dwilli12

Joe, I too have been through C+P at the St Pete VAMC. While it wasn't fun, it did work out ok. You've managed to keep enough control over your emotions to function for years now, keep doing what works best. Things can (and will) only get better. Let us know how it went. Dare to have hope!

joeyjoeyb - I also used AMVETS...and every time I was denied, I got the same form letter you describe. When I finally won, the AMVETS SO called me on the phone to tell me. So I'd bet it's a denial. (Though I hope not.) Also, I won SC for SA, and there was nothing in my SMR about it. I was already SC for GERD, and my IMO's talked about how often GERD and SA are found to cause/aggravate each other. However, my "winning" decision letter doesn't say that the SA is secondary to GERD. See my posts on SA. (Apologies if any of this is a repeat to you.) dwilli12

Erich - check out my posts from earlier this year on SA and how I got it SC even though it was diagnosed AFTER I retired.

I won't paste the whole article, but you should read this! http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/vete...ticle867002.ece

Thursday, October 23, 2008 - ST. PETERSBURG (Bay News 9) -- Employees at the Department of Veteran's Affairs benefits office in St. Petersburg improperly shredded eight documents, investigators with the VA said. According to Bay News 9's partner paper, the St. Petersburg Times, the VA investigators said seven of those documents would have been critical in making a decision about a veteran's claim. Officials said they do not know if the documents were dumped by accident or on purpose. The VA is now extending a national ban on all shredding in its benefits offices, until the agency works out a policy to safeguard documents. Inspectors said they found similar circumstances in three other cities. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/10...operly+shredded

Congratulations!

Please read my posts (by clicking on my nickname on the left). Read this one first, though. http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?show...amp;#entry97179 The thumbnails show the VA decisions and the IME letters from my pulmonologist. Good luck!

rickman26, If you are prescribed a CPAP, the rating is 50%. There is no mention of the pressure settings in the Rating Schedule: 6847 Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed): Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or; requires tracheostomy............... 100 Requires use of breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine................. 50 Persistent day-time hypersomnolence........................ 30 Asymptomatic but with documented sleep disorder breathing.. 0

Promised a couple of people I would post these decision letters and IME letters. Hope it helps!

Got the VA retro today...almost exactly what I predicted (> $20K) No word yet from DFAS or VA about regular monthly payments or CRDP....... probably missed the deadlines for the June payments. Still waiting on the mail to get the VA decision packet. Never had that much $$ in a checking account before!

xman52, It sure sounds to me like you have a valid claim......here's some advice based on my experience finally getting 50% SC for SA. Get "buddy letters" from co-workers and anyone else who witnessed your daytime sleepiness and night time snoring AND get a strong letter from your pulmonolgist concerning your current condition. This dr. letter should reference the state of your condition (how long did it take to get this bad?). It should also specifically state the drs. opinion is based on his examination of you, your sleep study results, a careful review of your SMR, your statements about your symptoms since they began, and the official statements (buddy letters) of your co-workers, spouse, etc. If I understand correctly, you were diagnosed while on AD, so that should help...a lot! My SMR was completely silent about any sleep issues whatsoever. I did have SC for GERD, since it was in the SMR. I was not diagnosed with SA until Dec 04, after retiring from the AF in Aug 03. So it was an uphill battle for me, but is achievable.....at least it was for my AMVETS VSO at St Pete RO. We were denied SC for SA three times! We never appealed, only requesting "re-open my claim" with a new IMO letter and/or sleep study, and "reconsideration" at the local VARO. My pulmonologist wrote three IMO letters, each more specific and stronger than the last. He was not familiar with the VA process at all, and really got annoyed at my request for the third letter.....but he wrote it, and did it well. After that third letter, My VSO was finally able to get the VARO review person to request a C&P exam at the St Pete VAMC. I went to that exam fully prepared to talk about my sleep apnea problems for the last decade. I even brought the CPAP! The examiner was quick, friendly, and to the point. It must have gone well, because less than two weeks later, my VSO calls with the good news. I also included in my mailings to my VSO four printouts of BVA decisions that included approvals of SC for SA that had been denied the VARO level. All of them dealt with the fact that the vet had SA for years, but it was not diagnosed while on active duty, mostly because the AD docs didn't know what the hell it was, and vets don't either. I don't have document numbers of these decisions handy, but I'll look them up later and send them to you. Also, you can look them up here : BVA Decisions Try searching for "apnea is granted". Last thing, I haven't received my latest decision in the mail yet. Once I do, I can read it to see what their reasoning was to grant approval. I'll let you know what I find out. Good Luck, and remember, every time one of us wins, it should make it easier for the next vet. So don't give up if you know you have a valid claim. dwilli12

8 May 08 30% SC (10% - Lt foot surg, 10% - Rt foot surg, 10% - Laceration w/scar Rt thigh, 0%- multiple conditions) Just had C&P exam for sleep apnea at St Pete VAMC, already had two sleep studies w diagnosis AFTER retirement (20 yrs USAF), buddy letters and wife affadavits, secondary to GERD which is 0% SC already. I took the CPAP to the C&P, the provider laughed good naturedly and asked if it was "show and tell" today. I said "Yes, ma'm!" I expect 50% for the SA for a total of 50% + 5% + 4.5% + 4.05 % = 63.55% rounded down to 60%. Puts me in range for CRDP and some retro as well. Its been 2.5 years since I filed for SA and it's been denied twice. AMVETS rep has kept it alive by asking for more evidence and IMEs and requesting reconsideration instead of formal appeal. This C&P is the first movement I have seen on the VBA's part that was not stonewall. This might work out after all. 16 May 08 Take heart! I got the call today from my AMVETS rep - VA has granted me SC for Sleep Apnea (secondary to my 0% for GERD), despite the fact that it was diagnosed more than a year after retirement. My 2 sleep studies and 3 IMO/IME letters (all from private docs) put me over the top. Interesting, though.......My rep says that I am now rated 70%......I thought SA with CPAP is rated at 50%, and when you add in my three 10% SC conditions you get the following: 50% + 5% + 4.5% + 4.05 % = 63.55% >>>> 60%. Either he is mistaken (I hope not) or they have found another 10% somewhere. And they gave me an effective date back to 30 Dec 05, when I first filed for SA. So the last 2.5 years have been worth it all. I owe AMVETS and my rep a huge thank you, and a lifetime membership. While I joined hadit.com late in the game, I have still read valuable advice here. I hope all of you will persist in your efforts to get the benefits we earned, need, and deserve. Send any questions about my BVA experiences to date, and I'll be glad to share. Air Power!

Take heart! I got the call today from my AMVETS rep - VA has granted me SC for Sleep Apnea (secondary to my 0% for GERD), despite the fact that it was diagnosed more than a year after retirement. My 2 sleep studies and 3 IMO/IME letters (all from private docs) put me over the top. Interesting, though.......My rep says that I am now rated 70%......I thought SA with CPAP is rated at 50%, and when you add in my three 10% SC conditions you get the following: 50% + 5% + 4.5% + 4.05 % = 63.55% >>>> 60%. Either he is mistaken (I hope not) or they have found another 10% somewhere. And they gave me an effective date back to 30 Dec 05, when I first filed for SA. So the last 2.5 years have been worth it all. I owe AMVETS and my rep a huge thank you, and a lifetime membership. While I joined hadit.com late in the game, I have still read valuable advice here. I hope all of you will persist in your efforts to get the benefits we earned, need, and deserve. Send any questions about my BVA experiences to date, and I'll be glad to share. Air Power!

I think it may be both- our society at large is suffering this condition more and more, with the vets leading the way!

30% SC (10% - Lt foot surg, 10% - Rt foot surg, 10% - Laceration w/scar Rt thigh, 0%- multiple conditions) Just had C&P exam for sleep apnea at St Pete VAMC, already had two sleep studies w diagnosis AFTER retirement (20 yrs USAF), buddy letters and wife affadavits, secondary to GERD which is 0% SC already. I took the CPAP to the C&P, the provider laughed good naturedly and asked if it was "show and tell" today. I said "Yes, ma'm!" I expect 50% for the SA for a total of 50% + 5% + 4.5% + 4.05 % = 63.55% rounded down to 60%. Puts me in range for CRDP and some retro as well. Its been 2.5 years since I filed for SA and it's been denied twice. AMVETS rep has kept it alive by asking for more evidence and IMEs and requesting reconsideration instead of formal appeal. This C&P is the first movement I have seen on the VBA's part that was not stonewall. This might work out after all.

30% SC (10% - Lt foot surg, 10% - Rt foot surg, 10% - Laceration w/scar Rt thigh, 0%- multiple conditions) Just had C&P exam for sleep apnea, already had two sleep studies w diagnosis AFTER retirement (20 yrs USAF), buddy letters and wife affadavits, secondary to GERD which is 0% SC already. I took the CPAP to the C&P, the provider laughed good naturedly and asked if it was "show and tell" today. I said "Yes, ma'm!" I expect 50% for the SA for a total of 50% + 5% + 4.5% + 4.05 % = 63.55% rounded down to 60%. Puts me in range for CRDP and some retro as well. Its been 2.5 years since I filed for SA and it's been denied twice. AMVETS rep has kept it alive by asking for more evidence and IMEs and requesting reconsideration instead of formal appeal. This C&P is the first movement I have seen on the VBA's part that was not stonewall. This might work out after all.