Can Genetic Testing Point You to the Best Mental Health Treatment?

[@immortan-valkyrie90]

I did GeneSight after my dad recommended it, as I struggled with bipolar 2 medications. Now I'm on a better dosage and switched meds that are the most effective. Also! My insurance thankfully covered it.

[@pbsvitals]

great to hear success story

[@KatiTheButcher]

Thanks for sharing. I've struggled with mental health issues my whole life. Excited to get my swab kit.

[@coltendavis7937]

I can't wait for mine to finish, 8 years I've been trying to get the proper meds. I love how far medicine has come.

[@krizthulhu]

I look forward to the day where we are able to be (near) perfectly matched to our ideal psych med and dosage. Tests like GeneSight are still far too imperfect to count. Until that day (which I realize we likely won't see in our lifetimes), I opt to remain entirely off any/all of them because the side effects are never worth it. 37 years old and been on various SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, AEDs, AAPs, BZDs - you name it - for my anxiety disorder... Since 10 years old. I'm over it. I'm tired. And I know I'm not alone. I see y'all. And I'm so sorry.

[@safaiaryu12]

I'm glad you're able to go without meds. What do you do to manage your anxiety? I always hear "diet and exercise", but I wonder how much that actually helps?

[@KatiTheButcher]

45 years old and I can relate. I don't respond well to psychiatric meds, most make me feel worse. I did the DNA testing anyway, if anything Im just one more person in the database, that has to help. This is my last go at meds before trying ketamine or ect. Hope you both are having better luck.

[@johnathonjagodzinski4516]

have u found a better med since the genetic testing.@@KatiTheButcher

[@fath8936]

Try neurofeedback​@@KatiTheButcher

[@TuTsang]

@@KatiTheButcher How have you been doing. Did the testing help? or did you try Ketamine? I was considering ketamine too until I found out that it can exacerbate my psychosis ( I've been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder). Nothing motivates me and I don't like to talk or do anything. Life seems like an never ending meaningless existence. A torturous punishment. I dropped out of my PhD when I began getting memory lapses and thought blocking and totally loosing interest in what I've been doing so passionately for the past 3 years. It's like the switch was turned off and now its all dark till someone finds that switch and turns it on for me as I don't feel motivated or have any energy to do it for myself.

[@lurpygeek]

I've done this kind of testing. The result was (shrug). Hope it's helpful to others.

[@jenk8385]

Just getting my results today!

[@MBMCincy63]

I am glad to have watched this, I may have to look into it. Some meds are a miss more often than a hit.

[@mehlover]

Going to bring this up with my psychiatrist tomorrow. Cause my SSRI may have been interfering with my liver and blood pressure since I'm at risk for type 2 diabetes

[@safaiaryu12]

Interesting that you mention liver damage as a consideration. I was recently diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver disease, which forced me to stop taking hydrocodone with acetaminophen for my severe chronic pain. I'm also on two antidepressants (very common for people with chronic pain) which I'm scared to stop taking, but I wonder if it would be good to stop while my liver recovers...? Got an appointment with my psychiatrist in May, I'll have to ask him.

[@TheSapphireSprit]

I agree that this was not terribly helpful for me. Was recommended by my first psychiatrist , who I eventually fired after securing a much better psychiatrist. When I told the new psychiatrist that I had done GeneTest she said, send it along, it will be helpful but not as helpful as you think, confirming my suspicions since one of the meds that the other psychiatrist prescribed gave me pretty bad side effects.

[@pbsvitals]

It's early stage for sure