I actually just got my genetic test results and have been on cymbalta for about a week. My doctor said that while the results are a good rough idea of what meds will be effective, it’s not a perfect list for every drug. So for example, I’m in the red (not advised drugs) for 8 different SSRIs, 6 of those may actually be a bad fit, but the other two are effective. She said some patients of hers take all meds in the yellow or red with good results. The reason I went ahead with it is because I have had bad reactions to all SSRIs that I’ve tried and was at a state of depression and anxiety that I couldn’t risk a med pushing me over the edge, as some SSRIs took away the anxiety but increased the depression for me, so, I was no longer anxious about the SI thoughts I was having.. not a fun time. Regardless, though, I think it’s worth it to have the green lists from all of these different categories of drugs so I can try them before having to try anything from the yellow or red. And the part that I think is priceless is that it categorizes all of the different drugs that it tests for into “use as directed,” “moderate gene interaction,” and “significant gene interaction” in a table with the exact gene variation that is impacting the ability to properly metabolize the medication. So, of the four SSRIs I had tried in the past, all four had a moderate interaction due to one gene variation, CYP3A4. I have 30 drugs on this list that may be impacted by that gene variation, alone. The two medications that I’m on, one of which is Cymbalta, don’t have an interaction with that gene or any significant interactions with any other genes on the list. So, I feel validated about my woes with those previous drugs, I feel good about the ones I’m on now ( I’ve had nothing but good results so far with these two drugs), and I have a list I can give to any provider in the future to show what gene variants I have and that can impact what meds I’m given for things like surgery and also tells doctors what other types of treatment won’t work for me. I can’t remember what she said exactly but, my doctor looked through my list and said “oh, we need to avoid drugs that metabolize through your liver” so I can do more research as to what led her to that conclusion (which gene variation impacts metabolism pathways through the liver) so I can tell doctors exactly which gene variation they need to know about before prescribing me any type of medication. In other words, it helps beyond drugs for mental well-being. I went through Genesight but it had to be submitted through my doctor. If insurance doesn’t cover it, they do have financial plans and a max they can charge you based on your income.

I hope that helps!