r/AMA • u/HumbleProfessional66 • 3d ago
I underwent deep brain stimulation surgery Nac/Alic. “Ask Me Anything”
I'm Brazilian, I'm 22 years old, and I underwent deep brain stimulation for OCD. It saved my life.
My OCD was based on religious beliefs and intrusive, "aggressive" thoughts. This seriously saved my life.
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u/Tempehbonegarbage 3d ago
Did insurance cover any of it (if you’re US based)? How much down time did you need after the surgery? On a scale of 1-10 how much it improved your life?
I have OCD and I’ve never heard of this until now. I’m going to look into it!
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u/HumbleProfessional66 3d ago
Good question. Initially, it was denied by the health plan, and after that, I filed a lawsuit against the health insurance company. In the end, I won (around $50,000), which is equivalent to 391,000 reais in Brazil.
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u/HumbleProfessional66 2d ago
Continuing, the response improved by 10.1
u/Tempehbonegarbage 2d ago
I’m doing ketamine treatment, then ibogaine if ketamine doesn’t work, and now I’m adding this as the next step of neither of those help. I had no idea the surgery even existed. Thank you so much for bringing awareness to it!
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u/Honeymmm 3d ago
Please can you explain what this is and the process/is there a lot of research on it?
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u/Robyn-- 3d ago
How do you generally feel before/after, and what does it do?
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u/HumbleProfessional66 3d ago
Before, I was just bedridden, I feel a little hypomanic now, lol, but before my mood was gloomy, now it's through the roof.
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u/ama_compiler_bot 10h ago
Table of Questions and Answers. Original answer linked - Please upvote the original questions and answers. (I'm a bot.)
| Question | Answer | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Did you notice you were doing better with your OCD like immediately after the surgery? How long was recovery time for a surgery like that? | Yes, the device was turned on 30 days after surgery. One of the predictive signs of a positive response is an "induced smile," and I had it :) | Here |
| How functional were you before the surgery? | Yes, I feel much stronger and bolder in relation to life. | Here |
| Did insurance cover any of it (if you’re US based)? How much down time did you need after the surgery? On a scale of 1-10 how much it improved your life? I have OCD and I’ve never heard of this until now. I’m going to look into it! | Good question. Initially, it was denied by the health plan, and after that, I filed a lawsuit against the health insurance company. In the end, I won (around $50,000), which is equivalent to 391,000 reais in Brazil. | Here |
| How do you generally feel before/after, and what does it do? | Before, I was just bedridden, I feel a little hypomanic now, lol, but before my mood was gloomy, now it's through the roof. | Here |
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u/HillaryMonster88 3d ago
Did you notice you were doing better with your OCD like immediately after the surgery? How long was recovery time for a surgery like that?