GeneSight Testing: How Pharmacogenetic Testing Can Guide Medication Choices
Finding the right psychiatric medication can take time. Two people can take the same medication at the same dose and have very different experiences. One person may improve with few side effects, while another may feel no benefit or struggle with tolerability.
GeneSight testing is one tool that may help guide psychiatric medication decisions. At Seasons of Wellness in Leesburg, FL, June Craft, PMHNP-BC may use GeneSight pharmacogenetic testing when clinically appropriate as part of a broader psychiatric evaluation and treatment plan.
What is GeneSight testing?
GeneSight is a pharmacogenomic test, which means it looks at how certain genes may affect the way your body processes or responds to medications. For psychiatric care, this can be especially relevant when considering medications used for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health conditions.
The test does not diagnose a mental health condition. It also does not guarantee that one medication will work or that another medication will not work. Instead, it provides additional information your provider can consider alongside your symptoms, history, medication experiences, side effects, medical context, and treatment goals.
What can pharmacogenetic testing show?
Pharmacogenetic testing may offer insight into how your body metabolizes certain medications. Some people process medications more slowly or more quickly based on genetic differences. That can affect side effects, tolerability, or whether a dose needs closer consideration.
This information can be helpful when someone has tried multiple medications, had difficult side effects, has a complex medication history, or wants a more informed starting point for treatment planning.
What GeneSight testing cannot do:
GeneSight is not a crystal ball. It cannot tell us your personality, your diagnosis, your trauma history, your stress level, your sleep quality, your family context, or whether a medication will be the perfect fit.
Medication response is shaped by many factors, including genetics, symptoms, other medications, physical health, hormones, sleep, substance use, nutrition, therapy support, and life circumstances. That is why GeneSight results should be interpreted by a trained healthcare provider rather than used alone.
How GeneSight fits into psychiatric care
At Seasons of Wellness, GeneSight testing may be used as one piece of a whole-person treatment plan. A psychiatric medication decision should still begin with a careful clinical evaluation.
That evaluation may include:
- Current symptoms and diagnosis
- Previous medication trials
- Side effects or sensitivities
- Family medication history when relevant
- Medical conditions and current medications
- Sleep, anxiety, mood, focus, and functioning
- Patient preferences and treatment goals
The goal is not to remove clinical judgment. The goal is to make medication decisions more informed.
GeneSight testing in Leesburg, FL
Seasons of Wellness provides psychiatric evaluation, medication management, ADHD assessment, and integrative mental health care for children, teens, and adults in Leesburg, FL and across Lake County.
If medication has felt like trial and error, GeneSight testing may be worth discussing during your psychiatric appointment. It may not be necessary for every patient, but for some people, it can add useful information to the treatment planning process.
Learn more about psychiatric services at Seasons of Wellness or book an appointment when you are ready to begin care.
GeneSight official overview: https://genesight.com/
FDA pharmacogenetic associations table: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/precision-medicine/table-pharmacogenetic-associations
CPIC antidepressant pharmacogenetics guideline: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37032427/