Sleep Apnea

[USMCVet13]

I am planning to file a claim for sleep apnea after talking to my VSO. I was diagnosed with OSA last April, and separated early 2013. I don't have anything in my service medical records about sleep issues, so I understand that it will be an uphill battle. I've also gained weight since I got out, although I have lost weight since receiving my CPAP.

I have a statement from my wife talking about my symptoms over the last 10 years and how I would never go to medical for it. I also have several buddy letters stating that I snored loud enough to wake them up, had to be moved into our server room to sleep, was tired and would doze off at work, napped during lunches and breaks, and woke often at night. I also have a buddy statement that verifies I spoke to a Corpsman in Iraq and was given an OTC sleep aid. We were attached to an infantry platoon and that never made it into my records.

I have two videos that my wife took shortly before I separated that show me snoring loudly and sleeping with my mouth open. I also had weight issues off and on while I was in. I was assigned to BCP twice, and "diagnosed" with obesity a few times as well. My neck is the same size or smaller since I got out.  

If I'm able to give all this to a sleep specialist and get an opinion that it's likely that I had undiagnosed OSA while I was in, do I stand a chance at winning?

The reason I ask is that I've been told by my VSO and my doctor that I probably won't win it because of my weight gain, and I'm considering pulling it off until I lose some more weight. 

Edited March 31, 2017 by USMCVet13

[brokensoldier244th]

Semper Fi, DD. First of all, good on you for getting a handle on your symptoms and trying to get ahead of it. OSA can kill you. Its not cool, and it really affects quality of life. While you can't submit the videos to VA, the sleep tech might find them useful, especially if your wife got you 'starting' or twitching/losing breath in your sleep. If they are time/date stamped all the better. If your sleep tech or his boss (the actual doctor) says "at least as likely as not" or even better, that it is, then you probably have a pretty good shot. I had an audio recording, and notes from my wife when I went to my sleep study, about 8 yrs after I separated. I had to appeal once for a percentage above 0% but they did service connect it the first time which got me my CPAP. After the appeal they granted me 50% for it. SO, good luck, march on, give em hell. 

[Buck52]

If you don't have medical records of  OSA or any type of sleep disturbance  during your military service  yes its going to be an up-hill battle.

Being Diagnose by VA and given a C-Pap machine to use is not good enough to claim  S..A. For service connection.  However Having sleep apnea my self I know how important the C-PAP Machine truly is  it can save your life.  so I an glad you got a C-PAP Machine to use.

The only other way to recieve a Sleep Apnea Claim  is Secondary to an already S.C. disability  like PTSD Medications /or another S.C. Condition that would be related to OSA and you need an opinion from a quailed Dr to nexus that.   ....it is likey as not the PTSD Medications  (name them)you take for PTSD prescribe by VA is related to your now OSA.  and the Dr mention his/her credentials 

Its unlikely they will use buddy statements about your snoring to service connect  S.A. but its been used as evidence  and  you do need to mention that.

Sleep Apnea Claims are very Hard to win if no prior medical records while in the military.

jmo

[USMCVet13]

Thanks for the replies. I wish I had listened to my wife when this stuff first popped up while I was on active duty. I'm sure I'm not alone in pushing it off because I didn't want to complain about being tired. Everyone is tired when you're doing patrols, shift work, early PT, etc and sleep apnea wasn't really well known, at least not by me. She finally convinced me to get a sleep study done, and I'm glad I did. Getting it treated is more important than the service connection. 

I'm filing claims for a few other things, but I don't know if I'd be able to use any of those things to connect it secondary. 

I'm thinking that I'll just drop the sleep apnea from my claim and focus on getting everything that's documented in my records approved first. 

[brokensoldier244th]

Opioid and synthetic opioid medications can contribute to it as well. Tramadol, for example, is a synthetic opiate that is prescribed by VA for breakthrough pain and it can be an airway depressant. 

 

Tramadol (Includes Tramadol) ↔ Respiratory Depression

Moderate Potential Hazard, Moderate plausibility

Applies to: Pulmonary Impairment, Altered Consciousness, Asphyxia, Brain/Intracranial Tumor, Cerebral Vascular Disorder, Head Injury, Respiratory Arrest, Sleep Apnea

Tramadol may produce some respiratory depression, but less than morphine at recommended dosages. Respiratory depression most often occurs when tramadol is given in high dosages with anesthetic medications or alcohol. Tramadol may also increase airway resistance, which can result in dyspnea. In general, the respiratory effects at therapeutic analgesic dosages are not clinically important except in some patients with preexisting pulmonary impairment. Therapy with tramadol should be administered cautiously in patients with underlying CNS and respiratory depression; sleep apnea; hypoxia, anoxia, or hypercapnia; upper airway obstruction; chronic pulmonary insufficiency; a limited ventilatory reserve; or other respiratory disorders. Caution is also advised in patients who may be at increased risk for respiratory depression, such as comatose patients or those with head injury, intracranial lesions, or intracranial hypertension. If clinically significant respiratory depression occurs, naloxone may be administered. However, it may only partially antagonize the effects of tramadol while increasing the risk of tramadol-associated seizures.

References

1. "Product Information. Ultram (tramadol)." McNeil Pharmaceutical, Raritan, NJ.

[Buck52]

USMCVet13

You should file all your claims at once even the Sleep Apnea , if you get denied on some and the Sleep Apnea claim , then you have a year & can NOD the decisions on the ones you get denied on  ..it basically starts your early effective dates on these claims  if you decide to per-sure them.

if you get service connected for a condition that could be related to OSA then thats your chance to get your Sleep Apnea S.C. 

 

[USMCVet13]

The only medication I take is Motrin, which I eat like candy. 

I'll go ahead and submit for it with as much support as I can and see what happens. 

Appreciate it.