Health, Beauty and Lifestyle with Denise McNamara

Apart from the masochists among us, there aren’t too many people who like to be in pain. But I also don’t like taking drugs. I’ve found for years they are largely ineffective. Forget those cold and flu tablets, it’s like taking jellies. Headache? Unless it’s completely unbearably throbbing, I don’t bother with a painkiller because I find I need a lot to get any relief.

When I had to have an operation on my ankle, I warned the anaesthetist to up the dose. Ha, he smirked. You’re so funny. Not so funny when I woke up in the middle of the operation screaming in pain.

And continued roaring when coming to as the pain had me in convulsions.

It was so bad that one of the surgeons told me she considered giving Ketamine because nothing seemed to work.

Twice recently I had to have very, very painful teeth procedures. And on both occasions I hopped off the chair when the deep work began as the root pain went through the roof.

This was after a shedload of nerve blockers. And after I told two different dentists to give me double the amount they give to normal humans.

Well now I finally know why. And I can stop stressing that I’m an undiagnosed drug addict.

It’s my DNA.

A new genetic testing service called GeneCheck has just uncovered that I have a genetic variant in three out of 12 genes that will affect my reaction to commonly prescribed medications.

One of them in Codeine. Another is Tramadol. Others are very popular brands of antidepressants.

The founder of GeneCheck, David Beggs, believes this simple saliva test has the power to completely change how patients are treated.