Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a painful medical condition that affects millions of people in the United States. Reflux occurs when stomach acid or even the contents of the stomach go back into the esophagus. This can cause significant pain and discomfort, and long-term reflux can damage the lining of the esophagus.

In addition to pain, GERD can also cause a number of unpleasant side effects, including hoarseness, chest pain, hiccups, a bad taste in your mouth, dry cough, dental problems, tightness in your chest, and more.  While GERD may start as a minor inconvenience, as it becomes more severe it can make daily activities difficult. For example, even bending down to pick something up off of the floor could result in significant pain, and trying to sleep on your back with GERD can be next to impossible.

There are things that people can do to combat GERD without resorting to medication or surgery. For one thing, many people report that their GERD is often triggered by eating greasy food – for some, simple dietary changes may be enough to relieve their symptoms. In addition, GERD and many other health problems have been linked to smoking and obesity, so losing weight and quitting smoking are two lifestyle changes that one could make to try and treat GERD without medical intervention.

Unfortunately, in some cases, lifestyle changes simply are not enough. The good news is that GERD is often completely treatable with medications such as proton-pump inhibitors and H2 blockers, and many people find their symptoms completely alleviated shortly after starting pharmaceutical treatment. Specialty compounding can be of help people with GERD as many of the drugs used to treat GERD can be compounded into specific doses and forms that make them as simple as possible to take. Some of the drugs that we regularly compound for our clients with GERD include the following:

• Lansoprazole (Prevacid)
• Omeprazole (Nexium and Prilosec)
• Rabeprazole sodium (Aciphex)
• Pantoprazole (Protonix)
• Nizatidine (Axid)
• Famotidine (Pepcid)
• Ranitidine (Zantac)

Call or Stop by Today for More Information

If you have GERD or another condition that makes it painful or inadvisable to take medications orally, a compounding pharmacy may be able to help. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we are dedicated to providing our clients with exceptional and individualized service that meets their pharmaceutical needs. Call us today at 865-323-8723 or stop by the store today to speak with a member of our team.

People across the United States spend a significant amount of time worrying about their own health and wellness and that of their family members. We spend money and energy ensuring that we, our spouses, our children, and our parents all have the right medications, supplements, and nutrition. However, all too often, we forget about the other highly cherished members of our families – our pets. While we may love pets as family members, we often forget that they require constant health maintenance and treatment just like people. Pets cannot speak, so they cannot always let us know if they are not feeling well or what is wrong.

Even if you take your pet to the vet and receive a prescription for medication to help treat a problem or maintain health, that is often not an adequate solution to keep your pet happy and healthy. Pets are all unique beings and, like any widely distributed pharmaceutical, pet medications are not tailored to meet the specific needs of your pet. One solution to this problem is compounding, which can alter medication so that it is effective AND as beneficial as possible for you and your pet.

Pets can Vary in Size

Some pets can weigh two pounds and others can weigh 150 pounds. Just as you would not give the same medication to an infant as you would to an adult, you should not give the same dosage to different sized pets. Medications often come in standard dosages, however, so you are left having to chop up pills (which can lead to inaccuracies) or having to buy many bottles of medication to treat your larger pets. Compounding allows us to put the medicine in the right dosage for your pet so you can be sure they are getting the right amount.

Pets Generally do not Like Medicine

Anyone who has tried to give a pill to a dog, cat, or another type of animal knows it can be no easy feat. Some pets will do anything to avoid swallowing a pill, which can lead to frustration and wasted medication. Compounding allows us to put the medication into a form your pet will enjoy, such as flavored treats or disguised as part of their food.

Call or stop by today for more information!

Compounding can take the stress off pet owners and you can rest assured your pet is getting the treatment they need. To learn more, call Kress Speciality Apothecary at 856-323-8723 or stop into our store.

Modern medicine has made incredible strides in the identification and treatment of certain medical conditions over the past few decades, and advances in pharmacogenomics are set to usher in a new era of personalized medicine. Pharmacogenomics is the branch of pharmacology that looks at how a person’s genetic makeup affects their personal response to prescription drugs.

Analyzing a person’s genes can provide physicians and other medical professionals with important information about the proteins produced by a person’s body. Certain proteins can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and safety of drug treatment for many reasons, including the following:

• They can affect the way a medication is absorbed in the body
• It can affect the way the drug is broken down
• The protein may be the issue that the drug is targeting
• It can have a significant impact on the molecular action of the drug

Determining a person’s genetic suitability can improve pharmaceutical treatment in a number of ways, including the following:

• It can reduce the risk of side-effects
• Prescribing physicians can carefully evaluate the dosage of drugs for maximum efficacy
• It can help determine the optimal length of treatment
• It can avoid the inefficiencies associated with using “trial-and-error” when deciding between drug alternatives

Pharmacogenetic testing can help improve the treatment of a variety of conditions, including high cholesterol, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung disease. At our facility, we are able to individually compound drugs to create dosages and solutions that are not commercially available. By combining pharmacogenetic testing with the personalized drug options available at a compounding pharmacy, you can ensure that your medical treatment is carefully tailored to your unique genetic makeup and response to medication.

Contact Kress Specialty Apothecary Today to Schedule Your Pharmacogenetic Testing

Pharmacogenetic testing can have a significant impact on the efficacy of your pharmaceutical treatment. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we offer pharmacogenetic testing for 14 different classes of drugs and work closely with our customers in order to ensure that they are getting the most out of their medical treatment. The test is non-invasive and it requires a simple cheek swab or saliva sample, and you can expect the results of your test in about a week. After we receive your tests, we will provide a short consultation with you regarding the results of your test and what they mean for your pharmacological treatment. To learn more about our pharmacogenetic testing, call or visit Kress Specialty Apothecary today!

Compounding Can Help

When children aren’t feeling well, it can be challenging to get them to take medicine that will help them feel better. But, can you blame them? Most medications have a bitter taste, are hard to swallow, and can provide some discomfort on the way in. Also, many drugs that children need are only commercially available in tablet form. This poses a problem for our little ones who can’t swallow tablets yet.

Fortunately, Kress Specialty Apothecary can help with all these problems. Our compounding pharmacists have an arsenal of trade secrets that will make medicine time less stressful and more enjoyable for your child—and for you!

Pharmacy compounding is the science and art of preparing customized medications.  The pharmacists at Kress Specialty Apothecary can work with your child and you to create a prescription formulated to fit your child’s individual needs and preferences.

Working closely with a pediatrician, we can customize medications for:

• Pain relief
• Respiratory disorders
• Oral thrush
• Diabetes
• Head Lice
• Skin Disorders
• Cold sores/fever blisters
• Diaper rash
• And much more!

Here are some benefits of pediatric compounding:

Flavored Medicine

The pharmacists at Kress Specialty Apothecary can prepare a prescription with a taste your child will enjoy.  Many children refuse to take their medicine due to the bitter and unpleasant taste. If your child has been prescribed an antibiotic for strep throat, getting them to take it will be much easier if it comes in a tasty cherry or bubblegum flavor.

Unique Dosage Forms

For children who have difficulty swallowing tablets, a compounding pharmacist can produce the medication in an alternate form that your child won’t mind taking. If your child needs a specific medicine that is only available in pill form, the pharmacists at Kress can prepare it in the form of a liquid, lollipop, topical gel, chewable gummy treat, effervescent drinks, and other forms that will provide the appropriate dosage.

Ingredient Variations

Commercially manufactured medication may contain ingredients that patients have allergies or sensitivity to, such as gluten, soy, sugar, dyes, lactose, and preservatives.  Our pharmacists at Kress Specialty Apothecary can create a personalized formula to provide your child with the right treatment you need while leaving out the problematic ingredient.

Call or Stop by Kress Specialty Apothecary Today 856-323-8723!

According to a report in Time magazine that was published in 2015, almost 10 million Americans still use tanning beds in spite of well-known risks. In addition, our society continues to consider a tan and sun-kissed skin an attractive quality, leading millions of people to actively seek out a natural tan by laying out in the sun. Unfortunately, getting a tan involves exposing the skin to potentially harmful ultraviolent rays, significantly increasing the risk of developing melanoma or other skin cancers.

Pharmaceutical Products and Skin Cancer Treatments

Many people who develop skin cancers are required to undergo treatments that can be very hard on the skin and leave patients with significant chronic pain. Topical treatments can considerably help the healing of the skin after surgery and can also help reduce the pain associated with these kinds of procedures. Some of the treatments that are often used in conjunction with skin cancer treatment include transdermal lidocaine patches for neuropathic pain and compounded analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs).

For some forms of skin lesions that have the potential to become cancerous, aggressive non-surgical treatment with pharmacologic topicals can often be effective. Some of the pharmacologics that are used in these applications include the following:

• Imiquimod
• Fluoroplex
• Fluorourcil
• Diclofenac sodium gel

Kress Specialty Apothecary can Help Skin Cancer Patients

As a compounding pharmacy, Kress Specialty Apothecary is equipped to formulate various topical pharmaceuticals that have the potential to help people who are going through skin cancer treatment. We work closely with our clients in order to determine a formula that will best suit their needs and engage in active follow ups to ensure that our products are working as effectively as possible. Our trained compounding pharmacists will work closely with your physician in order to ensure that you are receiving the best medical care possible. In addition to our custom medications, we offer an in-house brand of pre-formulated products that may be able to meet your needs as well.

Stop in to Kress Specialty Apothecary Today to Peruse our Pharmaceutical Products Today

At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we are committed to providing our customers with personalized care and offer a line of proprietary pharmaceutical products designed to treat a variety of conditions. In addition, we offer retail pharmacy services, compound custom medication, compound medications for household pets, and provide pharmacogenetic testing. To learn more about our services and products, visit or call Kress Specialty Apothecary today.

Compounding Medications to Treat Mucositis after Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and radiation are extraordinarily hard on a person’s body. While side-effects of treatment such as hair loss are commonly known, many people are not aware of the fact that chemotherapy often causes an extremely painful and uncomfortable condition known as oral mucositis. This condition involves swelling of the tissues in the mouth and can cause the following symptoms:

• Sores in the mouth
• Mouth pain
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dry mouth
• Thick saliva

In a worst-case scenario, a cancer patient has such a severe case of oral mucositis that it makes it impossible to eat. When this occurs, treatment often has to be discontinued in order to allow the patient’s oral cavity to heal. Of course, stopping treatment should be avoided at all costs, making treating mucositis a priority for cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, there is often a gap in coverage for cancer patients when it comes to dental care. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, many patients do not receive dental care until serious complications have already developed.  While the reasons for this are varied, what is clear is that this lack of care makes compounding pharmacists well-situated to provide dental supplies, oral rinses, mouthwashes, pain relief, and other products to cancer patients suffering from oral mucositis.

There are many ways that a compounding pharmacy can help cancer patients who are suffering from this condition manage their pain and other symptoms. There are a variety of medications that could be used to treat mucositis, including the following:

• “Magic mouthwash” – Mixed medication mouthwash, often referred to as magic mouthwash, is specially formulated by a compounding pharmacy to a physician’s instructions for a specific patient. It often contains an anesthetic such as lidocaine, a coating agent like aluminum hydroxide or magnesium, an anticholinergic agent like Benadryl, and other drugs.
• Morphine mouthwash for pain management
• Oral rinses that contain antifungals like nystatin, fluconazole, and clotrimazole
• Coating agents such as Gelclair

Call or Stop by Today for More Information!

Cancer patients need all the help they can get. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we are able to compound medications that can help manage pain and treat other issues associated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment and put them in a form that is easy to take. To learn more about how we can help you and your family, call us at 856-323-8723 or stop by today.

Many pet owners consider their four-legged, feathered, or otherwise non-human companions part of the family. For this reason, when pets become ill or develop medical conditions that require ongoing treatment, pet parents want to get them the best treatment available. Unfortunately, pets do not understand that they need to take their medication, and getting pets to take pills is often a trying endeavor that is often difficult and time-consuming. Many household pets simply refuse to swallow pills and are able to eat around medications that are hidden in their food. In addition, many pets require very specific dosages of medications that may not be available commercially, further frustrating the efforts of concerned pet owners.

A Compounding Pharmacy can Help

Pharmaceutical compounding is the practice of creating customized medications for patients and can be a huge benefit to pet owners that are having trouble getting their pets to take their medications. Many common human ailments appear in animals, including skin problems, respiratory infections, diabetes, eye infections, and cancer. A compounding pharmacy can create customized medications that your pet will love and can also create customized dosages that meet an animal’s specific needs. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we can create custom medications for a wide variety of pets, including the following:

Our customized compounds can help pet owners make medication time easy and even help your pets enjoy taking their medication. For example, if your dog simply refuses to eat its pills, we can flavor a medication with meat or make it into a biscuit that make taking medicine seem more like a treat. Similarly, rather than using a welding glove to force-feed your cat medication, we can flavor it in such a way that your cat will enjoy taking its medication and save you from putting your furry friend through a traumatic experience. Our compounding pharmacists will work closely with your veterinarian to ensure that your pet gets the optimal dosage of its medication in a form that it will enjoy.

Stop into Kress Specialty Apothecary Today to Learn Our Compounding Options for Pets

Compounding pet medications can make meeting your pet’s healthcare needs significantly easier and improve the quality of care your pet receives. We also provide a full-service retail pharmacy, offer an in-house line of pharmaceutical products, and provide pharmacogenetic testing. To learn more about how we can help you, call or visit Kress Specialty Apothecary today.

When One Size Does Not Fit All

The “one size fits all” nature of many commercially manufactured drugs does not actually fit all patients’ needs. Compounding, as both an art and science, allows pharmacists to create medications tailored to meet a patient’s specific needs. When the strength, concentration, or dosage an individual desires is not commercially available, they can work with a pharmacist to design a customized medication. Based on the practitioner’s prescription, one or more active ingredients are combined in the exact form a patient requires.

At one time, all prescriptions were compounded. However, with the advent of mass drug manufacturing in the mid 20^th century, compounding declined and pharmacists became dispenser of “cookie-cutter” drugs.  The art of compounding has experienced a reemergence in recent years due to modern technology, innovation techniques, and research.

Kress Specialty Apothecary is a compounding pharmacy dedicated to providing our patients with high-quality, personalized treatments. As a compounding pharmacy, we will work with you and your practitioner to formulate combinations of pharmaceutical-grade ingredients into various dosage forms. We treat a variety of medical conditions, including pain, pediatric, domestic and exotic pets, sports injuries, dental, and podiatry.

Here are some of the benefits of compounding that Kress can offer you:

• Compounding can make medications easier to use. For patients who have difficulty swallowing pills, medications can be compounded into specific dosage forms such as liquids, creams, lozenges, gels, and suppositories.

• Some medicine has a very unpleasant taste. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, our pharmacists can customize your prescription in the flavor of your choice. If you have young children, or even pets, that refuse to take their medications, we have a variety of flavors that will make them taste better and make medication time easier for your child—and you.

• Commercially manufactured medication may contain ingredients that patients have allergies or sensitivity to, such as gluten, sugar, dyes, lactose, and preservatives. Our pharmacists at Kress Specialty Apothecary can create a personalized formula to provide you with the right treatment you need while leaving out the problematic ingredient.

• Large pharmaceutical manufacturers will often discontinue a medication when not enough patients are taking it. But what happens to the hundreds, or thousands, of patients that still may need it? Compounding allows pharmacists to re-create discontinued drugs, so the people who need it can still have it.

• If you take multiple prescriptions they may be able to be combined into a single dosage form.

Call Kress Specialty Apothecary to find out more information about our pharmacy services in New Jersey 856-323-8723.

If you open the average American medicine cabinet, it is not uncommon to see expired drugs or drugs that are no longer used regularly by their owner. Expired or unused drugs can pose a safety risk, particularly for people who have young children in the house. Unfortunately, many people are uncertain as to how to safely dispose of medications and, as a result, often keep old or unused medications in the home for months or even years.

In order to decrease the risk associated with keeping drugs in the home unnecessarily, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides consumers with tips regarding how to safely dispose of medications. Some of them include the following:

• Check the medication’s label or patient information inserts to see whether there any instructions regarding disposal. If there are, follow them closely. Do not flush medications down the toilet or sink unless instructed to by the information accompanying the medication.
• Many communities have programs allowing the public to take unused drugs to a specific location for disposal. You can call your local law enforcement agency to check to see if they have a drug take-back program that you may be able to take advantage of. In addition, concerned consumers can also contact their local recycling and trash collection service for more information about medication disposal options in the community.
• Another way to safely dispose of used or expired medications is to transfer them to collectors registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Check to see whether your local retail, hospital, or clinic pharmacies are authorized collectors or have programs in place to take back unused drugs.

If there are no instructions regarding disposal accompanying your medications and you cannot find a take-back program in your community, the FDA recommends that you throw the drugs in your household trash while taking the following precautions:

• Take the medication out of its original container and mix them with a substance that makes them undesirable to humans and animals, such as kitty litter, coffee grounds, sand, or dirt.
• Place the mixture of drugs and whatever substance you have chosen to mix them with into a sealable bag, can, or other container to prevent it from leaking out of the trash bag.

Contact Kress Specialty Apothecary Today to Discuss Your Pharmaceutical Needs

At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we offer our customers personalized attention and services that you simply cannot find at the large retail pharmacy chains. To learn more about our services and products, please stop in or give us a call today.

Too many people simply accept and take prescription medications without actually knowing what they are taking, what the side effects may be, or whether they have any other options that may be better for their particular situation. You should never hesitate to ask your pharmacist questions just as you would ask questions of your physician. The following are some of the most beneficial questions to ask at the pharmacy:

Will my prescription interact with any other medications?
Your pharmacist can definitely take a close look at your prescription and identify whether it will have adverse reactions with any other medications you may be taking. It is important to make changes if a prescription may interfere with the effectiveness of another medication or cause a harmful interaction.

Will you have any allergic reactions to the medication?
Many people may not realize their medications contain certain ingredients to which they may be allergic, such as gluten. Our pharmacists can examine all ingredients and may even be able to remove, through compounding, certain ingredients without impacting the effectiveness of the medication.

Is there a generic option?
Generic options can save you a lot of money and can be just as effective. It is always worth it to explore whether a generic option is available.

What side effects should you expect?
Every patient should be fully informed of the potential side effects and risks of their medication so they can make an educated decision whether to take the medicine and plan ahead to treat certain side effects.

Will dietary supplements interact with your medications?
You may not realize that dietary supplements can affect your medication, but adverse reactions often occur. Discuss this with your pharmacist to make adjustments if needed.

Is there a better form of medication for me?
If you have difficulty taking pills or any other dosage form, discuss your options with your pharmacist. A compounding pharmacist can alter the dosage form to liquid, lollipops, and others to best suit your needs.

Are there solutions for my seasonal allergies or immunizations?
You may not think of a pharmacist for solutions to allergies or vaccinations, however, many pharmacists can help with both of these issues and more.

Kress Specialty Apothecary is a pharmacy focused on the well-being of each individual customer and patient. With our skills in drug compounding, we can specially design products and medications that are the best for you. For more information, please call us at 856-323-8723 or stop in today!