The path from diagnose of a biotoxin illness through treatment and recovery can be a long and difficult one. Dr. Shoemaker’s discoveries in the late 1990s were the beginning of a wider recognition of CIRS and biotoxin-related health conditions. Over the years, many other doctors have added to the research and have improved treatment protocols. Despite this, there is widespread lack of acceptance of mold-related illnesses by the majority of physicians. This leads to a difficult situation for patients seeking healthcare for their condition.

Compounding pharmacies have been an essential part of patient care since mold illnesses started to be accepted and treated. This relationship is mostly a result of the lack of acceptance of CIRS and mold illnesses in “mainstream” medicine. The lack of acceptance has led to there being few treatments developed that are made commercially available. In most cases, the best treatments require a prescription and need to be made by a compounding pharmacy.

History of Compounding

Before the existence of large-scale drug manufacturing, most pharmacies would have been considered compounding pharmacies.  Every pharmacy provided individualized care by preparing each prescription separately. Now, compounding pharmacies still maintain that same type of individualized service but are not as prevalent. The retail drug store that is in your neighborhood can provide a variety of manufactured drugs but likely is limited in their ability to customize your medication. Compounding pharmacies have taken on the role of providing customized medications that are not available from manufacturers.

Compounding pharmacies now specialize in providing:

• Medications that are combined into one formulation (example: BEG spray)
• Unique delivery methods like transdermal creams (example: hormone creams)
• Formulations free of fillers, sweeteners, or other additives (example: pure cholestyramine)
• Medications that were discontinued for reasons other than safety or efficacy (example: dyclonine)
• Formulations that are allergen-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and more

Providing Commercially Unavailable Medications

A compounding pharmacy’s specialty is providing medications that are not commercially available. For example, dentists use an anesthetic mouth rinse called dyclonine. This effective anesthetic numbs the mouth before minor oral procedures and dental cleanings. Dyclonine was formerly available on the market but was discontinued because it was no longer profitable for the manufacturer. It is a safe and effective anesthetic, but there is no manufactured version that meets the needs of dentists and their patients. The ingredients for this formulation, however, are still available to compounding pharmacies.

In a similar way, the medications that are required to effectively treat biotoxin illnesses often are not commercially available. The nasal spray that was initially prescribed by Dr. Shoemaker for treating antibiotic-resistant infections of the sinus cavities was BEG nasal spray. BEG is a combination of Bactroban (mupirocin), EDTA, and gentamicin in one solution. This combination of ingredients is not available in any manufactured formulation. A compounding pharmacy’s main role in biotoxin illness healthcare is to “fill the gaps” left by drug manufacturing.

Medications without Fillers or Additives

Another frequently compounded medication is pure cholestyramine. Cholestyramine has been used for many years as a cholesterol-lowering medication. It effectively binds to toxins in the body to form a complex that is then excreted naturally. It is manufactured in a form that includes fillers and sweeteners that double its weight (it requires twice the dose of powder compared to pure cholestyramine). Many patients who have biotoxin illnesses are already more sensitive than the average person to anything they eat or drink. Doctors treating these patients often request a version of a cholestyramine that does not contain any additives. A compounding pharmacy can provide 100% pure cholestyramine resin to patients suffering from biotoxin illnesses.

Providing Healthcare for Mold Illness

Biotoxin illness experts believe that up to 25% of the population is susceptible to developing CIRS. About 2% of the population is considered “highly susceptible.” There are large amounts of funding that go into developing and marketing drugs that are used for small segments of the population. It is unfortunate that there have not been large-scale trials on biotoxin illnesses that have led to the development of FDA-approved drugs. However, the essential medicines needed to recover from mold-related illnesses are still available through a compounding pharmacy.

About Park Compounding Pharmacy

Park Compounding Pharmacy, located near Los Angeles, California, is a well-recognized provider of compounded treatments for biotoxin illnesses. Our pharmacists are experienced in developing formulations for CIRS and related conditions, using the highest-quality ingredients at our UCAP-accredited facility. For more information on our products or to have your prescription filled you can reach out to us at 805-497-8258 or fill out the contact form here.