Genesight DNA testing for med recommendation

Als1495 · Sep 10, 2016, 12:32 AM

I have medicare as well and it covered the whole cost. My psychiatrist offered to have the test done after some of the gene sight reps did a presentation at their office. I am a patient at the county mental health center where I live.

The test didn't help me much, most of the meds it listed to use with caution were ones that were working for me. It still boils done to how you individually respond to different meds. I really felt like it was not what it was hyped up to be.

Sep 10, 2016, 01:58 AM

I asked 2 doctors about it--one said it was over-hyped; another said he hadn't found them that useful.

It doesn't sound like a bad idea if someone isn't helped by the initial standard antidepressants or other psychotropics, but at the same time, there aren't enough resources devoted to ruling out other causes of depression (e.g., auto-immune/allergies).

The test wouldn't have helped me at all because it turned out I had undiagnosed ADD. I had to take trial after trail of antidepressants and endure side effects that often made the depression worse. For 3+ years of my life...

I'm pretty angry about this right now.

ilive4music · Sep 11, 2016, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tydygy

I have had a Genesight Psychotropic DNA test done. I was hopeful as I knew I wasn't on the right meds.

The results came back and the results for the different categories of meds indicated that I was likely to experience adverse effects from some of the meds I was taking. So my doc switched some meds (not all at once though).

I found it to be helpful but I have heard mixed reviews from docs and NPs.

I'm a believer at this point that it is at least another tool that can at least tell you what to avoid if not what's optimal.

Even if you've not had experience with Genesight testing, do you think it is helpful or junk science?
Would you want to have the test?

It was not helpful for me.

with or without you · Oct 08, 2016, 08:53 PM

I read a story about Genesight in the Boston Globe where a low-functioning man with mental illness had this test done. (IIRC, he had been hospitalized in the past and was on disability.) He got his results, his meds were completely changed and it was disastrous for him, he found himself right back in the hospital. He said even though he was bad on his old combo he never should have changed it.

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Genesight DNA testing for med recommendation

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