburse, transport and have a great shelf life. However, many patients cannot take pills as a solution for their medication needs. Patients may struggle to swallow (like children with autism) or refuse to take them consistently because they forget.

For people like this, compounded medicine is a great fit. However, did you know there are many ways to take your medicine that might surprise you? Of course, it’s always helpful to discuss this matter with your physician first, but your overall quality of life and health could be improved by simply making a switch to one of the methods below. So, if you have a long history with pills or are curious about other ways of taking your prescription medicine, here are 7 great solutions.

7 Alternative Ways to Take Your Medicine

Powder Form

You may not realize this but many compounding pharmacies can create a powder formulation of your medicine that works much like sports drinks or lemonade powders you see in grocery stores. Essentially, medicinal components are combined with the fizzy powder to create a flavorful drink patients can enjoy. Simply add water and stir.

Liquid

Of course, if you have dealt with IPS Compounding to any degree you know liquid medications are a popular alternative to pills. And while you can find many cough syrups or other over the counter medications in liquid form at big box stores and traditional pharmacy retailers, you won’t find those in liquid form for adults. A compounding pharmacy, like IPS Compounding, can make that a reality. We can also flavor it to suit your taste.

Injections

Sometimes, it’s simply not possible to take medicine orally. In those instances an injection may be more  beneficial. This is also helpful for patients who have trouble maintaining a dosage schedule. Long acting injectables allow you to receive one dose of medicine per month instead of trying to remember to take a pill every day.

Lollipops/Lozenges

Sometimes medicine works best when it remains in constant contact with the affected area, like oral thrush for example. The idea is to keep the medicine near the site of infection for as long as possible. Hence, a medicine lollipop or lozenge might be the best solution since they can be applied directly to the affected area.

Orifice Drops

If you’ve ever had pinkeye you’ve undoubtedly experienced the orifice solution prescribed to treat symptoms while the anabiotic provides the cure. However, these are standard medicated drops so if you need something custom, or more specific, a compounding pharmacy could be the best solution. This is particularly helpful if you experience a negative reaction to some sort of oral antibiotic or an adverse reaction when applying standard eyedrops or eardrops. If this is the case, IPS compounding can work with your physician to create a solution for you

Lip Balm

If you experience painful cold sores or some other type of lip wound, internal medicine could take a while to bring relief. A medicated lip balm might be more effective. All it takes is a phone call to a compounding pharmacy and instant relief is headed your way via a custom made medicated lip balm.

Topical Ointment

This is probably the most popular solution for wound care, skin conditions or other type of skin infections that can’t be easily treated with antibiotics. In fact, if you have used IPS Compounding, more than likely it was to receive some sort of ointment or cream which needed to be custom mixed to best suit your needs. The advantage here is you can apply ointment to a highly localized area without wasting medicine that is traditionally systemic in nature.

These are seven forms of medication besides tablets or pills. And there are more too. We didn’t mention suppositories, troches or sprays. These are also alternative means of taking prescription medication. The point is there are so many options when it comes to medication delivery other than pills or tablets.

If you struggle with taking traditional medicine, or wonder if a better alternative might be suited for you, talk with your physician then give us a call. We will be happy to answer any questions you have and discuss medicine alternatives. One five-minute phone call could make a substantial impact on your comfort level when it comes to taking your medicine.

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