Sleep Study

[air1]

I GO TO SLEEP THERAPY AT LOCAL VA,I SUFFER FROM NIGHTMARES FROM ASSAULT IN MILITARY AND ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SNORING AND WAKING MYSELF UP FROM SNORING,BUT DURING DAY I AM ALWAYS FALLING ASLEEP,EVEN IF IN CAR WAITING FOR SCHOOL BUS OR AT HOME ON COUCH,OR IN PARKING LOT OF THE STORE I DOZE OFF,SO MY SLEEP STUDY THERAPIST RECOMMEND I HAVE SLEEP STUDY.I WENT TO SLEEP STUDY GOT RESULTS BACK FROM MY PCP VA NURSE,SHE SAID I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT AND ANY QUESTIONS SEE MY PCP.I SAW VA DOCTOR AND WE WENT OVER THE REPORT,HE STATED IT SAID IM MODERATE-SEVERE SNORING,LOSE 10-15 LBS,THEN MAYBE SEE ENT TO SEE ABOUT SURGERY.I THINK THIS REPORT SHAFTED ME,THE VA DOESNT WANT TO RECOGNIZE ANYMORE SLEEP APNEA,SHOULD I GET MY OWN STUDY.

[Buck52]

broncovet,

My spouse needs a c-pap machine bad....we tried to get the VA to help us get one but since they closed all the specialty clinics down to the veterans spouses no can do eh!.

We really can't afford the sleep study and buy one out of pocket.

were saving up to get her one although she has supplement Insurance and champVA They won't help..> but were fussing with them currently

Well ChampVA will help but were in the process of getting a private Dr to prescribe her one she had one & hopefull they can use her sleep study that she has from about 10 years ago but it broke and she really didn't need it anymore but now she does bad.

suppose to know the 13th

Buck!

Edited March 4, 2015 by Buck52

[Navy04]

Sorry to hear of your issues bud. I just had a Sleep study in Dec, but the VA paid for me to go to a Civilian clinic. Good luck and God Bless. Just try not to get to worked up, and we are here for you anytime.

[Buck52]

Yes Navy04 Thanks Buddy,

I think its different with our spouses than us vets!

Now that our VAMC has closed its doors to champVA patients The citi program is not like it use to be but as I understand it its left up to Each VAMC to make the decision rather or not they will treat your spouse with specialty clinics! my VAMC chooses not to! Bummer

that's why we got supplemental insurance along with ChampVA.

Take Care Buddy!

Buck!

[broncovet]

Buck

IMHO your wife has better coverage than you do, and here is why:

I was a patient at my VAMC for 10 years. Did they do a sleep study? No. They did not diagnose it, and I did not know I had it.

Then one day I had chest pain, and, fortunately, my VAMC was completely full, so I was sent to a private hospital. We were allowed to pick, and, since wifey is a nurse, she knew exactly where to take me. In 24 hours, this private hospital diagnosed my sleep apnea without a sleep study. It was a heart hospital, and the doc knew exactly what was wrong after some tests: My right side of my heart was enlarged from lack of Oxygen. Sleep Apnea.

I took those doc notes, and VA finally agreed to a sleep study, and I got my CPAP.

My VA wont do a sleep study UNLESS there is a compelling reason. Snoring, or sleeplessness is not enough. Lets save money, at the cost of Veterans quality of life, so that VA execs can divide up the amount they save at the end of the year as bonuses.

Your wife can/should just go to the yellow pages and find a doc who accepts your insurance (s). Then give the doc your symptoms and tell em you want a sleep study done as you suspect sleep apnea.

Get your sleep study, and your cpap machine paid thru champva/medicare supplement. OR try this:

Pick you a nearby area you like with a different VAMC. Example: one in/near a town where one of your kids live. Go stay with them long enough to get a sleep study done at the VA, probably AFTER you get a "referral" from a private doc, which you pick out and pay for with champva/medicare supplement. Your wife should already be enrolled in the VA system, it may be best to stay in the same VISN. You should be able to look up your VISN, as your wifes enrollment in one VAMC should enroll her in the VISN system, and it may work she gets care at another VAMC in the same visn. Others may chime in, but I think that will work, you could simply call an alternate VAMC and ask them, or go there when you visit your kids.

[Buck52]

Thanks broncovet.we will definitely do this,

Yes my wife is in the VA system she has been for 12 years now she has been through the mill with the VA they have did back surgery on her and triple heart by pass treated he for broken arm and foot when she fell &back when our VAMC was on the CITI program she got to use the speciality clinics.

and she did get her Cpap via Champ VA they paid for her sleep study and the machine we just paid the 25% that was left which was only 250..00 so that was fine

.but since they closed the speciality clinics no dignosed to take to a private Dr but that's change now she got her a private Dr its a group of Dr's that take ChampVA & we got her some supplemental In too

..so she has her first appointment the 13th going to try to get a prescription for sleep study or ask if they can use her old one? either way we need to get her a machine.

she has left main dieases reason for her heart surgery she had 89 95 95%blockage before her heart surgery.

so this is very important.

Thanks for your info Buddy I appreciate it!

Buck!

Edited March 4, 2015 by Buck52

[Buck52]

Needles to say she is totally fed up with the VA HealthCare system not only for her & the spouse of veterans but for the Veterans as well although we are both grateful to the VAMC for saving her life back in 2005 with the heart by pass.

Buck!