Sleep Apnea

[creek chub]

Good evening 

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea by my neurologist. I looked at the rating criteria but am not clear. Do I have to have a sleep study done as well in case I wanted to file a potential claim? Or is the neurologist diagnosis good enough? 
thanks

[ShrekTheTank]

I am not sure, but typically they will want a sleep study.  I know mine was done as they issued the equipment for it.  

I would file for it and get with you VA doctor to get a sleep study to get a CPAP.  

[pacmanx1]

Yes, you need a sleep study done. The VA requested me to have one, but I took a copy of my old one to my LHI C & P examiner and she wrote that I did already have a Sleep study done and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. No new sleep study and my claim for Sleep Apnea was granted.  This was after I had got an IMO from my treating rheumatologist.  

[sixthscents]

Yeah they typically do require it. On the plus side it will give you more information for your claim.

Sixthscenst

[ShrekTheTank]

I think the better question is how far out of service are you?  

How are you going to service connect the issue if you are past your year out?

Did your doctor say it was secondary to another condition, or made one of your service connected disabilities worse?

This is the issue most of us run into if you are out of service.  I got mine secondary to my PTSD.  My lawyer did it during my CAVC remand even though it was not apart of it.  I made a post about this a while back on what evidences and why it legally should be service connected.  

[Buck52]

Check to see if &  how your Neurologist   made the OSA Diagnosis?

did he just tell you ?  check your medical records.

you can file a claim for it  but the C&P Examiner may need you to do a sleep study  but it really depends on what and how your Neurologist made the diagnosis?

Normally the Dr would go further than just a diagnosis  they normally would send you to have a sleep study done  either by VA or outside with a private clinic that is qualified to do sleep study and is approved by the VA

At my VAMC they were 6 months out to get a sleep study  so the sleep clinic outsourced me out to a private clinic  just a week after I mention this to my Phyistrist because  she referred me to the VA Sleep Clinic...I did the private sleep study  they sent the results to the VA and I got a letter from VA  telling me I had Mild to Severe Sleep Apnea  and they made me a fast appointment to come to the VA Sleep clinic  to take a class on OSA and how to properly fit me with a C-pap machine. and use and care of the machine

I got the C-pap machine that day and took it home started using it  used it ever since,  this was about 6 years ago.

IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA DON'T MESS AROUND   GET THAT C-PAP MACHINE ASAP.

as for as  filing a claim  your going to need medical records and nexus that your sleep apnea was incurred while in the military  or a secondary claim for it as Shrek mention  secondary claim to sleep apnea  can be another service connected condition that would cause or be related to your now diagnosed sleep apnea  you need a qualified Dr to state that and also the Dr needs to mention you need the C-pap machine medically necessary to use

which is really obvious you need the C-pap  but its what they require to be compensated. (jmo)

[creek chub]

1 hour ago, Buck52 said:

Check to see if &  how your Neurologist   made the OSA Diagnosis?

did he just tell you ?  check your medical records.

you can file a claim for it  but the C&P Examiner may need you to do a sleep study  but it really depends on what and how your Neurologist made the diagnosis?

Normally the Dr would go further than just a diagnosis  they normally would send you to have a sleep study done  either by VA or outside with a private clinic that is qualified to do sleep study and is approved by the VA

At my VAMC they were 6 months out to get a sleep study  so the sleep clinic outsourced me out to a private clinic  just a week after I mention this to my Phyistrist because  she referred me to the VA Sleep Clinic...I did the private sleep study  they sent the results to the VA and I got a letter from VA  telling me I had Mild to Severe Sleep Apnea  and they made me a fast appointment to come to the VA Sleep clinic  to take a class on OSA and how to properly fit me with a C-pap machine. and use and care of the machine

I got the C-pap machine that day and took it home started using it  used it ever since,  this was about 6 years ago.

IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA DON'T MESS AROUND   GET THAT C-PAP MACHINE ASAP.

as for as  filing a claim  your going to need medical records and nexus that your sleep apnea was incurred while in the military  or a secondary claim for it as Shrek mention  secondary claim to sleep apnea  can be another service connected condition that would cause or be related to your now diagnosed sleep apnea  you need a qualified Dr to state that and also the Dr needs to mention you need the C-pap machine medically necessary to use

which is really obvious you need the C-pap  but its what they require to be compensated. (jmo)

My neurologist just looked at my throat and asked questions. He told me I had mild case and to see a tennis ball on the back of mt shirt. Never did that though. I will ask my primary doc for a sleep study