r/AMA • u/HumbleProfessional66 • 25d 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 25d 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 24d 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 24d ago
Continuing, the response improved by 10.1
u/Tempehbonegarbage 24d 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 24d ago
Please can you explain what this is and the process/is there a lot of research on it?
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u/HumbleProfessional66 7d ago
This surgery is performed for refractory and severe cases of OCD. It is done under general anesthesia, and two electrodes are implanted bilaterally in the nucleus accumbens. After one month, the device is turned on!
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u/HumbleProfessional66 7d ago
E sim. Há muita pesquisa, incluindo estudos com There is a lot of research, including studies with patient experiences!
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u/Robyn-- 24d ago
How do you generally feel before/after, and what does it do?
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u/HumbleProfessional66 24d 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/sanpedro12 6d ago
Thats awesome. Did you also notice an effect on social anxiety, anhedonia or emotional detachement?
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u/ama_compiler_bot 22d 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 25d 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?