Our team collaborates closely with you to develop a tailored treatment plan. This involves: 

• Reviewing your clinical and medical history 
• Assessing potential side effects
• Employing pharmacogenomic testing when indicated

Knowing how your body metabolizes different medications helps us prescribe the most suitable options and develop the best treatment plan for you.

Our bodies process medications differently, and genetics play a big role in this. Many factors influence how medications work, including your genes and how your body breaks down the medication. 

We often perform pharmacogenomic testing to examine your unique genetic profile and identify medications that are most likely to be effective and well-tolerated by you. 

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a person's genetic makeup affects their response to medications and influences outcomes such as symptom improvement, side effects, and rare hypersensitivity reactions. 

Pharmacogenomic testing helps us understand how your unique genetic makeup might affect your response to medications and provides valuable information for developing an optimal treatment plan. 

This means we can select the medication and dosage that might be most effective for you, thus reducing the time it takes to find the right treatment.

The Testing Process

The pharmacogenomic testing process involves collecting a DNA sample through a blood draw, cheek swab, or saliva sample. This sample is then analyzed for specific genes related to medication response. 

Test results include a list of the examined genes, the patient's genotypes for each gene, and explanations of what these results mean. 

Some tests indicate how well you can metabolize certain medications, classifying them as poor, intermediate, normal, rapid, or ultrarapid metabolizers. Other tests may categorize medications based on how they interact with your genes - minimal, moderate, or severe interactions.

Antidepressants are medications used to treat depression and other health conditions like anxiety, pain, and insomnia. While not FDA-approved specifically for ADHD treatment in adults, antidepressants are sometimes prescribed for ADHD treatment as well.

These medications work by affecting the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that carry signals from neurons to targeted cells in the body. 

Some important neurotransmitters that may impact mental health include glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and histamine.

Some commonly prescribed antidepressant medications include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These medications help reduce the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, thereby increasing its availability. Serotonin plays a key role in regulating mood, sleep, digestion, and other functions.
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): These medications improve serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain. These neurotransmitters help promote alertness and wakefulness.
• Bupropion: This medication enhances the activity of natural chemicals, including dopamine and norepinephrine, in your brain. Brain nerves use these chemicals to send messages to each other. Bupropion may be used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or may help people quit smoking.
• Esketamine: This is an FDA-approved medication for treatment-resistant depression. Esketamine is administered as a nasal spray in a healthcare provider’s office, clinic, or hospital setting.

It is important to note that some medications may have side effects. Common side effects of antidepressants may include drowsiness, insomnia, constipation, weight gain, and dry mouth. 

Anti-anxiety medications are used to treat panic attacks, phobias, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and various anxiety-related symptoms. They help reduce symptoms of anxiety, such as panic attacks and extreme fear and worry. 

Common anti-anxiety medications include:

• SSRIs and other antidepressants: These medications help regulate mood and reduce anxiety by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. They are commonly prescribed to treat panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.
• Benzodiazepine: This anti-anxiety medication enhances the activity of the neurotransmitter Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a chemical messenger in the brain that helps you feel calm. It is often used for short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. 
• Beta-blockers: These medications block the effects of epinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that helps in the body’s fight-or-flight response, which leads to anxiety. Beta-blockers are not used for treating anxiety. Rather it is used to address the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as an increased heartbeat, nausea, sweating, and trembling.
• Buspirone: This is a different type of anti-anxiety medication that can be used for a longer period to treat chronic anxiety. It helps balance the levels of dopamine and serotonin in your brain. 

It is important to note that some medications may have side effects. Potential side effects of anti-anxiety medications include nausea, blurry vision, headaches, confusion, fatigue, and nightmares.

Stimulant medications are primarily used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children, adolescents, and adults. They work by increasing alertness, attention, and energy levels. These medications have a calming effect on people with ADHD and help manage unorganized behavior. 

It is important to note that some medications may have side effects. Common side effects of stimulants include insomnia, decreased appetite, and weight loss.

Antipsychotic medications are used to treat psychosis. Psychosis is a condition that involves a loss of contact with reality, characterized by delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations. 

Psychosis can result from drug use or be a symptom of other mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression.

Antipsychotic medications help a patient experiencing psychosis to think more clearly, feel calmer, sleep better, and communicate more effectively. 

These medications work by altering how your brain uses neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters interact with receptors on nerve cells. Some neurotransmitters activate the cells, while others block these activations. Antipsychotic medications help manage this process to improve brain activity.

They are commonly used alongside other medications to treat conditions such as:

• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Eating disorders
• Delirium
• Behavioral disturbances that occur with dementia
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

It is important to note that some medications may have side effects. Antipsychotic medications can lead to side effects, such as drowsiness, upset stomach, increased appetite, and weight gain.

Mood stabilizers are used to treat bipolar disorder and manage extreme emotions associated with other mental disorders. They can also enhance the effectiveness of medications used to treat depression. 

Mood stabilizers help regulate emotions by decreasing abnormal brain activity, allowing you to manage your range of emotions more effectively.

Lithium is a well-known mood stabilizer used for treating mania and maintaining stability in bipolar disorder. Anticonvulsant medications, originally developed to treat seizures, are also used as mood stabilizers. 

It is important to note that some medications may have side effects. Mood stabilizers may have side effects, such as upset stomach, drowsiness, dizziness, tremors, blurry vision and confusion.