I am 48 y/o female that has had many health issues.. but come to find out they were related.. I was not crazy but ill and it had a name sjogrens… it has been in my family for a while, my mother in fact has it. I decided when I discovered my diagnosis that I wanted to take more natural route. Finding a Doctor who works with alternative medication was hard. I just did not want to treat the symptoms I wanted to treat the cause..I then learned that this is a team approach, that while the Doctor plays an important part of wellness having a pharmacy that works with the treatment plan and understand the whole body approach is vital. Oak dell pharmacy is different and has many options to help you reach the wellness goals. It may take a bit more than a herbal treatment and nutritional supplement and may take the combination of all..Less of harmful medication but maximum benefits. A Pharmacy with the wholeness approach.

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I began experiencing severe menopausal symptoms approximately two years ago. My gynecologist put me on a birth control pill “to get an influx of estrogen” before he even took a blood test to see if I was in an estrogen deficiency  mode. I stayed on this for several months and he changed the strength 2-3 times. I was very sick during all of this and was convinced that something was very very wrong.
Next, he tried the synthetic hormone patch which made my situation even worse. Major bleeding, nausea, headaches, lack of concentration, sleeplessness, were just a few concerns that I simply could not deal with on top of the many pressures in my personal and professional life.  I later discovered  a synthetic patch is made from pregnant horse urine. No wonder I felt so bad!

Someone mentioned bio-identical hormone creams to me, however, I had no idea what that meant. So, I began reading about it on the internet, then, immediately contacted Dr. Jose Reyes who specializes in this type of treatment.

Due to IBS, I was unable to take the estrogen/progestrone/testerone in the pill form. Instead, I was introduced me to bio-identical hormone creams which I have been on since October 2006 and my health has dramatically improved.  So many people ask me what I am doing to feel and look better.  The creams compounded by Oakdell Pharmacy  are very easy to use and do not leave any kind of a mess. The folks at Oakdell Pharmacy take a true interest in one’s physical and mental well-being. I was counseled when I first picked up my creams with genuine support from the staff.  They patiently explained to me what I could expect, how they should work, and provided me with reading material on the subject. My severe menopause symptoms are so much more manageable with these bio-identical hormone creams. I have lost 35 pounds, have less headaches, my skin is soft, my hair is shiny, my complexion is clear, and my mental state of being is so much better. I now feel like socializing again. I no longer fear that something is majorly wrong with me and generally have stepped up my life in so many ways.  I no longer “hide” due to the embarrassment of never feeling well, my weight, my overall poor appearance, the tears, etc…
Thank you  to Oakdell Pharmacy for making these creams available and for your warmth.

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I am a 53 year old woman who started menopause at the age of 46/47. My doctor prescribed synthetic estrogen to help with the symptoms of hot flashes.  The estrogen prescribed was not helping with the uncomfortable side effects of menopause and I had concerns when I read that synthetic hormones may cause cancer.
During the years of taking synthetic estrogen my sleep patterns changed and I found it more and more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.  My skin, which use to be soft, became dry and painful. It did not matter how much I applied or the different brands, my skin did not get better. I had to use gloves to wash dishes and if I washed my hands more than once a day, I suffered painful dry cracks on my fingertips that would bleed.  My feet were not painful, but the dryness on the heels of my feet was so noticeable that it became embarrassing. Again, I purchased numerious creams and ointments advertised to benefit that problem but none helped.
As months went on, I started to feel a prickling effect all over my body which did not hurt, but was very uncomfortable and the sensation would wake me up during the night to scratch where the prickling feeling occurred which brought minimal relief. All of this was due to the severity of the dry skin.  So, not only did the hot flashes interrupt my sleep during the night, but the feeling of little ants all over my body deprived me the precious little sleep that I had. All of this was happening from taking synthetic hormones.

I heard about bio-identical hormone treatment and found a seminar hosted by Oakdell Pharmacy. While attending the seminar, I learned that women are not prescribed progesterone to balance the estrogen that is prescribed by most doctors.  If our hormones are not balanced, our bodies go through different symptoms due to the imbalance. With dry skin being one of the symptoms, I knew that I needed to be tested to see whether I had an imbalance of my hormones. In my heart, I knew that my hormone problem had not been corrected by the estrogen prescribed by my doctor. Of course, the results of my saliva test indicated that I was estrogen dominant and I had a severe imbalance with the ratio of estrogen and progestrone levels.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer one week later.

I purchased some natural  progesterone cream from Oakdell Pharmacy and started to rub it on twice a day, in small amounts of 1/8 of a teaspoon doses. During research, I learned that progesterone keeps tumors in check and that estrogen makes things grow. Progesterone is such a beneficial hormone; I was told that it would help me get through the upcoming surgery that was planned for the removal of a lump from my breast. While sitting in a class provided for cancer patients, we were told to  expect dry skin. Chemo treatments bring on dry skin. I remember thinking how much more dry can my skin get?
Five weeks after I started to apply the natural progestrone, I realized that the prickly feeling had not bothered me for a while and it was certainly not awakening me from sleep anymore. My fingers and heels were healed.  There were no more cracks and no more  bleeding from the dry cracks on my fingers. My arms and legs were as smooth and soft as they were during my younger years. I had not applied any cream to them for weeks. Even with the chemo these great wonderful  changes occurred. I was amazed. I had been healed from the inside out. That was not  the only benefit; the tumor which needed to shrunk and was the size of a large pecan when discovered, had shrunk completely after the first chemo treatment.  All my doctors said was, “Amazing”!!  I have not yet had relief from the hot flashes,however, that is a side effect of chemotherapy which I am scheduled for  six treatments. I am sure that after the chemo treatments are completed, I will notice a big difference and relief from the hot flashes. My sleep has improved and soon, I am sure that my quality of life will be greatly improved with the continued use of natural bio-identical hormones.

We believe that home is where every client deserves to be and our Home Intensive Care Pharmacy will assist you in the transition from hospital, to home care, to independence.

Some of our therapies include:

• Nutrition (TPN/Enterals/Supplements)
• Antibiotic Therapy (I.V. or I.M.)
• Hydration Therapy
• Pain Management (Compounding)
• Growth Hormone
• Chemotherapy
• Injectables
• I.V. Immunoglobulin
• Inotropic Therapy
• Inhalation Medications
• RemicadeThis list comprises our most popular therapies, however our staff is interested in meeting your special needs.

  To talk with Darla King (R.N. & General Manager) about your patient or to set-up an account with H.I.C., please call (210) 614-6200 extension 238.

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  H.I.C. Insurance List
  As of 7/01/2007

  Home Intensive Care is contracted with most major medical plans, as well as Medicare (DMER), and Medicaid. Our contracted insurances include:

• Aetna
• America’s Health Plan
• Benefits Planners
• Champus
• ChoiceCare Network
• Community First
• Ethix
• ForMost
• Health Net Federal Services
• Healthsmart
• Health First Ancillary Services
• Humana HMO/PPO
• Humana Military Services
• Integrated Health Plan
• John Alden
• San Antonio Employer’s Health Alliance
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Mutual of Omaha
• PHCS
• ProAmerica
• Texas True Choice
• Tricare
• United Payors & United Providers
• Worker’s Compensation

BHRT Consultations – Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy consists of balancing your hormones by one on one consult with our trained specialized phamacist, Kelly Daniels, Pharm D. The consultation consists of reviewing the lab results, discussion of symptoms, etc…After consultation, a letter with an individual formula calculated especially for you is sent to your physician for signature. Once approved, the calculations are sent to our compounding lab to prepare your prescription.

Medical Weight Loss Program  Consultations -  - First step is initial exam with physician and blood work to assure you are healthy enough to complete program or identify any medical problems that may hinder your completion of  the program. Once approved, physician will need to submit results to Oakdell along with a prescription for the Dr. Simeon Protocol. We have approval sheets for the doctor to sign that will be faxed to us before the consultation.  Next, attendance to instructional class or one on one tutorial on the Simeon Protocol. This gives you a chance to learn all about the Simeon Protocol, the 500 calorie diet and how to give self injections. This is required before initiation program.  Private, one-on-one consultation with a pharmacist will assess a patient’s readiness to begin the program and address any questions or patient specific issues about the program. Evaluation, initial body measurements and body composition before proceeding.  Pre-Phase 3 consultation to teach the patient how to succesfully complete this very important step in ensuring that the weight does not return.

MTM Consultations - Oakdell Pharmacy’s Personal Medication Management Service consists of a pharmacist working to help the patient obtain the most beneficial outcomes from their medication. During the review, the pharmacist will actively manage the patient’s drug therapy by checking for lower cost alternatives, duplicate therapy, drug interactions, and monitor for side effects. The pharmacist will also assess the medication regimen for potentially unnecessary medications or necessary additional drug therapy options. This service is an excellent opportunity to reduce patient medication cost and prevent medication-related problems.

Contact Carolyn Sizemore at 614-6200, Ext.265 for further information.

Something I wanted to include in this spot but didn’t have the time, is proper nutritional supplementation. There are a variety of vitamins and nutritional supplemet you can use to maximize your workouts. Whether your trying to build muscle, maintain muscle, or burn fat you can help yorself reach your goal by choosing the right supplements. At our wellness center, you can schedule a privat appointment to discuss your workout nutrition and goals and we can make recommendations on what supplements can help you. Let me know what you think!

Then they send out sales reps to teach healthcare practitioners how to use it. Then healthcare workers

(doctors, pharmacists, etc.) seek out patients who fit the new drug and we
prescribe it. Wouldn’t it make more sense to identify a patient and their
medical problem and then seek out not only the right medication, but customize
the medication strength and form to match the patient in need? For example,
fluoxetine is an old yet effective antidepressant. But it is difficult to give
the capsules to either a parrot or a dog. Amiodarone is a great antiarrythmic
but it is difficult to give the tablet to a 1.6lb premature baby! That’s where
a compounding pharmacist can help! If you have questions about how compounding
may help you or a loved one, go to our website at www.oakdellpharmacy.com or
call our wellness center today at 614-6200.

We’ve been making it all better since 1969!

People often ask me why they don’t make that medication in a different strength or different form that would make it easier for them or their loved one to take. The answer is not one that you probably want to even know! In a publication put out by our own FDA (The Food and Drug Administration), they have identified that the current drug development model is not working. They went on to explain the reasons. You see, drug manufacturing is big business. Very few drugs actually make it to market (where patients actually use them) and the cost of bringing a drug to market averages around $880 million dollars. In order to pay for the research and development, drug manufacturers seek out venture capitalists (investors, people who by stock, etc.) to help fund the process in hopes that they will share in some of the profits once the drug “makes it big”. Here is one of the fundamental problems. Drug manufacturers need to have an extensive “portfolio” to attract venture capitalists/investors. Now think about this. If you were a drug manufacturer and you knew that it was goin to COST $880 million dollars to develop the next big drug, which would you rather develop, the cure for a rare type of pediatric cancer that kills only 1,000 kids per year or the next big erectile dysfunction medication that every man in the world could use over the age of 40? Tough question huh! It is simple mathmatics! The average life of a patent is only 7 years once a drug is released. In the case of the rare pediatric cancer I just mentioned, that would mean you have 7 years to recoup your investment along with your profits before the generic is released and you become obsolete. That means you will serve only about 7,000 patients (1,000 kids per year for 7 years). If you divide the $880 million dollar cost by 7,000 you get $125,714.29 per patient not including the profit you intend to make. Do the same exercise for the erectile dysfunction drug and you get a much smaller number. Which one is going to be more financially successful? Just to give you a little insight into the pharmaceutical industry, the greatest shortage of drugs today are chemotherapeutic medications or anti-cancer! Their is more focused attention on larger target populations of patients in order to maximize portfolios and perpetuate the system! It is completely disgusting! So, once they discover a drug that has a significant enough target population of potential patients, they have to decide what the most common strength and form should be. You see, they can’t manuacturer every strength and dosage form. It is not cost effective. That’s why some medications are either too strong or too weak for certain patients. That’s why some come in liqud and others don’t. In an ideal world, we would identify what the poblem is with a patient. Then we would identify the best drug to treat that specific patient. And finally, we would create a medication specifically for that patient whether it be liquid, tablet, capsule, lollipop, chocolate pieces, nasal sprays, etc. Sounds like science fiction doesn’t it! Well, I do this every day! As a compounding pharmacist, I can make almost anything for almost any type of patient! I’ve made eye drops from pool cleaning chemicals, antibiotics for parrots in crunchy peanut butter treats, anesthetic lollipops for kids after tonsilectomy, large animal suppositories using a dasani water bottle as the mold, transdermal pain gels for athletes decreasing the likelyhood of stomach upset and kidney failure. The stories and examples are too numerous. If you have questions or if you think that you might need the services of a compounding pharmacist, or you simply want to learn more, ask to speak to one of our specially trained compounding pharmacists. You’ll be glad you did! Let me know what you think!

Let’s pretend that you need a new heart.

Which would you rather have, the mechanical heart, a pig heart, or a human heart? Sounds silly doesn’t it! So why is it that when men and women need hormone replacement therapy, that we most often give them a medication that not only is non-human, but is extracted from the urine of a pregnant horse?

You see, the pharmaceutical industry is a for-profit business, and the FDA doesn’t
allow naturally occurring substances from the human body to be patented. So
drug manufacturers intentionally seek out non-human substitutes to treat
disease and dysfunction of the human body. Wouldn’t it make more sense to give
human or bio-identical hormones to patients who are deficient in their
hormones? That’s exactly what a compounding pharmacist can do! To find out more
about this and other subjects, go to our website at www.oakdellpharmacy.com or call our
wellness center today at 210-614-6200.

We’ve been making it all better since 1969!

This is one of my favorite topics! A minute just doesn’t do it justice. Be sure to check out the section on hormone replacement therapy for more in depth articles and links to more information. This is one topic that is so controversial and so misunderstood, that the general public is simply ignorant to what is going on behind the scenes. This is a classic example where our healthcare system has failed miserably. The anology I gave during the TV airing of the pig heart is so simple yet so spot on when it comes to this topic. We have the technology today to “make” any hormone, chemical, and in some cases organs, tissues, and other body parts. We also have the capability to identify diseases and dysfunctions of the human that are a direct cause of a deficiency of a hormone, chemical, or other substance that is normally poduced in the human body. So if we know what the problem is, and we know what is missing from the human body, AND we can make that exact substance, what IS the problem? The short answer without writing a book is that the drug manufacturing system is a for-profit business. The average cost to bring a drug to market (meaning from discovery, thru testing, and then the FDA approval process) is $880 million dollars! And that doesn’t even include the profits the make from it either! Our FDA has ceratin restrictions on the manufacturing process. One of those restrictions is that you can’t put a patent on a substance found naturally in the human body. Te reason that this is important, is that without a patent on their “new drug”, someone could wait until they have paid the $880 million dollar price to develop the new drug and then copy it the day it is released for a fraction of the cost. In other words, drug manufacturers will NEVER seek FDA approval on something they cannot patent. So if you have depression because your serotonin levels are too low in your brain, we don’t give you serotonin do we. We give you a non-human substance that increases your levels but causes other undesirable effects in your body like lack of libido and weight gain. This is why when you are going through hormone deficieny issues (from PMS, infertility, perimenopause, to menopause, etc.) we give you non-human hormones that mimic your own hormones but have other less desirable effects like increased cancer risks, blood clots, mood swings, etc. Trust me! This problem is ten times worse than you just read! This is one of the worst disasters in modernday medicine! Let me know what you think!

We’ve been making it all better since 1969!

The purpose behind authoring this spot was to begin helping people to understand that many of their perceptions on how to lose weight and eat right are simply incorrect. It is amazing how little people truly know about proper nutrition and how to lose weight. Unfortunately, this is primarily due to the so called public educational system and how we were raised. The food pyramid is outdated and grossly incorrect. But you can’t blame the people or the system that led us here. At the time, the system was bsed upon current technology and medical opinion. What’s truly unfortunate, is that as medical technology has evolved and medical opinion along with it, the basis of educating the public about food and proper nutrition has not. From the so called school nutrition program, to what we allow in the public food supply (farmers, ranchers, restaraunts, and grocery stores) we are heading down a path that leads to an increase rate of obesity and general poor health. This leads to significant increases in healthcare costs and changes how our civilization evolves. And to top it all off, many entities are profiting from this process which decreases the tendency to stop it. Drug manufacturers only make money when we are sick and need medicine. Farmers and ranchers have to cut corners to make ends meet. Restaraunts are using more and more sophisticated technology to provide food faster and at a lower cost. But what does all this mean for us? It depends on what the public is willing to allow. Until we as consumers cry out for change, and stop supporting the system that is destroying our future, nothing will change! Just the thoughts of a pharmacist that has seen more than he wanted of the “system”. Let me know what you think!