Sleep Apnea question about CPAP prescription

[Wayne TX]

I will have been on a CPAP come a year Dec. 1st.  As I understand I have to turn my CPAP into my local VAMC, which I assume is to show the actual usage in order to get prescribed for another year of usage. My question is what is VA looking for inside the CPAP besides obviously the conisitent usage, and what actual data is there for them to see and evaluate?  I read somewhere that they can see if your apneas have increased or decreased......is this true?  Has anyone ever actually gone from moderate or severe OSA to no apneas ? If this is true..........I do not understand how it can go lower in apneas when other conditions are still involved like allergies, sinus, deviated septum, etc.?  Just curious what is involved and what is the data  extracted from CPAP.  I do have a claim in for SA as a NOD.  Thanks for any help on this subject.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Wayne TX

[Buck52]

I think they just want to see if your using the c-pap faithfully and yes check out the data on it too, and see if all is ok with you and your sleep times?

as for as S.A. Claims I don't think it matters if your sleep Apnea is Mild or chronic  Sleep Apena can kill ya no matter what .

I'm not sure if they base the ratings % on this  or not or use the symptoms to rate S.A. ..I have always been told  if your Dx with S.A. and using a VA prescribe C-PAP Machine   its automatic 50% rating if you can prove it to be secondary from a SC. Disability  or you have records while in the military to show you had S.A or OSA ON RECORD.

JMO

...............Buck

[EODCMC]

I'm certainly no expert. My Sleep Study clinic monitors my usage without the machine ever leaving my house. It has a built in modem. However, there is a card that can also be removed and data can be transferred to any computer for further transfer. I can't see a reason you would have to bring your CPAP anywhere. I suppose there are different versions; however, it sounds like a major inconvenience.

[Wayne TX]

EODCMC......I was told to bring my CPAP to VAMC in on my first anniversary date.......doesn't make a lot of sense to me either if all there going to do is extract a chip and replace with a new one. I assume the chip is not easy to locate or retrieve and that they need to insert a new one anyway to insure functionality.  I am assuming you just walk in with the CPAP, they extract what they need and then add a new chip, and you return home with it same day for that night.  Has anyone actually experienced bringing in their CPAP to a VAMC Sleep Study Lab and exactly what takes place there? I doubt they're able to monitor from my home, which is a great advantage for you EODCMC, since they said bring the hardware with me.  

Edited September 29, 2016 by Wayne TX

[EODCMC]

Wayne, Buck has been intimating that the VA is cracking down on the SA compensations. Perhaps they feel that folks aren't using the machines and/or tampering with the results. They are ever looking for ways to reduce fraud. 

That said, it's about my health. The machine literally reduces my apneas to normal levels. I sleep better, I feel better and many symptoms are improving. My doctor tells me that I will return to very severe OSA without using it. Oh and by the way, my wife will sleep in the same room again.

I suppose a yearly visit to the VA with the machine is worth the peace of mind and the compensation.

[toddt]

Wayne, for the first two years of use I was directed to bring my CPAP machine into my VAMC every 6 months.  They would take the card out and read and record the results.  The information on the card tells them the average usage time per night.  They ask you if you are having any problems with it, if you are getting better sleep, do you have dry mouth, did you change the filter, etc.  I have not been contacted for almost a  year now. I would not worry about it.

[Buck52]

I remember I had to bring my c-pap back in after the 1st 30 days of use, I took the machine to the sleep clinic and told he clerk I was suppose to bring the machine back within 30 days  its been 30 days as of yesterday  so here is the machine,

she took it and  got the sims card out and that was it  she said thats all just take the machine back home and use it every night...so I am guessing there's another card in the machine some where?

then after a few days I looked on my progress notes and seen where the sleep tech wrote my dates of usage/ (hours used nightly) and the apneas I had and how long they lasted and listed them as moderate...since then I ain't heard a word from the sleep clinic  thats been about 10 moths ago.

I too sleep better with the machine. keep it clean change out filters about ever 4 or 5 weeks  because when I do the filter still looks clean  i guess we can't see the dust in the filter? because some times I can see dust on my dresser.

As for as intimidated veterans with c-pap I don't mean it that way  I just want to make sure vets get a fair deal and be wise to the VA ..If you use your machine every night  then you should not worry. and especially if it helps you sleep better  that's the main reason.