sleep apnea and weight

[KC3]

I took a fall in service in which I hit my nose. The doc didn't document or send for further eval; however I have found several friends from service to write on my behalf which leads me to topic.

I have an appeal in for sleep apnea  in which I have an IMO letter , DBQ and several lay statements. The IMO does not mention my weight in service which is well below BMI. If I am blessed to get a C&P exam I fear the examiner will take only current weight into consideration regardless of what evidence is presented. Would it be wise to seek another IMO discussing the weight in service where the main symptoms started vs my weight post service or should I just let it ride? Thanks in advance

 

Thank you Todd. You mention sleep specialist; would an ENT (otolaryngologist) work? 

Gastone, I was diagnosed with OSA in 2014. I was over 27BMI and neck was 17.5" no large tongue or abdomen. These symptoms started in service per lay evidence and  I have headache reports and frequent indigestion in SMR both symptoms of OSA. I approached corpsman with the issues in 1994 about help and was told there was nothing they could do for me and my LCPO said same thing. My doctor discovered my septum and the only way it could have occurred was during that fall. I have not had any trauma to the nose since then whatsoever. I don't recall sinus's being checked during exit exam but remember it being like 5 minutes maximum. They wanted me to file claims for issues I wasn't having like joint issues. They were not phased when I mentioned headaches, indigestion or asbestos exposure. Don't mean to ramble on.   My doctor highly recommended that I file a claim is why I did this after a considerable lapse in time. 

 

Everyone hope I am not out of line here but encourage all active duty to have their corpsman or medic log everything in SMR. Don't be a dummy like me and assume they will do this. There are probably 10 entries missing from reports to my corpsman not being logged.  Being on a submarine we didn't have an MD while underway and the only time you went to a doctor was when it was a mandatory checkup. 

Edited May 25, 2018 by KC3

[toddt]

I am going to assume that you are claiming sleep apnea due to a deviated septum caused by your fall. The C&P doctor will surely say that your sleep apnea is less likely than not caused by your fall but due to your being obese or your neck is larger than 17 inches. So to answer your question - YES it will do a lot of good to get another IMO stating that your sleep apnea is "more likely than not" caused by your fall and that at the time your weight was not a contributing factor.  Make sure also, that the IMO gives the reasons that a deviated septum would lead to sleep apnea and that the doctor that does the IMO is a sleep specialist and has read your military medical records and has so noted in the IMO.

 

[Gastone]

KC, when your SA (OSA, CSA or MSA Please specify) was DX'd was your BMI 27%+, your Neck 17 in+, a Treatment note re a Large tongue, and observed to have a large abdomen?  These are a few of the medically discussed causes of OSA. Have you been put on Supplemental 02 due to Central Apnea episodes?

An opinion from an ENT wouldn't hurt, however, I'd recommend a consult with a non-VA MD/DO Board Certified Neurologist specializing in Pediatric/Adult Sleep Medicine. You wouldn't need a DBQ or IMO, just the Treatment Notes from the Review of your Overnite Study result and his statement regarding your theories of the possible Nexus.  All you need is his Treatment Note indicating, "at least as likely as not or "More likely than not."

[Rick33]

 

15 hours ago, KC3 said:

I took a fall in service in which I hit my nose. The doc didn't document or send for further eval; however I have found several friends from service to write on my behalf which leads me to topic.

I have an appeal in for sleep apnea  in which I have an IMO letter , DBQ and several lay statements. The IMO does not mention my weight in service which is well below BMI. If I am blessed to get a C&P exam I fear the examiner will take only current weight into consideration regardless of what evidence is presented. Would it be wise to seek another IMO discussing the weight in service where the main symptoms started vs my weight post service or should I just let it ride? Thanks in advance

 

Thank you Todd. You mention sleep specialist; would an ENT (otolaryngologist) work? 

 

Edited May 25, 2018 by Rick33

[toddt]

While a sleep specialist would be best I see no reason why an ENT doc would not work.