ptsd C & P for sleep apnea.

[Rocket1949]

Hi everyone. First let me take a moment to thank Hadit and all whom use it and share their experiences. It is a most valuable resource.

i put in a fully developed claim 3 months ago for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD.  My claim went from gathering of evidence to prep for decision and back to gathering of evidence were it is at now. I called the 800 # and they told me that I will be getting a letter for a

C&P exam at the West LA hospital.

Has anyone gone thru a sleep apnea C&P exam before? If so what was your experience? Did they have you do a sleep study?

Thanks ,

[rigo8582]

I'm currently waiting for a decision for my claim of sleep apnea. I had a sleep study that was done through the VA prior to making the claim. Chances are you're going to need a sleep study done. This just my $.02 but I think you'll have to have a sleep study done. With claiming it as secondary to PTSD there probably to be a study to see if you have Obstructive and/or central sleep apnea.

My claim is secondary to GERD. Just last week I received my CPAP and now just waiting on the decision of my claim. Good luck with your claim. Also having a sleep study isn't all that bad. If anything it was very informative for me. It put many things into perspective on many of my symptoms.

[Gastone]

SA Secondary to PTSD is a difficult claim.

Has any VA or Private MD (Neurologist Board Certified Sleep Specialist) opined as to the etiology of your SA?

What's your BMI and Neck size?

How about posting the redacted results of the VA Sleep Study?

Semper Fi

[broncovet]

Yes.  If you have not had a sleep study done, there is little chance of being awarded ANY compensation for sleep apnea.  

A sleep study is almost always required for a prescription for a CPAP or BiPAP.  

To get a 50% rating for OSA you need 2 things:

1.  Your OSA has to be "service connected",

2.  You would need to be on a CPAP/BiPap.  

Im currently in appeals for sleep apnea.    However, since IM already at 100%, my lawyer recommended "dropping" the OSA claim as, frankly, I have stronger options of increasing compensation.  

Still, however, reopening the sleep apnea claim is a possibility.  

I had a "bad" C and P exam.  Apparently, I challenged the credentials of the examiner "too late".  The examiner was a MD, but had "0" sleep medicine experience.    She actually used the internet to opine on my claim.  

For me to get SC for OSA, I will likely need an IMO/IME.    Dont forget the "big 3", which lurk over almost every claim:

1.  Current diagnosis (of sleep apnea).  For compensation purposes, you will need to be prescribed a CPAP.  (And using it). 

2.  In service Event or aggravation.  (This is not necessary in the event of secondary service connection, as the in service event would already demonstrate an inservice event.  

3.  Nexus, or link between one and two, above.  In the case of secondary service connection you will need a statement from a qualified medical professional that your sleep apnea is "at least as likely as not" due to PTSD or other primary SC condition.  

As Buck said, sleep apnea is tough to win.  

[Gastone]

Then there's always the possibility of an SA 50% SC getting bumped to a Scheduler 100% if at some point you develop Right Ventricle problems associated with Cor Pulmanale, Pulmonary Hypertension or the need for supplemental 02 while on Cpap or Bipap, which constitutes Chronic Respiratory Failure.    

Semper Fi