hypertension Sleep Apnea

[pastmaster357]

In June 2008, doctors at the VA Hospital in Houston placed me on a CPAP machine for mild obstructive airway. Since then I have been trying to receive SC for Sleep Apnea without success. When I look up the symptons, such as hypertension, sleepiness during the day, morning headaches, forgetfulness, and mood changes, are all that associate with me. I am thinking that while I was in the military, sleep apnea was there, but I did not know what it was. I have been denied on at least 3 occasions for SC. Any guidance is appreciated.

[Pete53]

You have to be able to show VA that you have documented symptoms or treatment for sleep apnea. Not having that you probably need to get a Doc to review your records and opine that they think that you had sleep apnea in Military and give a current diagnosis.

Good Luck

[veteranmo]

Having the same trouble with the sleep apnea SC, I don't get what their problem is I was given sleep meds along with anti-anxiety medication while in service.. so that should be a clear indicator that something was wrong. I am currently on a CPAP and still being prescribed sleep medication after having undergone a sleep study at the VA... but my appeal stays pending just like my tinitus and hearing loss.. sorry for the fact I was part of a FA unit and sitting by the gun line as 155 rounds get hurled causes hearing loss.. bleh.. I feel your pain man thats why you should read this:

I am currently part of a new organization "War on Terrorism Veterans of America". We are trying to reach out and help as many people as we can with the resources that we have. We are always looking for contacts outside of the Florida area, especially West Coast. Membership in WOTVOA is free and you will be helping to push legislation that will get us the benefits we need. Combine that with the free services we offer to our Veterans and families and you really shouldn't say no! come visit us at www.wotvoa.org I promise you won't regret it (pardon the current clutter we are re arranging some things)

Moises Perez

Webmaster

www.wotvoa.org

[Guest swells1]

Here is a letter my wife wrote to support my claim for sleep apnea. Does anyone think it would help with my claim?Subject: My husband’s sleep apnea with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device.First of all I want to establish that I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman / Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for 6 years and have been a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for the last 22 years. I have provided care for many patients and nursing home residents with breathing problems during the times listed above.With that said my husband and I have been living together since December of 1981. As long as I have known him he has snored at night. In the early days of our marriage he was always energetic and on the go. Upon his return from Beirut Lebanon in December 1983 I noticed that his snoring had gotten progressively louder as well as sometimes I would notice occasionally that he would seem to gasp for breath while sleeping. As the years have progressed so has his snoring. His snoring has gotten so loud that at first we ended up sleeping in separate beds. And now we even sleep in different rooms because of the noise. His periods of gasping have progressed to extended periods of actually not breathing. He would stop breathing for periods of around 15 seconds or so at a time and when he would start breathing again sometimes it would startle him awake. Then he would be awake for hours and sometimes for the rest of the night. On the times when he did not wake up after stopping breathing he would snore for a while then stop breathing then snore again over and over many times in a night. This cycle of not breathing and or not sleeping leaves my husband fatigued to the point I am afraid for him to drive to work in the morning at times. He complains of malaise, fatigue, long and short term memory loss, insomnia, and confusion on a regular basis. I was very concerned for his health since he was not getting his needed rest and was always waking up lethargic and never very well rested. I finally I talked him into going to a sleep study to see what sort of sleep dysfunction he had and maybe have something done about it. It seems that was a good call on my part since after two sleep studies he was diagnosed with both Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). Shortly afterwards we received a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device preset at level 10 from our health insurance company. My husband uses his CPAP every time he naps during the day or sleeps at night. Since getting the CPAP in Aug 2009 he sleeps a little better, with less snoring, and fewer obvious episodes of stopping breathing although his sleep is still far from perfect. He feels that he is sleeping & feeling a little better as well as being more awake & alert in the morning than he has been in a very long time. On the down side, the CPAP mask makes getting intimate impossible. We still sleep separately because if I touch him while sleeping, he moves and breaks the seal on his mask. This causes a rush of air that startles and wakes him. Once he wakes, he is usually up for the rest of the night and in a bad mood all day from being startled. Trust me when I say that nobody wants to be around him when he is in a bad mood from not sleeping well.

[carlie]

swells,

That can be used as lay evidence. If she wants any of her statements covered

and considered as medical evidence - she will need to list where her credentials came

from and where and what she is currently licensed for.

You stated, " I have been denied on at least 3 occasions for SC."

Please post or scan (without your personal information) EXACTLY what it states in

the REASONS and BASES SECTION of the denials and SOC/SSOC's.

That what you go by to continue the claim.

jmho,

carlie

[pacmanx1]

pastmaster357 and veteranmo,

What are your current service connected disabilities and how did you apply for service connection? Did you apply as direct service related disability or did you file as secondary to an already awarded service connected disability

[Guest swells1]

swells,

That can be used as lay evidence. If she wants any of her statements covered

and considered as medical evidence - she will need to list where her credentials came

from and where and what she is currently licensed for.

You stated, " I have been denied on at least 3 occasions for SC."

Please post or scan (without your personal information) EXACTLY what it states in

the REASONS and BASES SECTION of the denials and SOC/SSOC's.

That what you go by to continue the claim.

jmho,

carlie

I never stated I have been denied. This was my first claim.

[Guest swells1]

pastmaster357 and veteranmo,

What are your current service connected disabilities and how did you apply for service connection? Did you apply as direct service related disability or did you file as secondary to an already awarded service connected disability

This was my first claim but it was submitted as secondary to my PTSD claim per my DAV VSO.

[pacmanx1]

Swells1,

Your claim for sleep apnea is contingent on your claim for PTSD; unfortunately if VA denies your claim for PTSD they will also deny your claim for sleep apnea because you filed it as a secondary condition to a claim that has not been awarded. Pastmaster357 and Veteranmo on the other hand was denied service connection but they could be awarded service connection as a secondary condition to an already awarded service connection condition.

[carlie]

I never stated I have been denied. This was my first claim.

swells,

Sorry about that - you posted so much information into PASTMASTER357 topic

thread,that I thought it was you - my bad, I didn't realize the original posters thread

had been hijacked.

The information I provided about your wife's credentials would still hold true.

carlie

[carlie]

pastmaster357,

Welcome to Hadit.

You stated, " I have been denied on at least 3 occasions for SC."

Can you post or scan (without your personal information) EXACTLY what it states in

the REASONS and BASES SECTION of the denials and SOC/SSOC's.

That's what you go by to continue fighting for the claim.

jmho,

carlie

[Guest swells1]

swells,

Sorry about that - you posted so much information into PASTMASTER357 topic

thread,that I thought it was you - my bad, I didn't realize the original posters thread

had been hijacked.

The information I provided about your wife's credentials would still hold true.

carlie

My apology for hijacking the thread. I thought it would be easier by adding on to one that was already going. Please bear with me I am new.