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Sleep Apnea Secondary To Sc Asthma?

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Ron II

Question

I developed sleep apnea several years after I retired from the Army. I now use a

CPAP and I think my level/volume on the CPAP is 18, which is fairly high. I have a claim

pending for SC asthma (it has been rated, but I have not been officially notified of the results).

Question: Is sleep apnea an asthma-related (i.e. secondary) disability? My asthma

presented itself during my military career (documented), continued during the first 12 months of my retirement (documented) and continues to this day (documented).

I should add that I have "grown" substantially since 1991 and I understand obesity is the primary cause of sleep apnea. Even I find it hard to believe I was once a marathon runner...

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  • HadIt.com Elder

It was very difficult to get used to my CPAP I ramp up using 8 and than after 20 minutes it jumps to 11 which almost smothers me. I have asthma diagnosed by an outside Doc but not the VA. The VA has diagnosed me as Resistant Lung Disease.

I have problems with allergies most of my life and was even treated for allergies in Basic Training at Ft Bliss El Paso and the Doc made a comment that many people with allergies moved to El Paso to cure them.

AS far as your question I suggest some intensive googling on internet and perhaps some of the members can cut a trail for you.

Good Luck I will follow this thread with intense interest.

Veterans deserve real choice for their health care.

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This is one of many articles on the net that show as association between asthma and sleep apnea-

http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20030521/...in-adult-asthma

But it will take medical evidence and a strong doctors's statement to suggest that your asthma has caused the sleep apnea.

Still I would not hesitate to try to get the apnea granted as seconadary to the asthma.

This article is a little involved but still- it appears that the medical community does recognize that asthma can cause sleep apnea-

http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/asthma-osa.html

Still atricles and medical abstracts are great but only if they can be supported with medical documentation from a doctor who can connect the dots.

GRADUATE ! Nov 2nd 2007 American Military University !

When thousands of Americans faced annihilation in the 1800s Chief

Osceola's response to his people, the Seminoles, was

simply "They(the US Army)have guns, but so do we."

Sameo to us -They (VA) have 38 CFR ,38 USC, and M21-1- but so do we.

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Ref: "But it will take medical evidence and a strong doctors's statement to suggest that your asthma has caused the sleep apnea."

I've decided to not pursue this; thanks for the input.

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