At Magnus Medical, we meet many people who have spent years fighting depression. Among them are veterans who have already sacrificed so much, yet still find themselves battling an invisible enemy long after their service ends.

This is the story of Alan S., a 100% Service-Connected USAF veteran whose depression was documented for years in his Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) record. He completed five days of SAINT® Depression Therapy and, within 1–2 weeks, the depressive weight was gone. Before that, the VA cycled him through sertraline, fluoxetine, venlafaxine XR, duloxetine, bupropion XL, mirtazapine, and most recently trazodone—none produced durable remission.

The Search for a Solution

Depression had been part of Alan’s life for years and was well documented in his VA medical record. He had been prescribed several antidepressants, but none offered the kind of steady relief he hoped for. On top of that, some antidepressant medications caused side effects that made daily life more difficult or uncomfortable.

What he remembers most clearly is how the medications affected his thinking, often making him feel foggy and not fully himself. For someone with a background in law enforcement and ongoing civic involvement, that lack of sharpness was more than an inconvenience. It affected how he saw himself and how he moved through the world.

“Medication wasn’t fixing the problem for me,” he explained.

Alan had looked into standard transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), but the 6-8 week treatment schedule and relatively modest success rate did not fit his needs. The scientific approach behind SAINT, along with the shorter and more focused treatment schedule, made much more sense to him. He told us, ““As a former USAF Security Police Specialist, I was trained to make decisions and act under pressure. What hurt most was initiation and focus—tasks that should take an hour could take two days. SAINT’s five-day, fcMRI-guided iTBS offered precise targeting and a timeline that matched the urgency I felt.”

• Standard TMS usually requires six to eight weeks of daily sessions and has about a 30% remission rate.
• SAINT is delivered over five days and has shown about an 80% remission rate in studies.

The combination of innovative neuroscience, precision targeting, and a faster timeline felt aligned with the urgency of his situation.

A Fight for Access

Finding SAINT was only part of Alan’s journey. Getting access to it through the VA was another challenge entirely. He described this process in detail:

“Getting the treatment approved through the VA took about two months. In New Orleans, Dr. Erik Kinzie (VA Mental Health) reviewed my materials and discussed them with three VA psychiatrists. The VA then authorized treatment through Community Care, and I received SAINT at LSU/LCMC Health with Magnus support. I also sent detailed letters to VA leadership, Community Care, LSU leadership, and my Senator to keep the process moving.”

Profound Results in Five Days

Alan finally completed his five day SAINT treatment at LCMC under Dr. McGee’s care. During treatment, he noticed subtle changes and about one to two weeks later, he realized his depression was no longer there.

“The constant depressive weight I had lived with was gone,” he said.

While he still has normal daily stresses, he no longer becomes depressed because of them. His loved ones immediately noticed he was “calmer, more even, and more focused,” he continued. SAINT did not erase his problems but “it changed how my brain responds to them.” He is now working with his providers at the VA to refocus care away from depression treatment.

Key Takeaways

• Roughly 17 U.S. veterans die by suicide each day, highlighting the need for effective depression interventions
• Major depressive disorder affects more than 21 million adults in the United States, according to national survey data
• Standard transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) typically involves 30 to 36 clinic visits over six to eight weeks, with remission rates around 30 percent in many studies
• SAINT Depression Therapy is delivered in five days and has shown approximately 79 to 80 percent remission in randomized controlled trials
• Antidepressant medications are often trialed repeatedly, yet an estimated one-third of patients do not achieve adequate relief with medication alone

Published with permission. Name abbreviated to protect privacy.