THE PROBLEM WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS
Antidepressants can be a crucial part of treating depression and anxiety, but they come with several challenges and potential issues:
Effectiveness: Antidepressants don't work the same for everyone. Finding the right medication can be a long process of trial and error.
Side Effects: Common side effects include nausea, headaches, weight gain, loss of sexual desire, fatigue, insomnia, dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation.
Delayed Onset: Antidepressants often take several weeks to start working, which can be frustrating for those seeking immediate relief.
Pharmacogenomic Testing Can Help… But What Is It?
A simple at home DNA saliva sample test kit: allowing healthcare professionals to choose the best medication for your DNA
Pharmacogenomic testing: aims to match patients with medications that are more likely to be effective and cause less side effects, based on their genetic profile.
The Importance of Personalised Medicine
Ineffective Prescriptions: 90% of prescription medications are only effective in 30-50% of the population.
Adverse Drug Reactions: fill 1 in 20 UK hospital beds, costing the NHS £2.2B annually.
Pharmacogenomic testing: can reduce clinically significant adverse drug reactions by 30%.
The Benefits of Pharmacogenomic Testing for Antidepressants
Personalised Treatment: By analysing your genetic makeup, pharmacogenomic testing can help identify which antidepressants are likely to be most effective for you. This reduces the trial-and-error process often associated with finding the right medication.
Reduced Side Effects: The testing can predict how your body will metabolise certain medications, helping to avoid drugs that might cause severe side effects.
Faster Response: With a more targeted approach, you may experience relief from depressive symptoms more quickly compared to traditional methods.
Improved Adherence: Knowing that a medication is specifically chosen based on your genetic profile can increase your confidence in the treatment, potentially improving adherence to the prescribed treatment.
Which Medications Are Used to Treat Depression & Anxiety?
The most commonly prescribed medications (help rebalance the relevant neurotransmitters in your brain to assist in making improvements to your mood.)
SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)
Also used
SNRIs (serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors)
TCAs (Tricyclic antidepressants)
TEACs (tetracyclic antidepressants), which increase the amount of both serotonin and noradrenaline neurotransmitters in the brain.
Less commonly used treatments include
NDRIs (noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitors)
MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors).
To See Which Antidepressants & Other Mental Health-Related Medications Are Included In Our Pharmacogenomic Test Click HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Doctor or Doctor’s Letter?
No, not to purchase & administer the home test, but the information in the report is intended for interpretation by a medically trained doctor or other qualified prescriber.
Will I get the results myself?
Yes, they can be sent directly to you or to your healthcare professional who will go through the results with you.
What is the test kit process?
Order online: you should receive it in 2-3 working days via Royal Mail
Provide a sample: follow instructions to collect your saliva sample, register your sample online via a link, post your sample back free of charge
We Analyse your DNA: our laboratory processes your DNA identifying your relevant genetic variants related to the medications in the report.
Receive your report: We send your personalised report via secure email within 4 to 6 weeks of receiving your sample. The report highlights any medications with genetic concerns and those requiring larger or smaller doses based on your body's metabolism.