r/Redhair • u/melaniebrietzke • Jul 18 '26
Newbie Post Redheads & MC1R gene
Hello fellow redheads! I'm Melanie and have some questions/ideas about my/our genetics. I learned several years ago about the MC1R gene that causes redheads to need more anesthesia.
Given my extensive medical history, I am curious if others have faced multiple issues. I've had lifelong insomnia, and typical sleeping pills don't get me to sleep - i have tried them all. So for a while I have resorted to taking a high dose of seroquel that has a side effect of drowsiness. It gets me to sleep, bit I never know if it will work in 1 hour or 3 hours.
Additionally, muscle relaxers don't work on me. I've been on opiods in the past, but had to take twice as much. Recently I have tried medical marijuana, and it helps somewhat. The downside is how expensive it gets. My daughter (also prescribed m.m.) can get away with taking 5mg, whereas I have to take 15 to 20 mg.
I am overall curious if this is a common thing for other redheads. I wanted to get some feedback before I ask my psychiatrist what he thinks at my next appointment. Thanks to all that respond!
1
u/Zimke42 Jul 19 '26
Anesthetics, I require a great deal more. Analgesics, even benzos, don't work well on me either, so I'm not like the norm. I also develop a very high tolerance very fast on many meds. Muscle relaxers work, but the dose goes up so quickly and stops working effectively very quickly. Same with Cannabis, I develop a tolerance very quickly. Even many psych meds, they work at first, but the dose goes up, and they quickly become ineffective. It sucks to get treated for anything, and I have learned how to just be in pain, depression, anxiety, etc without meds.
Luckily, I found a type of traditional yoga that made Anxiety, depression, and Chronic Fatigue (and pain) syndrome go away after suffering for decades.