Update on Medication Trial and DNA drug sensitivity test

[Guest guest]

About a month ago my daughter had a DNA drug sensitivity test

called the p450 drug panel. It tests to see if you have the

genes to metabolize medications. In summary, if you lack the

genes completely it may help but it has not so far

really helped pick an antidepressant that works with less side

effects. Here are the details, if you care to read:

My daughter turned out to have excellent genes to metabolize

the p450 D6 pathway and just so so for the C19 pathway.

She was very agitated and aggressive as her stress increased

on the zoloft, and more zoloft more aggression (the C19 drug pathway that she is

only so so on).

We did switch her to prozac which she is

suppose to be excellent at metabolizing but she doesn't like that it

makes her sleepy. I give it at night too. It may work

better than the zoloft, she is not aggressive on this dose

but she is very upset with the sleepy affect. I don't

see how I can increase the dose until she can manage this

and she is only on 5mg of prozac.

So I am not sure the cost of the DNA test ($700) really helped

us find a better medication. It proved she had no severe

DNA metabolism problems. But it has not helped find a medication with

less side effects. I still have to rely on trial and error.

Pam