Going after it

[Riplip]

OK, so other posts I talked about getting denied for OSA. Had my meeting with my DAV rep (which I'm still on the fence about) and he said the VA doctors I tried to get to write me the IMO got close but they kept there notes just enough away that it will get denied again if I send it in. I am now going to a civilian doctor to get help with this. I also decided to go for my Menieres claim. The only way this will benefit me is if I get 100% which I know I meet the criteria and its been diagnosed and comfirmed by the best hospital on the east coast. They granted me 30% for vestibular disorder which is max and with the 70% hearing loss and 50% mental I have been ok with 90% and wanted a break from the battle. Now I'm back in the battle. I hope it goes well but as you know there's always a chance of losing benefits if you get someone with a hair across their ass. The stress that will be added will suck. I got a text from LHI yesterday about setting up a C&P and I have also read some nightmare stories about them. Not looking forward to this next chapter. I know most of you can relate to these feelings. 

[Vync]

@brokensoldier244thThat is really good advice to record your sleeping. Back in the 90s before I ever even heard about sleep apnea, my ex-wife said I snored, but would often stop breathing while I was asleep. It scared her, so she would often wake me up. I was in college at the time and used a small Sony micro cassette recorder. It had an option to record only when it hears something, so I used it one night and was surprised at how many times I woke up gasping for air.

@broncovetAbout 10 years ago, I was being treated by a rheumatologist for fibromyalgia. They ordered a sleep study. Note that this was a year after the VA did their own sleep study and said nothing was wrong with my sleeping. The doc said fibromyalgia patients are about ten times more likely to have sleep issues including OSA. The study confirmed moderate sleep apnea, but also the presence of alpha-wave intrusions while I was sleeping. They bumped up the PSI and switched me over to BIPAP mode until they found a setting where the intrusions no longer occurred. I asked the doc why the VA didn't catch the alpha-wave intrusions and they said it's not the first time someone had asked that question. The odd part is that I was definitely not overweight at the time. They said the machine would also reduce stroke factors because I also have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. So, I guess there are multiple benefits of getting a machine. I never filed for SC because I was already at 100% P&T, but this might be knowledge other vets in similar situations might be able to use.

[Riplip]

1 hour ago, shrekthetank1 said:

If you are a Vet who are under the Presumtive conditions, you should (IMO) file it under burn pits if you were around them.  This is how the VA associated mine to them.  

I wrote Laystatements, and I have a very well written document to show the link of SA with burn pits.  

This is something that worked for me and might not for everyone, but I was able to do it without paying for an IMO.  It took me a lot of time and effort and one denial, but in the end they did service connect my SA.

Also I was NEVER diagnosed in service with SA.  

Again this worked for me and may not work for everyone.  If you would like the document I sent that won my case, I can share it.  just let me know

I was never around burn pits. I have one denial now so until I have a good IMO i'm not sending anything else in on this one. 

[Buck52]

VA must determine that a condition, such as obesity, is a chronic qualifying disability for VA compensation purposes, which typically means that the condition results in a loss of earning capacity for the veteran.

[brokensoldier244th]

Not necessarily. It can be a contributing condition without actually being compensable. Ultimately it is a symptom of other things, which then leads to other things (in this case OSA) which becomes the secondary compensable condition.

 

Example- I have degenerative back and nerve issues and chronic pain into the sacral area- this inhibits my motion, and despite monitoring diet, still contributes to weight gain over the years. Also, there are many medications that can affect weight by way of suppressing the thyroid (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784889/). I take some of these, so in addition to pain my metabolism is negatively affected. The root cause of this is my back and nerve injury, but I don't have Central apnea, I have Obstructive. This is usually caused, as many of you know, by weight gain or existing weight. I was denied initially when I applied for OSA, too, but I could show that I did not have sleep issues prior to enlistment, and they developed during or after, but OSA didn't start presenting until after I got out. The weight gain is a side effect, but also contributes to the OSA. It, in and of itself, is not compensable but it is a 'secondary' factor in my OSA.

 

I think Hills and Ponton has an article on this, too.