[jules1]

Does anyone know anything about testing your DNA to establish which eplilepsy drug you should take please?

[Jerri in Boston]

Check out this website to get more info. on DNA and meds:
http://www.healthanddna.com/drugreactiontest.html

[Jerri in Boston]

You're right, it's not 100% reliable. Yet.

But it's getting there. And It's getting there fast.

DNA tests, if totally reliable, will take much of the quess-work out of prescribing medication that will both work and will have as few side effects as possible.
Here's How:
It's easy to get your DNA by swabbing the inside of your mouth with a q-tip.
Let’s say your DNA happens to be the highly improbable

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
By the way, This is just an example drawn out of thin air.
Well, suppose tests show that people who share the DNA sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 don’t breakdown aspirin as quickly as most.
So you should take less aspirin than most people.

Even more extreme, let’s say that other people with your DNA sequence (1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2)
actually can’t even tolerate aspirin. Or it doesn’t do a thing for them. Then you don’t take it.

You can see how this technique might be used in prescribing drugs. The sequencing might be harder to find, but DNA testing is a step in the right direction. After all, if, according to your D.N.A., aspirin (or a prescribed drug) won’t even help you, or could even hurt you, you will avoid it.

Linnie

[Cedar]

I am very interested, does it have to do with any types of epilepsy or just particular types. Say your epilepsy is due to a malformation of the brain, can it still help?
Hope to learn much more here about this. Thanks for posting this. Happy New Year very one! MAy it be healthy and a good one.

[Porkette]

Hi Folks,
The DNA testing is fairly new as Jerri mentioned but it helps find the correct AED for the person without having to try so many different AED's. I know when they did the DNA testing on me the Dr. found that I was drug resistant and that the only AED's that would help me the most is mysoline and diamox without causing bad side effects or more sz.
I want to thank you Jerri for posting the page. Cedar, according to my epi and other Drs. the DNA testing will help will any kind of medical condition to find the right med for a person. If you have ever seen forensic science it will help you understand it much. Here's wishing all of you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Cedar]

Though new my question is why then do Dr.s not do more of this? What does one do, reguest it? I am curious about this and want to know what infor it can tell me and my dr.
Thanks everyone for the help given so far here about it.