Can Anyone Explain The Results Of My Study?

[hawkcrewchief]

Patient XXX XXXXXXX is a XX year old male recent overnight sleep recording showed:

-There were 22 apneas (3.3/hr sleep) of those 0 were mixed , 22 were obstructed and 0 were central apneas

-There were 77 hyponea (11.6/hr. sleep).

-The Apnea+Hyponea Index (AHI) was 15.0/hr. sleep.

-In addition, there were 33 Respiratory Related Arousals 5.0/hr. sleep.

-The respiratory Disturbances index (RDI) is 20.0events/hour.

-The subjects sleep was recorded mostly supine.

-Apneas and Hyponeas during supine sleep (back index) 18.4

-Apneas and hypopneas during REM sleep (REM index) 50.6.

- O2 saturation lowest point was 85% ;)

Assesessment:

Primary Diagnosis

moderate sleep apnea, worse in REM

caffeine dependence

chronic headaches

nasal septal deviation ( blunt force injury in army)

Plan:

-Will need pap titration to determine therapeutic measures

-ENT evaluation for nasal obstruction and snoring.

-Reduce caffeine intake may improve headaches.

-PT reports RLS sx but no PLMS noted with minimal wake before sleep. Will observe, if sx are persistent and problematic we will consider treatment.

XXXX XXXXX MD Neurology

Soooo does anyone know what this means??? Should I file a claim for SC? My nose injury is not SC but it is in my SMR along with the x-rays from the fractures when I got injured, plus several MD's say I have a deviated septum from it. Thanks in advance.

[dwilli12]

If your nose injury is in your SMR, why isn't it SC? Looks to me like it would be relatively simple to SC the SA to the nose injury, IF it was SC.

[hawkcrewchief]

Well I guess I never really thought about it, untill I learned that it might be a player in my sleep apnea. Also I was told by the rep when I was filling my paperwork for original claims that I did not go to the doctor enough for it to be SC, in other words he said since I never complained about it after that then they will not grant SC for it. I thought it was true so I never have claimed it, is he right...?

[jbasser]

That is what we get for listening to VSO's.

File the claim. File the OSA secondary to that.

Good Luck.

J

[sharon]

Sounds like the headaches can be service connected also.

[mags1023]

Well I guess I never really thought about it, untill I learned that it might be a player in my sleep apnea. Also I was told by the rep when I was filling my paperwork for original claims that I did not go to the doctor enough for it to be SC, in other words he said since I never complained about it after that then they will not grant SC for it. I thought it was true so I never have claimed it, is he right...?

Did your nose injury happen while you were in the service and is it documented in your medical record?? How bad was it? If it happened while you were on active duty, it is service connected. Your report states you are dependent on caffeine. They may try to say that is the main cause. Like JBasser said, file the claim for your nose and state that your sleep apnea is secondary to that. If you can, get your doctor to state that your nose injury is "more likely than not" the cause of your sleep apnea. You need to have a medical nexus and if you can get a DR. to state it, then it holds more weight than you as a layman stating it. Not sure what you are rated for with the 30%, but chronic headaches can also receive a rating.

[mags1023]

Did your nose injury happen while you were in the service and is it documented in your medical record?? How bad was it? If it happened while you were on active duty, it is service connected. Your report states you are dependent on caffeine. They may try to say that is the main cause. Like JBasser said, file the claim for your nose and state that your sleep apnea is secondary to that. If you can, get your doctor to state that your nose injury is "more likely than not" the cause of your sleep apnea. You need to have a medical nexus and if you can get a DR. to state it, then it holds more weight than you as a layman stating it. Not sure what you are rated for with the 30%, but chronic headaches can also receive a rating.

Oh, if your nose injury was prior to service but you have some documentation of being seen for it while in service, you can prove that it worsened during/because of your service.......marching, fatigue...that kind of stuff