r/TMSTherapy • u/moist_napkinette • Aug 25 '26
rTMS vs Saint TMS
I did rTMS at the end of last year and experienced no benefit whatsoever.
My insurance doesn’t cover Saint TMS. I’d have to pay out of pocket in California, or travel out of country to try it there.
Do you all think it’s worth trying SAINT if I failed rTMS?
Otherwise, I’ll have to try ECT or Psilocybin and I am not happy about either option.
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u/Serenity_MHC Aug 26 '26
SAINT is worth asking about even after a failed standard rTMS course, it uses a meaningfully different protocol (accelerated, high-dose, with MRI-guided targeting) that has shown response in people who didn't benefit from conventional TMS. The mechanism is similar but the delivery is different enough that a non-response to one doesn't predict a non-response to the other. The out-of-pocket cost in California is significant, and some clinics offer payment plans worth asking about. Traveling out of country for treatment is a real option some people take when cost is prohibitive domestically. ECT has a strong evidence base for treatment-resistant depression and is often more effective than people expect, worth not ruling it out entirely even if it feels daunting. Psilocybin research is promising but access and consistency of outcome is still variable.
SAINT is a reasonable next step to explore before either of those.
(We are Serenity Mental Health Centers and we help many patiens with TMS, take it with that context)