Frequently Asked Questions
Our pharmacists have compiled a list of questions they often hear from patients and practitioners. Below you will find short, general answers to these questions.
If you don’t see your question listed, or if you need more details on a certain answer, please contact us at 800.279.5708 to personally consult with a pharmacist.
WIP 101
There are a few different ways you can start using us as your pharmacy:
- Talk to your practitioner to have them send us a prescription to compound for you.
- If your current practitioner is unfamiliar with WIP or prescribing bioidentical hormones, we are available to help walk them through the process. Visit our Educational Resources Page to request more information on our pharmacy. For more specific questions, we have pharmacists available for free consultations.
Compounded medications require a prescription from a licensed health care practitioner with prescriptive authority in their state.
WIP does carry some over-the-counter supplements that are available without a prescription.
WIP doesn’t offer any testing or labs. However, we do provide a list of companies that perform testing on our website.
It takes approximately 3-5 days to compound your medication.
If the pharmacist has questions or concerns when reviewing your prescription, they may contact your practitioner for clarification. This may cause a delay in beginning to process your order.
A compound confirmation is a statement from the practitioner that specifies they are aware a manufactured form of the drug is commercially available, and the relevant change in the compounded medication will produce a significant difference for the patient.
The FDA requires that a pharmacy may not compound certain drugs with a manufactured form available unless the prescriber specifically orders the strength or dosage form and provides an explanation of why the patient needs that particular strength or dosage form of the preparation.
Questions about Rx Ingredients and Storage
No – The beyond-use date is assigned based on compendial standards and independent testing.
We do not recommend using the medication after the beyond-use date has passed.
Sex hormones and corticosteroids are stable at high and low temperatures. Brief temperature variances are unlikely to cause any problems.
Certain medications come with instructions to keep refrigerated.
Most medications, unless otherwise specified, should be stored at room temperature.
Contact a pharmacist if you have specific questions relating to medication storage.
Check the Prescription Information Sheet included with your order for details.
For general information about the ingredients we have available, check out our Ingredients List.
We source our hormones from FDA-registered manufacturers and wholesalers.
Most hormones are derived from either yam or soy.
Yes, we are able to compound using desiccated porcine thyroid powder!
- This powder is suspended in olive oil and placed in a gelatin or veggie capsule
- The active pharmaceutical ingredient does not contain any fillers or binders
- We can compound strengths up to 5+ grains per capsule
Contact us for details! (Last updated: September 2020)
Questions about Using a Compounded Rx
Unless otherwise directed by your practitioner, common application sites include rotating between:
- Inner thighs
- Abdomen
- Shoulders
- Buttocks
- Remove the protective cover
- Turn the knob in the direction marked for the number of prescribed clicks (the cream or gel will come out through the holes)
- Apply the dose to the application site
- Rub the dose into skin using the top of the UnoDose
Some patients may notice more cream/gel may come out of one hole than another. However, the correct dose is dispensed even if the cream/gel that comes out of each hole is not the same.
Some symptoms may respond quickly (minutes to hours), while others may take months or years.
If you have specific concerns, contact your practitioner or call to speak with one of our pharmacists.
This answer depends upon why you are using the medication and what you hope to gain from it.
Some patients only need to use medication for a certain amount of months/years, while others use it for the rest of their lives.
Please speak with your practitioner or pharmacist to find out more about what you should expect.
Questions about Health Conditions
There are many factors involved in cancer development. If you are concerned about breast cancer, please discuss this further with your practitioner or pharmacist.
Hair loss is a multi-faceted symptom with many possible causes. Our Connections article Concerned About Hair Loss? addresses a few of the more common factors in hair loss. Contact your practitioner or pharmacist to discuss this issue in further detail.