Medicine Side Effects Information: What to Do About It

Are you looking for medicine side effects information? This article gives you an overview of the effects of medication on the body and what you can do about them, including how genetic testing can help prevent adverse reactions before they happen.

Most of us have experienced side effects from prescription drugs, herbal remedies, or dietary supplements at some point. Knowing what to do and how to reduce them can make a meaningful difference in how well your treatment works.

Know If You Are Suffering from Drug Side Effects

Most people recognize side effects because they look up possible reactions for their medications. Some of the most common ones include:

• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Upset stomach
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Skin reactions

If you believe you are experiencing side effects, contact your prescribing physician. Usually there are alternatives that interact with your body more favorably for the same condition.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks common and life-threatening side effects to ensure drugs are safe. You can report adverse reactions to medications directly to the FDA at MedWatch.

How Genetic Testing Can Prevent Medication Side Effects

Since many people suffer from serious side effects, preventing them is preferable to managing them after the fact. Genetic testing is one of the most effective ways to do this.

DNA holds a significant amount of information about how your body processes medications. The field of pharmacogenomics analyzes specific gene variants, such as CYP2D6 and CYP2C19, that determine how your body metabolizes drugs. This can reveal:

• Which medications are likely to be effective for you
• Which medications carry a higher risk of adverse reactions
• Which dosage levels are appropriate based on your metabolism

Your physician can use this information to select medications and dosages that are better matched to your specific genetic profile, reducing the likelihood of side effects before you ever take the drug.

Get Started With Pharmacogenomic Analysis

If you already have DNA data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, or another provider, you can upload your raw DNA data to Sequencing for free and access pharmacogenomic analysis apps through the Partner Marketplace.

Your genetic data does not change over time, so pharmacogenomic insights derived from your DNA remain relevant as you encounter new medications throughout your life.

For the most comprehensive pharmacogenomic picture, Sequencing's whole genome sequencing reads 100% of your DNA across over 30,000 genes, including all variants relevant to drug metabolism and medication response. It is CLIA-certified, clinical-grade, and available from $399.

Order your whole genome sequencing kit today or upload your existing DNA data for free to find out which medications are best suited to your genetic profile.