ptsd Ptsd And Sleep Apnea

[Rocket1949]

I just received a phone call from the VA telling me I had mild sleep apnea. They are going to set me up with a CPAP device. I was recently rated at 70% disability overall , 50 % of that was for PTSD. My question is how does this affect my rating.? Do you have to have a certain % of sleep apnea to be considered as having a rate able disability ? I've seen were some have filed sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD. My Pysc whom was treating me had initially stated that I may very well have sleep apnea based on my symptoms and had ordered a sleep study. What should I do next? Thanks in advance.

[TALON II FE]

If you are issues a CPAP machine, then you get 50%. Probably one of the easiest 'clean kills'. But you have to apply and get a NEXUS, that is the harder part, from what I understand. Good luck!

[Mikemmlj]

You can apply for Sleep Apnea due to SC PTSD. I have a sleep study coming up and if I'm diagnosed with it I'm filing it as a secondarry.

[USMC_VET]

I would recommend you go and get Chris Attig's ebook on this. if you are not familiar with him, he is a member of this forum and a seasoned attorney for va appeals, etc. it may seem pricey but this will give you all the info you need to write up your claim as well as get the evidence you need to get your claim through and easy.

You will need to put in some work and a little money for IMO/IME to help connect (ie get your nexus) between PTSD and sleep apnea.

If i were you i would go on ebenefits NOW and start the intent to file for "sleep apnea", that way you lock in you date for retro.

you stat eyou are 70% overall, is tha tone condition or multiple. this would make the compensation calculations different (ie 70% and 50% equals 85% and might trip you to 90% overall, if its 50, 50 and 20 then its only 80%, etc.)

either way thats a bump from 70% to at least 80% which is going to be around $200 more a month. if you have to spend $500+ on a imo/ime its worth it and you will get that back and more in retro.

start getting medical evidence.

1) if you have only been going to the VA, go to a private sleep clinic, get copies of you sleep apnea study. bring the reports as well as any medical records and say you want a second opinion on it. let them know you have PTSD and that your doctors say its related. Tell them you need more medical evidence for help with the VA and make sure they write in their reports that they recommend a CPAP and that it is "more likely than not" that the sleep apnea is related to your ptsd.

2) if not included in the above visit get a visit with a bonafied, certified, MD sleep specialist. see if he will write up a imo/ime for you, tell them the VA is messed up and to get the help you need you need a good writup of the facts and that the ptsd "more likely than not" caused the sleep apnea.

3) if he wont gind a imo/ime well regarded doc who is a SPECIALIST in the field of sleep to write you up one. start at www.imenet.com

4) if you are married/girlfriend/whatever get them to write up a sworn declaration. i would write it up yourself and have them edit if need be. in my tagline you can see a link on how to properly gather/submit evidence the template (also from chris attig) is attached.

You will want at least two

1) from you. write about when it started, in service and that as your ptsd got worse, it got worse, write the truth. write how it affects your life, any effects it has on you (sleep during day, never rested, wake up choking, whatever is applicable).

2) from spouse/whatever. state what they see, ie you stop breathing, stop midbreath and choke a bit, wake up gasping for breath, you are sleepy all day, always say you ar tired, whatever it may be.

if you can get them from military buddies saying they saw you stop breathing, snored alot, woke up gasping for air, when that started, etc.

5) get copies of ANYTHING sleep apnea related form the VA, ask for copies of sleep study and appointments to the va sleep doc, any appointments to primary care where you mentioned, fatigue, sleep issues, apnea, etc.

the va should get these records, but im sure you see here on the forum they sometimes dont even read their own records. yes they will pull them but pull them yourself, all the pertinent ones, highlight the important parts and make it easy for them.

as my post states (located in the tagline), always copy what you send them and send it certified mail/return receipt, etc.

make it so easy that even they cant screw it up, they still might, but it lowers the chances.

[Gastone]

When it comes to SCing SA as Secondary to SC PTSD, a medical nexus is absolutely necessary. PTSD can cause or contribute to SA but all of the other likely causes will be looked at. If you get to a 50/50 or as likely as not or even better more likely than not, you win. BMI? Neck size? ENT Problems? Pulmonary issues other than SA?

What does your Sleep Dr say as to the etiology of your SA? Have you requested a SA DBQ be completed?

Semper Fi

Gastone

[bolt_vet23]

I'm currently trying to get OSA service connected and ended up getting an IMO letter from my VA doc and a private doc, which cost me $1500. I tried the private sleep clinic route and couldn't fine one willing to evaluate my records and write an IMO. I would recommend meeting with your VA doc to see if he/she will write you an IMO before you pay out of pocket. My VA doc wrote the memo right in front of me and it didn't cost me a thing. If you have to go the private route, the only doc that was willing to write it for me and respond to my emails was Dr. Anaise. You can find his contact info throughout this site and I was very happy with the final product.

Now if I just need the VA to process the appeal.