I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder when I was 14. I was agoraphobic and I struggled throughout my teenage years and especially high school. I couldn’t leave the house. I took medication, but it didn’t help.
Things got a bit better in my early 20s. I thought: “well, my frontal lobes must have matured.” I felt like my anxiety and social agoraphobia was lessening. I still had felt those things, but with some alternative therapies like homeopathic treatment (like healing oils and herbs), I was able to leave the house.
Yet, in my later 20s, I felt a really pivotal shift and it got really bad. I wasn’t only agoraphobic, I was completely antisocial. I could handle a one-on-one conversation, but if I was in a crowd, I would have a panic attack.
So, I went to a psychiatrist and tried medication after medication after medication. Nothing would touch it. It was debilitating at times. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. It was a really bad time.
I was so tired of fighting myself. I was so tired of struggling. I started to think my only way out was suicide.
A new psychiatrist – and a new practice
I started to see a psychiatrist who helped me with talk therapy and tried multiple medications. I really liked her and connected with her. After about a year, she decided to leave her practice and open her own practice.
It was there she told me about the GeneSight® test and how it could provide some information about how my genetics may affect how my body responds to or metabolizes certain medications . My initial impression of the test was: “why haven’t I heard about this? Why are we shooting blanks when we could be finding something that might help?”
I took the test and my psychiatrist decided to ween me off the three medications I was taking that weren’t helping me. She prescribed two new medications for me to take daily and another medication to take as needed.
Night & day difference
After a period of adjustment with my new medications, I felt a night-and-day difference. It was like an instant sigh of relief. I wasn’t in fight or flight mode –I was just me. I thought: “Oh my gosh. I have never felt like this – I’ve never NOT had anxiety.”
To be clear, I still have anxiety – it’s just so much better and my symptoms are better managed.
I was so relieved with how I was feeling – ecstatic to be honest with you. I have a life now. My parents say they wished they had known about the GeneSight test years ago, it would have saved them years of heartache and worry.
I would say the GeneSight test was probably the most valuable thing in my life. If it wasn’t for it, I would probably still be trying to find medications. I would still be trying to find something that would work. I would still be trying to find my way out of the dark.
This story is one patient’s personal experience. Other patients may not have the same experience or outcome. Do not make any changes to your current medications or dosing without consulting your healthcare provider.
The GeneSight test must be ordered by and used only in consultation with a healthcare provider who can prescribe medications. As with all genetic tests, the GeneSight test results have limitations and do not constitute medical advice. The test results are designed to be just one part of a larger, complete patient assessment, which would include proper diagnosis and consideration of your medical history, other medications you may be taking, your family history, and other factors.
If you are a healthcare provider and interested in learning more about the GeneSight test, please contact us at 855.891.9415. If you are a patient, please talk with your doctor to see if the GeneSight test may be helpful.
Featured Stories
