hypertension Sleep Study Last Night, Apnea/insomnia Rating Question

[Nathan104]

I currently have a 10% rating for "Insomnia". Along with my other sc'ed disabilities (hypertension, GERD, DDD/DJD, etc.., I am at 50% right now. I had a sleep study performed in service which showed very mild apnea. In my rating decision for Insomnia, it states I was diagnosed with a very mild sleep apnea which did not require treatment.

I have been having more sleep problems lately. Had a new sleep study performed last night at the VA hospital. They said it would be 2-3 weeks before the official word and the Dr to look it over but the sleep technician said that it looks like I have a significant sleep apnea when Im on my back which I was on for about half the night.

I have read that if you are SC'ed for Sleep apnea and are prescribed a pap machine then it is an automatic 50% which would be great.

Im guessing since it states in my Insomnia rating decision that I was diagnosed with a mild sleep apnea in service that I would not have any problem SCing the new significant sleep apnea? Im also guessing that if I were to be SC'd for the Apnea, the Insomnia rating would be taken away? Am I thinking correctly? Thanks.

Nathan

[Nathan104]

Anyone?

[huskerfanfl]

Nathan,

I have been doing a lot of research on sleep apnea and the VA since I was diagnosed in February. From the BVA decisions that I have read, there is little doubt that you would win on that level. As to whether or not it would be granted at the RO is anybody's guess. It should be. Once granted, if you use a CPAP it is 50%

[stillhere]

Nathan, Vike does not appear to be around but I think you are asking if you get rated for sleep apnea would you keep your rateing for insomnia. Hmmm, I would suggest you check the schedule of ratings.

Stillhere

[Pete53]

Only a guess but I think that it would be lumped in with Sleep Apnea. If you get a CPAP be sure and use it.

[Nathan104]

Thanks for the responses. If I get the CPAP, I will definitly use it. Im really hoping it will help out a lot. I just had a new c&p for my insomnia and I told the dr about my recent sleep study and what the unofficial word I got about it. The c&p dr said that he would note the new study and add insomnia as secondary to OSAS.

So that was my main question was whether the 10% rating for insomnia would go away or be lumped into the 50% Id get for OSAS w/ cpap. I have read over the scedule of ratings several times for several of my conditions and I still do not understand what the majority of it is talking about. Is there a breakdown anywhere out there where it is written where a normal person can read and understand it?

[Vike17]

Nathan,

Is your insomnia rated at 10% because of some type of post concussion syndrome (did you have some type of concussion while on active duty)? Do you happen to knwo what the DC (Diagnostic Code) is of your insomnia? At first it sounded like you were already rated for Sleep Apnea with insomnia, but the rating criteria for sleep apnea does not have a 10% evaluation. The rating crieria for post concussion residulas, which include insomnia are;

"8045 Brain disease due to trauma:

Purely neurological disabilities, such as hemiplegia, epileptiform seizures, facial nerve paralysis, etc., following trauma to the brain, will be rated under the diagnostic codes specifically dealing with such disabilities, with citation of a hyphenated diagnostic code (e.g., 8045–8207).

Purely subjective complaints such as headache, dizziness, insomnia, etc., recognized as symptomatic of brain trauma, will be rated 10 percent and no more under diagnostic code 9304. This 10 percent rating will not be combined with any other rating for a disability due to brain trauma. Ratings in excess of 10 percent for brain disease due to trauma under diagnostic code 9304 are not assignable in the absence of a diagnosis of multi-infarct dementia associated with brain trauma."

Here is the rating criteria for sleep apnea;

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%

Vike 17