Byrd-Watson Pharmacy Centralia

05/22/2026

👀 Zoom in. Do any of these look familiar?

PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of medications.

Examples include:
▪️ Omeprazole (Prilosec)
▪️ Pantoprazole (Protonix)
▪️ Lansoprazole (Prevacid)
▪️ Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)

These medications can be incredibly helpful for acid reflux (GERD) and stomach ulcers.

BUT here’s the problem…
They were never intended for long-term use and yet, many people stay on them for YEARS.

Long-term PPI use has been associated with:
⚠️ Nutrient deficiencies (B12, Vitamin D, magnesium, iron)
⚠️ Increased fracture risk
⚠️ Higher risk of certain infections like C. diff
⚠️ Decreased energy
⚠️ Hair loss

But hold on…please don’t read this and stop your medication cold turkey‼️

Suddenly stopping a PPI can trigger “rebound acid”, where the stomach temporarily produces extra acid — often making symptoms feel even worse. That rebound can make people think they have to stay on the medication forever, when you sometimes just need a better plan for a gradual taper.

When the time comes to discontinue the medication, stop in and talk to us first.

As your pharmacists, helping you safely come OFF of a medication is just as important as helping you start one. 💚

05/20/2026

Just a friendly reminder...we will be closed Monday for Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

Please be sure to get your refills in before the holiday weekend! 💊

Thanks for planning ahead — and have a safe and relaxing weekend! ❤️🤍💙

05/19/2026

Professional supplements. Better pricing. Every day.

We want to be your go-to for supplements, and we’ll reward your loyalty by making your favorite high-quality wellness products more affordable! 🤝

Here’s how:

✔️ 10% OFF every day with our Better Way program.
✔️ 15% OFF with Subscribe and Save
✔️ No membership fees
✔️ No coupons
✔️ No waiting for sales

And here’s the best part: we have accounts with almost all of the top professional supplement brands. So if there’s something you love and don’t see it on our shelves, chances are we can get it for you!

When you shop supplements through Byrd-Watson, you can trust that you’re getting professional-quality products and the best possible pricing — every single day. 💚

05/15/2026

Ooh, this looks fun! Check out this summer day camp for 7th-8th graders!

Registration is OPEN. Middle Schoolers (rising 7th and 8th graders) who are interested in exploring a career in pharmacy should register for our Rxplorers: Dose of Discovery camp that will be held on the SIUE campus in the Health Science Building in July. Registration is limited to 30 participants on a first-come-first-served basis.

05/14/2026

“Food is medicine.” 🍓
It’s not just a trendy pharmacy tagline—it’s something our family has lived for generations.

Fun fact: our family’s strawberry roots go back over 100 years, when my great-great-grandparents brought strawberries with them from Germany! Strawberries were a way of life growing up, and today my sweet granddaughter got to try her very first Selle Strawberries.

So tonight, this is your friendly “non-trendy” reminder 😉: fresh, local, in-season foods really are one of the simplest forms of medicine. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make the biggest impact. ❤️

05/13/2026

The summer crew is arriving! 🎉 Please help us welcome Jensen to the Byrd-Watson team!

Jensen is a pre-pharmacy student at the University of Kentucky where she just finished up her third year. (And survived Organic Chemistry 2…which is basically a rite of passage in pharmacy school! 😅)

We’re thrilled to have her join us this summer for some firsthand community pharmacy experience—AND I’m happy to report that after just two days with our crew, she’s already crushing it! 🙌🏼

It’s always refreshing to work alongside students who are eager to learn and who have their whole future ahead of them. And I’m especially grateful for a team that values teaching, mentoring, and investing in the next generation as much as I do. 💚👩🏻‍⚕️

Welcome to the team, Jensen! It’s going to be a great summer! ☀️

05/10/2026

The moms of Byrd-Watson. ❤️

Strong. Compassionate. Resilient. Nurturing. Pretty much the definition of “Mom”.

These women care for their families first, and that same heart carries over into the way they care for our patients and community every single day.

Wishing them—and all of you—a very relaxing and Happy Mother’s Day! 🌸

05/09/2026

Your mom called…she wants one! 🔥🎈😍

These solar-powered hot air balloons are perfect for landscaping, patios, or adding a little Centralia Balloon Fest charm to your yard! ✨

Also…a fun Mother’s Day gift idea! 🌸

05/07/2026

Mother’s Day is THIS Sunday! 💐 We have more gifts than I can possibly post…come see us! 🩷

05/05/2026

Cortisol has become a hot topic around the pharmacy lately! 😅

We’ve been getting so many great questions after our last post, so let’s dig a little deeper.

Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone. We know that chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels—which may show up as weight gain, fatigue, trouble sleeping, etc.

But here’s the thing…cortisol isn’t the enemy. In fact, we NEED it. The goal isn’t to eliminate cortisol—it’s to have the right amounts at the right time.

And that’s where testing comes in.

This image shows a 4-point cortisol test, which measures your cortisol levels at different times throughout the day. Why does that matter? Because cortisol should follow a natural rhythm:

• Higher in the morning (to help you wake up and get going)
• Gradually decreasing throughout the day
• Lowest at night (so you can wind down and sleep)

When that rhythm gets off—whether it’s too high, too low, or just mistimed—you might notice things like:

• Energy crashes in the afternoon
• Trouble sleeping (even when you’re exhausted)
• Increased cravings or stubborn weight
• Mood changes or feeling “on edge”

Symptoms alone don’t tell the full story though, and that’s when testing can be beneficial.

Testing eliminates the guesswork so you can actually see what your body is doing—and then we can create a personalized plan to get things back on track. 🙌🏼

If any of this sounds familiar and you’ve been wondering if cortisol might be playing a role, stop on in…we’re here to help you connect the dots.