Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules
Andyman73
-
Posts
1,802 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
18
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
VA Disability, benefits, news and more.
VA Benefits News
Store
Posts posted by Andyman73
-
-
Fat,
Before I was DXd with SA, I had horrendous acid reflux, I was taking purple pills as often as I could, following the directions on the box, of course. And the dual action chewables, they really helped. I would wake up at least once a week choking back the bile as it attempted to outflank me in an effort to infiltrate my breathing apparatus(s), AKA lungs. It had a very distinctive taste, not like regular vomit, more like pure bile.
And ever since my DX and subsequent CPAP use, the acid reflux has been reduced by 95%.
Buck,
I'm off to see my sleep specialist in a few weeks, so we'll see what they can do for me.
Semper Fi.
Andyman
-
1 hour ago, paulstrgn said:
Hi Andy,
I tried to send Berta a message and it says she cannot receive any. Do you know what I may be doing wrong?
Thanks,
Paul
I think she mentioned something a week ago, or so, about getting a new computer and trying to learn how it works. So if the error message says she can't receive, well, then maybe it's not your end that's causing the issues. My tech skills are limited to plugging in, turning on, and pushing play!
-
Here's what I know, in my current job, my best year, with 20 hrs overtime per pay cycle, I cleared $32K take home, for a family of 4. I would be way up s@#$ creek with out a paddle, if not for my VA comp check. When I was laid off, years ago, my then 40% was the only thing keeping us afloat, and that was while draining my life savings...was a rough 9 months.
A couple missed or denied claims from 12-15yrs ago would have changed everything. I'm grateful for what I do receive, and look forward to the future to when the rest finally comes through. Then I know my family will not have to worry or count every penny anymore.
- Palma114, green, TexasMarine and 1 other
-
4
-
Paul,
You're welcome. Every little bit helps.
Semper Fi.
Andy
-
I know during my sleep study, the part with no CPAP, I had around 100 or so apnea events, and no REM sleep. And my O2 saturation dropped into the mid 70% range. Not sure what the mean bpm was, but I think it peaked at over 100 bpm a time or two.
-
-
Paul,
You will find that you may well have to go down the "Yellow Brick Road" to get SA SC'd. Most, if not, all of us here have done so, or are doing so now(like me).
All it takes is for one ignorant, or willfully negligent examiner, to opine that your lengthy paper trail is insignificant at best, to derail your claim. Some of the Vets on here(asknod, gastone, and the wonderful (2X married to Vets but not one herself) Ms. Berta) have deep knowledge of the hows and whys of disability claims. And they can and will give you guidance if you ask.
Semper Fi.
Andy
-
Not only do I feel I don't fit in, but I always try to fade into the background. Even in my own family, only 1 cousin is a Vet. A few years ago, another cousin married an AD USAF type. So there isn't much in common there, and on my wife's side, none of our generation served. I try to stay quiet, and mind my self, it's so much easier that way.
-
Better that than have your spouse treat you like you're just a stupid man, I suppose. Forgetting stuff all the time, or not doing it the right way, or saying the right thing. Or missing family events, because you signed up for overtime, after you checked and got the go ahead. Or school events, because you didn't take off early, because you weren't told. Or missed dinner with the in-laws for same reasons. Or looking like a big dummy in front of your wife and kids' friends.....or family friends, or in-law's family, or their friends...Nothing like going to in-law's relative's multi million $ beach house, and commit some major social faux pas cus you weren't given instructions on how or what or why.
Not that I know what that's like, cuz I don't, just imagining what it could be like.
-
Wondering if this will help my claim, or not.
-
I was thinking an all white snowsuit with white face cover as well.
-
4mydad,
Your Dad is blessed to have you as a child.
Yep, they love to play games with Vets futures.
I offered to help my Dad, but not only did that dog not hunt, but got kicked off the porch, too.
-
Tim,
Well then, ya got a leg up on so many, just by having a copy of your SMR on hand.
-
Just saw on eBenefits, estimated completion of claim 3/18-8/20. So...
-
Got my appointment, for May 9th.
-
Good idea, ArNG11, not only will riding on top of the glaciers give me some sun, but it will also let me see what's coming. Better bring something to sit on, my luck, I'll end up freezing fast, and then, losing my glutes to frostbite induced gangrene! Lol!
Got my appointment to see the sleep specialist, May 9th.
As for lost time related damage...15 years between successful claims is my burden to carry. My life and my family's would have been dramatically different if I had found Hadit back in 2000. I can barely stand the thoughts of what may have been, or what was, due to the VA's standard practice of deny till they die, or go away. All the contentions left unspoken, left unclaimed...the weight of disappointment after disappointment heaped upon my head, from the one nearest and dearest, will never be overcome.
Success in the future will ease the load, but the long term effects are permanent.
-
Gastone,
I just called the center that did my sleep study, only got a voicemail, so I left multiple phone #'s so they can reach me. I also looked over their website, to see what I may learn. I saw that hypertension, depression and memory loss are some of the side effects that I do suffer from. And some of the symptoms, that I did have, from their list, snoring, pauses in breathing or gasping/choking, sleep talking, restless sleep, night terrors, waking with headaches, waking tired or exhuasted.
I will be going through my SMR and digging out every entry that may possibly tie-in to SA.
As for my neck size, I think I'm a 16-16.5, tongue width - unknown.
Going back to what the Dr. that interviewed me during my neuro exam on Tuesday, when I told her that I do have SA, and use a Bipap, she said Oh yeah, SA is a major cause of memory loss, especially short term. And the longer left untreated, and the lower your O2 level during sleep, the worse the memory loss as well. When I told her that my pulse-ox dropped into the 70s % saturation range, she visibly cringed! I told her I'm too afraid to not use it, and take it everywhere I go for overnight trips.
I really hope that the sleep specialist will be willing to help me out with both my current sleep situation and VA claims.
Thanks again, Gastone, for your words of wisdom and encouragement.
Semper Fi
Andy
-
Tim_RVA,
I actually do have one of my SCDs awarded based on examiner opining "at least as likely as not due to rigors of military service in the Marine Corps." That award is only 10%, but it's there. However, I did take a shortcut down the stairs on day 5 of boot camp at MCRD San Diego.
I served '92-'98, and the KC-130 unit I was in did support the 2/2 MEU on a regular basis.
Also, if you served around anything noisy, be it weapons, or engines(aircraft, armor, generators) hearing loss and tinnitus are worth filing for.
I understand your way of thinking, avoiding the corpsmen and sickcall like the plague, but for me, it was more of a survival tactic. I could not justify falling back during formation PT without the resulting trips to sick call for my knees and back, otherwise a 30 day "detention" to the remedial pt club was in order.
Semper Fi
Andyman
-
-
From reading this thread, and several others regarding SA in one fashion or another, I am finding many similarities to my own medical history...such as early signs of hypertension, multiple cases of URI, pneumonia, angina, ETOH abuse during AD years, and so on. I will be calling the sleep lab that did my test and resulting DX, to get in for re-evaluation. I will most certainly be discussing all of these things with them at that time, as well.
-
-
I know mine is medically necessary by virtue that my insurance never questioned the DX or asked for 1 cent in payment. They actually in paid full for my unit, not leasing it like I've heard some do. Now I have to schedule to get re-evaluated to see if my prescription needs to be adjusted. I'm sure going to be asking them if they can/will assist me with my claim with a nexus letter.
-
-
Denied Sleep Apnea Claim
in Appealing Your Veterans Compensation Disability Claims NOD, DRO, BVA, USCAVC
Posted
Berta,
My wife and I started dating 18 months before my EAS, would she qualify to write a "buddy statement" testifying to my snoring, talking in my sleep, and long pauses between breaths?
I know I was late more than once, slept right through the alarm. Tho' I don't believe I was written up for it. And boy did I ever have trouble staying awake, especially by mid day!!! That was long before I discovered coffee. By 0900hrs I couldn't sit down longer than 2-3 minutes before my head started nodding.