Looking for Sleep Apnea Expert for NEXUS letter

[SaviorSix]

Good morning all.  I am a 90% rated veteran with PTSD, chronic sinuses, and migraines as well as HBP.   I have had 13 surgeries on my sinuses to correct the problems with little benefit.  I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea about 12 years ago.  I use a CPAP machine. I ETS'd in 2000.   I am looking for someone who has had a good result from an expert who wrote a letter connecting sinuses to sleep apnea.   Or even PTSD.   I of course am not rich, so funds are an issue.  I am told by the AL representative that the opinion, if accepted by the VA would result in an award that takes me to 100%. 

thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

[Berta]

This member here got his sleep apnea service connected to his PTSD:

"After Denials for OSA both direct and secondary to PTSD, this spring I decided to spend the money on a IMO and do the claim right.  I contacted Dr. Anaise and was told to send all my records, decision letters and $1500.  

After about a week I was emailed with a final IMO report that was around 40-50 pages.  It was excellent & well researched. Within 6 weeks of submitting the IMO with a supplemental claim OSA secondary to PTSD was approved.

Yes IMO's dont guarantee anything and they can be expensive but they are definitely worth it when you have been denied already and have nothing else to submit and someone like Dr. Anaise will always outweight the NP the VA usually has doing exams."

https://community.hadit.com/topic/79792-david-anaise-md-for-osa-secondary-to-ptsd/

 

 

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This BVA vet also got his OSA service connected to PTSDwith 2 independent medical opinions.

https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files8/20054797.txt

This is a more recent BVA opinion:
"ORDER

Entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), secondary to service-connected sinusitis, on a causation basis, is granted."
The veteran had many VA opinions against the claim, but also a strong medical opinion from a VA doctor, that gave a very supportive rationale to award the claim.

https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files11/a20017617.txt

Nothing is Impossible but it often takes astrong iMO/IME from a doctor whose expertise is greater than the C & P doctor's and who can give a full medical rationale as well as excerpts from treatices and abstracts that medically support the claim.

Many of us here, knowing we had a very solid claim had to obtain IMO/IMEs anyhow-and it was the best investment many of us could make...often easily absorbed- cost wise,  by some retro we would have never received without the IMO/IME.
 

 

[Berta]

Can you clarify this:

 " I am a 90% rated veteran with PTSD, chronic sinuses, and migraines as well as HBP."

Are you service connected for the sinuses already?

If not did the sinus problems start after the OSA diagnosis?

Can  you tell us the breakdown  of the 90%?

Ar you unemployed and if so, do you receive SSDI for any of the service connected conditions above?

Also is it possible you havesinitu from Burn pits?

The criteria for this new regulation establishing presumpive is explained in these links:

https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5699

 

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/index.asp

 

Also I posted Maps here as to the expanded definition of Persian Gulf War veterans.

If we now where you served and when we can help more-

 

Have you be denied for the sinus issue, or the HBP, or the migraines?

You stated:

 "I am told by the AL representative that the opinion, if accepted by the VA would result in an award that takes me to 100%."

Any independent medical opinion ( and plenty of veterans need to get them) must folow the IMO criteria here at hadit. 

 

This is an older thrad but still contains a lot of info on IMO/IMEs- an IME is an inperson exam evaluation, sometimes required by the independent doctor.

 

https://community.hadit.com/topic/53826-read-first-if-getting-an-imo/

 

 

 

 

 

[SaviorSix]

I am 50% for sinuses, 70% PTSD, 10% HBP, 50%Migraines.   I am currently employed by the government with DOD.   No burn pits. Sinus problems have been with me since the 80's while on active duty in Germany.

[Berta]

I dont understand your question.Or the vet rep advice.

You are already service connected for the sinuses.

"The highest rating awarded for any type of Chronic Sinusitis is 50%. You'd have to combine it with other ratings such as PTSD, sleep apnea, or asthma to increase your rating.Sep 30, 2019"

https://www.woodslawyers.com/chronic-sinusitis-va-benefits/#:~:text=The highest rating awarded for,asthma to increase your rating.

Does your vet rep feel the HBP rating should be higher?

Wht is the rating for the migraines?

Is it possible your 70% PTSD could be raised to 100%. I imagine all of the disabilities you have could  impact your PTSD.

"With the 100 percent combined disability rating, you do not have any restrictions on work activity. If you meet the 100 percent rating for your service-connected condition, and you are still able to work, then you may do so."

https://vetsguardian.com/working-with-a-100-va-rating/

I always think of Lewis Puller ( Chesty's son) multiple disabilites to include PTSD, as well a Max Clelland former VA Secretary, who also sufferd from multiple SC disabilities and worked.He had a documentary done on how it took him 2 hour to get rady for work at the VA every day. He also talked about his PTSD.

I have no idea if they had formal VA 100% awards but certainly could have been granted a high level of service connection.

Lewis woked as a VA Central  lawyer for years and won a Pulitzer Prize for his Autobiography until he ended his life.

I have dealth witth PTSD vets since 1983- as a VA Vet center volunteer and I married a PTSD vet ( 100% P & T SC ) and have never found PTSD to infringe on any PTSD vet's intellect.

You can still work with a 100% rating, but I am baffled here as to how you can get the rating that high- 

The highest rating for migraines is here:

https://www.hillandponton.com/how-the-va-rates-migraine-headaches/

 

 

[Berta]

sorry cloud and weather affecting my PC-I see you are 50% for Migraines.

2 50s, one 70% and 10% HBP = 90% ???

Doe that make sense to anyone here?

 

[McRay]

Probably only 1 50%. But I'm not good with VA math