Genesight

[Tardigrade2000]

I thought I would share this for anyone who might not know this. For anyone whom suffers from a lot of side effects from medication like I do and has a lot of sensitivities I just learned you can ask your Dr. or Psychiatrist to order a Genesight test. Be sure to check with insurance on out of pocket cost or self pay cost prior. GeneSight Psychotropic is a pharmacogenomic test which means that it analyzes how your genes may affect medication outcomes. The GeneSight test analyzes clinically important genetic variations in your DNA. Results can inform your healthcare provider about how you may break down or respond to certain medications commonly prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight Psychotropic report may help you avoid multiple medication trials by providing information about which medications may require dose adjustments, be less likely to work, or have an increased risk of side effects based on your genetic information.

The report also includes information on how a patient’s smoking status may affect their body’s metabolism of certain medications. The GeneSight results do not provide information on disease diagnosis, medication allergies, drug-drug interactions, or which medications will work best.

The report classifies over 60 mental health medications into four categories:

Use As Directed-Green

Moderate Gene-Drug Interaction-Yelliow

Significant Gene-Drug Interaction-Red

No Proven Genetic Markers -Gray

You will get a copy and can always have to show any Doctor in the future as well.

[cashew78]

I know someone who had a similar test done here (in Canada) and they swore by it because it outlined why certain courses of medication failed them. Specific genes can and do cause the body to react/interact poorly with certain medications they were taking, and it helped determine what specific drugs they had to avoid as well as new treatment plans necessary if their body wouldn't be able to metabolize anything typically used for treatment. The problem is it's not covered under public health care here, and they needed to spend a fair amount to get it. Additionally, the reason why they opted for these tests had to do with years of treatments failing them and they could afford to investigate it further.

[bethelbee]

My experience: I had it done and it was so inaccurate. What was identified what would work, didn't and what was identified as likely not to work had worked previously for years. Luckily my therapist recommended TMS and I am no longer on antidepressants nor would I even consider trying anymore . Prior to TMS the last few meds I was tried on either didn't work or gave me intolerable side effects. I has been on antidepressants for decades.