hypertension Sleep Apnea

[COOL BREEZE]

Just finished having a sleep study the other night. Halfway through, I was hooked up on the CPAC machine. I was asked afterwards if I thought my sleep was better.

The official results won't be known for another week. My guess is based on this test and the fact that I had respiratory failure due to low oxygen level I will be recommended to go on the CPAC.

I am already service connected for hypertension and cardiomegaly. Would I file this new claim requesting secondary to either one as sleep apnea?

[COOL BREEZE]

According to the employee running the sleep study program, it normally takes a few days or less once you just call her direct number. If you don't get in contact with her you can leave a message. Most supplies are readily available-just have to place an order

There is an data card in the back. We are required only to send it in once after 30 days so they can verify we are using it, and they will send you a print out of the readings. It would be impossible to do this every month due to the huge number of veterans using these. They have Vets in Afganstan, everywhere even on ships using these. It will take a bit to get used too.

[Computer Tech]

The wait for the thake home sleep study at Sepulveda was three month at least that was what it was last but it only took a couply of weeks to get the machine. For supplies you call them and they'll send it out in a couple of days or if you're close by you can stop by and if they have it they'll give it to you. Mine has the data card which I took in when I saw the sleep doctor a couple of weeks ago, they try to schedule you to see a sleep doctory every six month to verify that you're using the machine and that it's helping.

Rick

[71M10]

Going on 5 years using a VA perscribed CPAP, no follow up appointments, when they finally did a C&P for sleep apnea(june 2011) the doctor refused to look at/pull data from the card.

It appears that standard of care is still highly variable in veterans administration health care!

[COOL BREEZE]

After several months of using a cpac machine a number of health issues occurred.

I had gone to the E.R. of a local hospital for chest pain. No heart attack-out the door. A few days later same thing again. I went to the VA this time and told them my doctor said that I may have ashma. No heart attack-out the door again.

I still had chest pain, hard time breathing. I went to my appointment with a pulmonary specialist. They ran all the test. No COPD, lung damage,ect.

What is going on is the cpac machine is blowing air in, goes straight in to the stomach and not all going out, and is the culprit causing chest pain and breathing problems

My base doctor order the test in reverse. I had the sleep study done first, was issued the cpac from the VA after I gave the doctors order. Then,, one month later I had the appointment from the doctor who determined after all the test, I am on the wrong machine. I need to be on a BIPAP machine which regulates air going in and out-much more expensive machine. And, another sleep study tomorrow so they can get the right readings. I was never tested on my back either.

So, once I get the new doctors order, another trip to the VA to get them to write another doctors order for the correct machine, And they don't exchange machines, this one is mine. Keep in mind I broke the original one last week and they replaced it with another one as it took a flying leap off my night stand. (you have to put it i your open drawer.)

[john999]

Since your life my depend on in I would not get CPAP and sleep study done at the VA unless I had no other means. I have had a hard time with getting a good fit with my mask. My doctor has a staff that deals with the sleep lab and the providers. They read them the riot act. My provider did not want to provide me with a mask that fit. They wanted $200 from me. My doctor's assistant kicked a 2 by 4 up their asses. When I have a problem my doctor's office responds immediately. His office is about 3 miles from my house. He knows my psychiatrist and my psychologist. He will put the fear of God into these durable equiptment providers because he can really shaft them since he is at the top of his profession. To him apnea is a holy cause. It sounds funny but he thinks untreated apnea is a national scandal.

John

[COOL BREEZE]

The sleep study is not being done by the VA. Currently there is over a 1 year waiting period for this. I got my sleep study done within one week of each time (2) of a doctor ordering it.

Once the doctor writes the order for the machine, I take the order to my VA clinic and have that doctor write a VA order to authorize the VA sleep apnea coordinator to order machine per same order..

I will check to see what type of mask they issue this time. If I don't like it, I will pay for it with a co-payment from the tri-care authorized sleep study lab to get the right one.

This is surely costing the VA some serious money. These machines are not cheap. I am on my second one(broke he other one) and now they going to pay for another one.

A co-pay for tricare is about 400.00 for the machine. I'm smart. I get the VA to pay for it. They already checked the data card when I brought the machine in for replacement last week and I am in compliance. The only check it once after 1 month due to the numbers issued and there is only just one employee in charge of the program.

Since it would be very difficult to get this service connected for this, I thing I will just file a claim for fatigue as stated in my c-file from a VSO. It had a statement Veteran didn't make it clear that he was filing for this. I never filed for this. But what the heck, I see what happens. I have it documented in my service record, all the medications that I am service connected. Watch them state I have been recently diagnosed with sleep apnea.