How to Make a Medication List That Includes Compounded Prescriptions
Build a useful medication list with prescriptions, compounded products, supplements, and actual doses to share with your pharmacist and care team.
When a new clinician asks what you take, "the cream from my pharmacy" is difficult to act on. So is a list that includes a medicine you stopped months ago but leaves out a supplement you use every morning. A useful medication list shows your current routine clearly enough for someone else to understand it. MedlinePlus recommends including prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins, herbs, and supplements, and reviewing the list with your provider or pharmacist.[1] Compounded prescriptions belong on that same list. They should not be treated as a separate category that only one member of your care team knows about.
Start With What You Actually Use
Gather your current containers or photograph their labels. Include products you take only occasionally, along with medicines prescribed by different clinicians. MedlinePlus emphasizes telling all your providers about the medicines, supplements, and herbs you use.[2] If the label instructions and your actual routine differ, record that clearly and ask for reconciliation. Do not silently change the list to make the two appear to match.
- Product name and active ingredient or ingredients.
- Strength or concentration exactly as printed.
- Amount you use each time.
- How you use it and how often.
- Prescriber and dispensing pharmacy, when applicable.
- The question or concern you want reviewed.
Give a Compounded Product Enough Detail
A nickname such as "hormone cream" does not identify its ingredients or concentration. Copy the label instead of reconstructing the prescription from memory. If it contains several ingredients, include each one as listed. Keep the concentration and the amount used in separate fields. For a liquid, the label might describe concentration in milligrams per milliliter, while the directions describe the number of milliliters to take. Those fields answer different questions. Ask the pharmacist to confirm anything you cannot transcribe confidently; do not calculate a new dose yourself. If the instructions use pumps, clicks, or another device-specific measure, copy the exact wording and identify the device. A photograph can accompany the written list, particularly when the label is long.
Update the List When the Plan Changes
MedlinePlus advises keeping medication information current and bringing it to appointments.[1] A practical routine is to date the list each time you review it and check it after a new prescription, a dose change, or a medicine is stopped. Keep discontinued items separate from the active list. If you are unsure whether an old prescription has been replaced, make that an explicit question rather than assuming both should be used. After a hospital visit or a change of prescriber, ask which instructions now apply. Keep the latest confirmed list where you and anyone helping with your medicines can find it.
Use the List to Ask Better Questions
Taking several medicines can increase the chance of interactions or side effects. MedlinePlus recommends asking whether a new medicine could interact with existing medicines or supplements and checking before stopping a treatment.[3] Bring three questions to the review: is anything duplicated? Does anything interact? Are there instructions I have misunderstood? The purpose is not to decide on your own which medicine to remove. It is to give your care team an accurate picture so they can resolve questions with you. For help clarifying a Sierra prescription label, call our Rancho Cucamonga pharmacy at 909-989-9800.
This article provides general education. Do not start, stop, or change prescribed treatment without guidance from your care team.
References
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Keeping your medicines organized. medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000600.htm
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Medicine safety - Filling your prescription. medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000766.htm
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Taking multiple medicines safely. medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000883.htm
Sierra Compounding Pharmacy Can Help
All compounded medications require a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. If your provider has determined that a customized compounded formulation is appropriate for your needs, Sierra Compounding Pharmacy — located in Rancho Cucamonga — is here to help. We serve patients throughout the Inland Empire, including San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and surrounding communities.
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Questions About Compounded Medications?
Sierra Compounding Pharmacy serves patients and providers throughout the Inland Empire. Contact us or ask your provider to send a prescription directly.