Have a question for the disability experts, and Id like some opinions on it.

Im an Active duty AF E-7 getting ready to retire in Nov. Prior the deploying in 2006, my medical records were screened and I was told to get a sleep study done. My unit and I kinda weasled our way out of it saying it was just snoring the doc agreed for now, but its in my records for having snoring problem, so I went on my deployment. In Nov 07 I took my last PT test. P***ed it and have smooth sailing until my retirement this Nov. I packed on about 30 pounds (noted in my medical records), and in April went in for the sleep study and have severe sleep apnea. I have a CPAP and the doc and I are trying out different air pressures each month to get it right

My question is this. Will I be en***led to 50% disability because Im on CPAP? or will I get a notice saying DENIED "you put on wieght and it caused the sleep apnea".

What if Im denied, I lose the weight and still have the sleep apnea in a year or so. Can some explain how this works. Does a persons weight play a factor in if they get compensation for sleep apnea?

Thanks for any inputs

quote:

Originally posted by NCO7:
Have a question for the disability experts, and Id like some opinions on it.

Im an Active duty AF E-7 getting ready to retire in Nov. Prior the deploying in 2006, my medical records were screened and I was told to get a sleep study done. My unit and I kinda weasled our way out of it saying it was just snoring the doc agreed for now, but its in my records for having snoring problem, so I went on my deployment. In Nov 07 I took my last PT test. P***ed it and have smooth sailing until my retirement this Nov. I packed on about 30 pounds (noted in my medical records), and in April went in for the sleep study and have severe sleep apnea. I have a CPAP and the doc and I are trying out different air pressures each month to get it right

My question is this. Will I be en***led to 50% disability because Im on CPAP? or will I get a notice saying DENIED "you put on wieght and it caused the sleep apnea".

What if Im denied, I lose the weight and still have the sleep apnea in a year or so. Can some explain how this works. Does a persons weight play a factor in if they get compensation for sleep apnea?

Thanks for any inputs

I have sleep apnea and have been using a CPAP for 11 months new. I'm now on my fifth style of mask - this one works, But, I received only 30% for PTSD and sleep problem was not rated.

We have some very good and wise members and you will get some of their advice - I would follow it to the best of my ability if I were you.

A question for you, your profile says "retired" and you say "active duty" ????

Thank you for your service, welcome aboard and take care.

I have a good friend, a LTC, who just retired. He snored and used that to obtain a 50% disability rating approved even before he retired.
I also have sleep apnea, have used a CPAP for over 15 years now. I have no ability however to connect it to my military service so it is not a claimed disability for me.

Sleep Apnea can lead to weight gain because a Growth hormone is produced for a reason I can't remember. You can Google it. However, when I was at the sleep clinic, I asked the specialists if most of the people they see with sleep apnea are overweight? They said they see about 50/50, heavy and slim individual with sleep apnea. I've always wondered what comes first, the sleep apnea or the weight gain. I always thought what started mine was building up my neck for the Army tape test because they found that big neck muscles could be a catalyst to obstructive sleep apnea as well.

quote:

Originally posted by mcvikair:
Sleep Apnea can lead to weight gain because a Growth hormone is produced for a reason I can't remember. You can Google it. However, when I was at the sleep clinic, I asked the specialists if most of the people they see with sleep apnea are overweight? They said they see about 50/50, heavy and slim individual with sleep apnea. I've always wondered what comes first, the sleep apnea or the weight gain. I always thought what started mine was building up my neck for the Army tape test because they found that big neck muscles could be a catalyst to obstructive sleep apnea as well.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE SLEEP APNEA POST I MADE, WHERE I STATED PROVISIONS UNDER STATUTE. I think I posted it on the topic right before this one. In any case Weight and Apnea is not addressed in the 38USC, You can find all the legal points on my post I mentioned. Have a Happy 4th weekend and Godspeed
Freddy

quote:

Originally posted by Sch****e:
I have a good friend, a LTC, who just retired. He snored and used that to obtain a 50% disability rating approved even before he retired.
I also have sleep apnea, have used a CPAP for over 15 years now. I have no ability however to connect it to my military service so it is not a claimed disability for me.

Donald the nexus you need is Apnea and AO.
Might get you to SMC L or so, who knows, you're on a roll.
Freddy

I do not believe that there is a established Nexus for AO and Sleep Apnea. Dave Barker might, but unless it is in the rules, it probably will not happen.

It would be nice, who knows? I don't know that the diagnosis even existed when I was in service, the sleep apnea existed though. As a married officer, I slept at home, or alone in Vietnam, and have no way to come up with a nexus.

quote:

Originally posted by Sch****e:
It would be nice, who knows? I don't know that the diagnosis even existed when I was in service, the sleep apnea existed though. As a married officer, I slept at home, or alone in Vietnam, and have no way to come up with a nexus.

Respiratory AO nexus diseases and disorders are found hereAuthority: 38 U.S.C. 1155)
[34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969, as amended at 61 FR 46727, Sept. 5, 1996; 71 FR 52459, Sept. 6, 2006]
I submitted mine some time back for Apnea secondary to AO exposure and received 50%.
Freddy

I DID NOT DO THAT FACE icon..and have no idea how it got on my post, unless I hit a key I wasn't aware of and accidentally as well, sorry guys, girls, ignore that blue thing.

I've had the mask and CPAP for about five years. They told me I had the biggest tongue root (I always have the weird stuff) they have ever seen and my tongue blocks my airway. The machine helps, but I still only sleep an average of four hours a night and catnap during the day if I can.

I think unless you get way too large that weight gain has little to do with sleep apnea. I think most of it has to do with muscles in the throat and tongue relaxing and dropping backwards when you go to sleep.

Exactly on point, and thus the nexus of Apnea as secondary to AO. It is the neuropathy of the respiratory muscle group. There's also a nexus with relative kind causing reflux issues, also secondary to AO and a host of others.
Freddy

Football Players in Danger of Sleep Apnea

Both current and former football players face the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea, the disorder that contributed to the tragic death of former Green Bay Packers superstar Reggie White.

Two of the major indicators for sleep apnea are neck size and body mass index. Perhaps as many as 75% of professional football players, and many college and even high school players, qualify for the neck size indicator, which is 18 inches. And despite being in sensational football condition, many qualify for the body mass index indicator, which is 30 and above.

These indicators plus questions relating to sleep are vitally important for team doctors to consider in player physical examinations. Sleep apnea can be treated very easily, and doing so would likely enhance the performance of athletes who think they are sleeping well, but are constantly exhausted. Certainly, it could reduce the risk of other serious diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, asthma, diabetes and more, and likely would prevent some premature deaths among athletes.

Realistically, any athlete who meets the neck and body mass indicators should consider whether they snore and gasp at night, are feeling exhausted during the day, and then consider talking with their doctor or a physician who specializes in sleep disorders. Some athletes who might wish to think about this are shot-putters, weight lifters, wrestlers and more.

http://sleepwellandlive.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/footba...nger-of-sleep-apnea/

I agree with you completely.
But the issue is rating from VA for apnea and also secondary to AO.
While there are different cause effect issues with Apnea. The one we are addressing only has nothing to do with weight, and the rating spectrum under 38USC makes no reference point to consider weight.
I came down with Apnea after my DEROS from Vietnam, I was 5"7, weighed 157 lbs. As the doctor told me after an exam for headaches etc., it's your muscles relaxing and on and on..When I asked why, how, He told me, perhaps you were exposed to AO. Years later, whallaaaa, all the family histories, all the Q&A's and absolutely no family history. Also, I left Vietnam at age 21, then at age 22 had my first heart attack. Doctors were "confused" why and how that happened. Went back to VN at 22, because they said it must have been a fluke and came back at 23 with all kinds of weird health problems, Apnea, LOW O2 blood, high blood pressure etc., In short, again, absolutely no family history of any of those conditions, none, nadda. So, AO took one h*ll of a toll on me in a very short time.
Freddy

Please don't forget that Reggie White also had a disease called "sarcoidosis".

It may be that I have been out of the loop, the name seems familiar, but I can't place it.

ERES TU !!!
Freddy

quote:

Originally posted by 15781731:
I agree with you completely.
But the issue is rating from VA for apnea and also secondary to AO.
While there are different cause effect issues with Apnea. The one we are addressing only has nothing to do with weight, and the rating spectrum under 38USC makes no reference point to consider weight.

I'm just trying to give him a bigger picture since "I've been there, done that"' with sleep apnea. Most Dr.'s focus in on weight, but I've found a multitude of things that can cause it.

My sleep problems didn't get really bad until I started gaining a heck of a lot of weight with all the meds I was taking. The weight then caused a lot of physical problems which then caused me to stop exercising due to extreme physical pain. Its's a vicious circle. When I had my sleep test done, one of the things the guy told me was that if I lose a lot of weight that I would most probably have to have another sleep study done. He stated that major weight loss (more than 30 lbs for me) could possibly eliminate me having to use a cpap.

I am only stating this because there is a possibility that weight does have some bearing on sleep problems.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea back in `99, then had surgery that was basically a tonsillectomy plus removing an additional amount of excess in my throat. Worked great, but over the years I started sleeping worse and again began being extremely tired during the day. As my retirement approached, I attended TAP and asked the rep about it and he recommended I go back in for a sleep study again.

I did, and it turned out it had returned to some degree and was diagnosed with apnea again and prescribed a CPAP. One of the last things I did was turn in this paperwork to the VA office, but it apparently didn't get sent through with my VA package as I just received my rating and was denied for sleep apnea due to no evidence since the surgery back in `99. It did mention my Nov `07 appointment where I went back for the initial appointment, but nothing further. So, I'm sending in my appeal this week and it "should" be a no-brainer, but it is the VA, so who knows.

I'm currently rated at 40% for everything else, which really surprised me as I didn't think it would be that much minus the apnea.

The original doc that did my surgery said I had a really small palate, and othe docs have mentioned the same. I used to run 5-8 miles a four times a week, but on some days (some being PT test days), I start running and immediately know it was going to be a struggle because I had absolutely no energy.

On the funny side (now, not at the time). I've had pepper dumped on my face in boot camp due to my snoring, and boots thrown at me in my rack on the ship. I just thought I snored bad, which I did, but didn't know how bad for several years.

On the weight issue, I've always been borderline within standards throughout my career, even when I was running as much as I was, though I don't think that contributed a lot to my apnea. The doctor did mention I could lose some weight, but didn't stress it as the cause.

Mike

Hello NCO7 i am a viet vet with combat
background...When i returned home from that war
i was in good physical condition...as years past as happened to you ,i as well gained weight.Along with gaining weight over many years i developed at one point severe sleep apnia...i went to a private specialist who told me to have an immediate sleep study and absolutely not to drive a car under any conditions....well driving a car was my life and so i did not listen and one afternoon i dozed off and drove into the back of a car while in traffic....This
was a tremendous wake up call for me...i then
changed my eating habits to limit fats and sugars etc to lose weight...I was at the same
time a heavy smoker...in reading about how life threatening Sleep Apnia can become and the car
incident, i was motivated to not only lose weight but to go cold turkey and quit smoking...In time i did both as difficult as that was with the chemicals that is said to have been added by Tabaco companies to make addiction stronger.
Just knowing the severe direction i was headed twards and my inevitable demise i turned my life around to a healthy life style and for that reason i am alive today .I dont believe
sleep apnia is a condition related to combat
service and there for i dont believe it is
compensatable...Sleep Apnia i can tell you
first hand can mostley be eliminated formost
by dropping weight to being as thin as possible
Only a 10 lb change can make you feel better
so losing most of over weight lbs will cure
most of the APNIA....there are other add on remedies such a nose strips and saline salution
that will lube the soft tissue in back of
your throat and reduce snoring and even eliminate it...by the way i was offered CPAP and delined in favor of dropping weight....There
is a 15 minure minor surgical procedure ,only
a few years old that works well as a cure in many cases of sleep apnia...This procedure is done as if in a dentists chair with a local
anesthetic to numb the back of the throat..Three
special small plastic pins are embeded side by side,in soft tissue in back of the throat,creating a permenent open air flo......and problem solved ..Fact is that after many of those surgeries , patients talk of having very deep sleep and strong dreams that
they havent had in 30 years..you can say that is
somewhat of a miracle cure...the bottom line
is that weight loss maintained with a diet of fish ..salad..fruits and eliminating sugar
drinks by getting used to plain cold water plus
quitting smoking , will cure APNIA.....we faught
wars and came back alive so we can fight this war of Sleep Apnia ..over weight and smoking
and win this war as well....i won these wars and so can you!