New York compound pharmacy

Hi there….. looking for a good compounding pharmacy that people have used for benzos in state of NY. Also has anyone specifically used one for Ativan or Librium?

 

Thanks So much!!! Trying to find a reputable one who has knowledge and worked with benzos before bc a friend needs help, and her compounder doesn’t understand why anyone would need less than .1mg reduction at a time.

 

Thanks so much for y’all’s help!

Hello, Boges11.  Good to see you back on the boards.

 

Just checking …

 

Are you and your friend aware of PCCA’s Find A Compounder tool at:

 

https://www.pccarx.com/Resources/FindACompounder

Yes I’ve been calling some on here that are unfortunately not helpful so was needing some people who have found one that are helping them .

 

Thanks Libertas! Took a break for a few weeks and back for a bit! At .04mg myself and working my way to 0…. Maybe late August is what I am hoping!

Ok so if anyone looks at this thread I have talked with Total Town pharmacist Justin and had a 20min convo. They work with many patients and have done compounds for Ativan, Klonopin, Librium, and Xanax. They haven’t done any for Valium thus far…

 

-they are PCAB accredited which is highest and most reputable you can get, only 2% are in the US.

-they also are PCCA which sources pure ingredients from manufacturers instead of crushing pills to make their formulations….. which can have variations regarding dose amounts given filler and binders are included in pill format. My compounder in Arlington Pharmacy Solutions is also the same, sources pure K powder and doesn’t crush the pills giving a more exact amount of the specific benzo dose needed.

-they can get as low as .005mg capsule increments for Ativan and Librium

-they can get as low as .001mg capsule increments for Klonopin and Xanax

 

Many with the Ativan, K and Xanax prescriptions will have Dr write out prescription filling it with .1mg capsules, .05mg capsules and .005 or .001mg capsules enabling the person to make the reductions they need as such to get say to the .005mg or the .001mg reduction.

 

Wanted to pass this along bc I know it’s a struggle finding people who understand and can get small reductions as many of us need and most Drs don’t even know compounding options are out there for psychotropic meds.

 

If you have a prescriber in NY….

Total Town Compounding - Justin ( pharmacist)

Syosset NY

516-249-7436

This is incredibly helpful information. Thank you so much for posting this. My prescribing doc did not think a compounded capsule could be reduced by .005, let alone .001 for clon. I am really excited to understand that this is doable.

Ivan Jourdain, the pharmacist featured in Medicating Normal, is in Manhattan. He might know. He is a trustworthy source and very nice.

 

https://ivanpharmacy.com/

 

Thanks Rebecca!

Hi folks, totally new here and hoping to begin tapering Clonazepam (0.5 mg/day) soon using a compound pharmacy in the greater DC metro area. I realize this will be an expensive way to go -- can anyone give me an example of a typical cost? Thanks so much for any guidance.

Hi Gringo09

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

How long have you been on Clonazepam and have you tapered benzo's before? I don't have any personal experience with compounding pharmacies, so hopefully the contributors to this thread will be able to answer your question.

 

When it comes to tapering we generally recommend cuts of no more than 5-10% of each new daily dose every two weeks or so but it's best to let your symptoms guide your taper rate. This should allow you to remain functional.

 

Here are some links to get you started:

 

Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidance

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Add your history/signature

Thanks Libertas💜

 

Gringo, hi!

https://www.pccarx.com/Resources/FindACompounder  Is a great place to start when you’re ready to find one. If they have questions, tell them to chat with Nick at Pharmacy Solutions in Arlington Tx as he’s doing my Klonopin compound and uses Letco suspension vehicle combined with pure Klonopin powder sourced from manufacturer (doesn’t crush pill/tablets, uses specific dose pure powder so filler and binders don’t get mixed in…. Most I’ve been told PCCA pharmacies do this).

 

It costs me maybe $65 or so…. I get mine shipped overnight in a cooler to houston so maybe a little cheaper than this ($65 is with taking est shipping cost out).

 

I wish I had started this from higher up in my dose but couldn’t find someone in houston that made me feel like I could make small enough reductions (they didn’t even know well I could use smaller syringes to get a smaller more exact dose, which now baffles me since I understand it all better). Nick took time to understand I was super sensitive to changes and so he made my formula .25mg/10ML which isn’t as potent as going with a .1mg/1mL which some pharmacies use when they use the ora plus ora sweet suspension option. Some to fine with this though, and you can get tiny syringes from pharmacist to make this formulation work even if needing to make small reductions.

 

If you go this route, ask your pharmacist to create a table showing equivalent mg to mL so you know what mg dose you’re at as you make your way down. I had mine do every .2mL (so 10mL=.25mg, 9.8mL=.245mg, 9.6mL=.24mg, etc all the way to 0). So if you go with compound liquid ask them to make you a table so you know what is what .

 

hope you have a smooth taper! Reach out if you have any other questions!

Hi Gringo, I use Capitol Compounding in Bethesda. It costs me about 70 per month for compounded capsules. Also tapering K here. They are well known and Zak, the owner,  is easy to talk to. Happy to answer questions about this.

Thank you so much --Boges11, jelly baby, and AnnaMeg-- for these very helpful and prompt answers! Really appreciate this !

 

Jelly baby:  I'll add my signature very soon, I promise. I've been on benzos for about 20 yrs off and on, mostly Klonopin due to seemingly never-ending anxiety. Currently, I'm on about 0.375 mg/day, and I say "about" because I never really took a consistent daily dose all these years. Instead, I'd nibble "as needed" on a 0.5 mg pill, very rarely actually taking the entire 0.5mg in a day; sometimes even stopping a few days without serious withdrawal symptoms. I feel though, that I'm ready to taper and am beginning to plan for that. I'm likely first stabilizing at 0.375 mg using 0.5 mg K pills and splitting them and further down the line if all goes well, using a compounding pharmacy... I'm not sure, however, that I can count on the help of my physician.

 

AnnaMeg-- Thank you for pointing me to Capitol Compounding -- I will definitely look into that. Sounds like you have a solid arrangement and I assume, of course, that you have the support of a prescribing MD -- is it a psychiatrist or your GP? I ask because I'm worried that my physician might actually cut me off if I propose a taper and possible compounding.

 

Again, many, many thanks for the help you all provided to a newcomer!!

 

 

Hi Gringo, I use Capitol Compounding in Bethesda. It costs me about 70 per month for compounded capsules. Also tapering K here. They are well known and Zak, the owner,  is easy to talk to. Happy to answer questions about this.

 

Hi again, AnnaMeg -- hope your hold is helping you with the symptoms in your signature!

 

I'm on my 14th day of holding/stabilizing on 0.375 mg (3xd 0.125 mg) and --although I have waves of symptoms they are for the most bearable-- I'm about to begin a 10-12% taper. I will likely continue using my cheapy balance and a pill splitter for the first few steps. But, if I progress, I would use compounding, and your suggestion of Capitol Compounding in Bethesda sounds like the one to use, given that I'm in DC.

 

If you could possibly help me with two questions, I'd be really grateful.

 

First, I'm worried that if I propose this taper plan and the compounding approach to my doc, she might cut me off, or insist on an accelerated way. I may therefore need to find more enlightened medical help. Is your doc a psychiatrist or a generalist that is comfortable with "patient-driven" taper? And if so, would you be willing to share contact info (if it's ok to do this on this forum)? Or any recommendations for someone similar in the greater DC area?

 

Second, regarding compounding: Does the doc have to write a separate prescription for every taper step? Or does it work like a prescription with refills for the steps? I'm totally naive about this whole topic, but also realize that the forum probably has a whole section explaining this...

Still, your input would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance  !

 

 

Hi all, I’m back to trying to source a NY compounder. I am from medicating normal documentary is not a compounding pharmacy he said.

P lease let me know who is currently working with a compounder in NY. Thank you so much!