ptsd Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder

[desperatelyseekingsusan]

Does anyone have experience or information of REM behavior disorder and Vietnam service connection? He recently filed documents for PTSD and the person helping him was not interested in documentaion of his sleep disorder. Does this sound right? Thanks for any info on this disorder that has plagued our life since he returned from Vietnam.

[Berta]

Does he have diagnosis of sleep Apnea?

Has he claimed this either as direct SC ( he will need prove of inservice nexus for that ) or as secondary to the PTSD?

He could amend the claim to add this as secondary condition but he will need medical proof of it's relationship and etiology to his PTSD.

However the diagnosis needs to be more clear- I found nothing at the BVA web site regarding this type of disorder.

[john999]

Just about everyone with PTSD has some kind of sleep problems. Are you claiming the sleep problem as a physical abnormality or a psychological problem secondary to PTSD. The VA only rates one psychological problem but may SC the sleep problems. What the solution is is usually drugs. I don't know if you can get sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, but I bet someone here has done it. Are you saying the vet does not have REM sleep or too much of it? I know there are disorders where they person does not have normal REM since they jump around during REM and are supposed to be more or less frozen.

[Berta]

VA has made some grants for sleep apnea as aggravated by or secondary to the veteran's SC PTSD.This veteran has an IMO to support their claim. These claims need strong medical evidence.It can be done.

After a review of the evidence, the Board considers the

opinions rendered by the February 2009 VA examiner and the

private physician in September 2008 to be the most competent

and probative evidence of record on the question of whether

the Veteran's current sleep apnea is related to his service-

connected PTSD. Therefore, secondary service connection is

warranted for the Veteran's sleep apnea by aggravation due to

his service-connected PTSD.

ORDER

Service connection by for sleep apnea is granted.

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp09/files2/0918715.txt

[desperatelyseekingsusan]

Hi Berta, I'm back.

I just found this old thread and read the decision you linked. I have spent several days considering all of the information I have received. I have dissected all the parts. I have read my husbands 50% decision several times (no mention of sleep disorder). I have read the other decisions that were related to my recent thread.

I think the right thing for my husband is to file a claim for SC REM behavior disorder, secondary to PTSD. There is supported in the medical literature for REM behavior disorder being secondary to PTSD. And, I think he can apply for TDIU due to medication side effects and effects of sleep loss on his ability to perform his job.

I feel like we may finally have a grasp on the situation and a direction to go. Am I thinking right?