Thank you very much. Trying to do a sleep study 48 years after service. But after Vietnam, nobody gave a crap, for decades. And I can tell you, a lot of VA staff still don't care. Thank you again.
There is NO such thing as "trying to get a sleep study". All you have to do is tell your doctor why you believe that you need a sleep study and if the doctor agrees, the doctor will submit a request for a sleep study ...just that simple. Getting a sleep study done has NOTHING to do with the poor treatment of Vietnam veterans after the war. And the number of years between active duty in Vietnam and the need for a sleep study is irrelevant. Sleep apnea can develop long after leaving military service.
@@shimaze5479 So you agree. You said it yourself, just a little different than me. "...if the doctor agrees"... If he/she doesn't agree, you don't get a sleep study.
@@Mr.DJones If your doctor won’t order a sleep study, then you need to find another doctor! Complaints of snoring & other symptoms indicate the need for a CPAP machine and the only way to determine is a sleep study. Also, thank you for your service in Vietnam and sorry that you were treated very bad when you returned. Thankfully, your generation has made sure that didn’t happen to my generation.
Great content. So I already have a Sleep Apnea disability rating secondary to PTSD at 50%. Since I have an 80% combined rating, and I am unable to work, I applied for TDIU. I received a letter from one of the contracted evaluation services saying it was just to notify me that they were going to do a records review. The letter said, “Please note this is a record review only. You will not need to report to an examination”. Out of the blue I receive a phone call from the contracted physician who wanted to discuss my Sleep Apnea. The total length of the phone call was 3 minutes. He asked the same questions that were asked during my original Sleep Apnea C&P exam, except his questions were very leading. For example: “Does the CPAP machine improve your sleep?” I said yes. Then he said, so you wake up refreshed like you received a full night’s sleep. I said, “No, you asked me if the CPAP machine helps, of course it helps or I wouldn’t be wearing it". Anyway, I felt like the conversation was just an attempt to trip me up. It’s going to be interesting to see how this turns out. Have you ever heard of a situation like this before?
It sounds like they are reevaluating your sleep apnea but I am not really sure of course. They can always reevaluate your conditions when you open a new claim so that can be rough. Keep us posted and thank you for watching.
I am planning on also filing Sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD. How did you go about connecting them? Through medication? or a PTSD symptom? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! @chuckcarmichael7835
@@justinbrewer3288 For me personally I knew my service related PTSD was causing chronic sleep impairment. As my PTSD symptoms worsened this exacerbated my multiple sleep conditions and the severity of my sleep apnea. I already had DBQ’s for both sleep apnea and PTSD. My doctor was able to construct a nexus letter using my symptoms, my personal statement, buddy statements, and references to research studies. Obviously a well written Nexus letter by a qualified medical professional is key. Finding a doctor that has the skillset is the difficult part. Good luck.
@@justinbrewer3288You simply need to tell the examiner the truth about what is going on between your PTSD & sleep apnea. And then, and only then, if the truth reveals that there is a connection between sleep apnea & PTSD, sleep apnea will be connected secondary to PTSD. Finding a way to connect = stretching the truth
Keeping a log is ideal. It really helps you recall important personal information. Remember, voice what you believe that makes you restless. Thanks, Leah!
Thank you. How about a new video on the 1.) proposed rating changes / future of sleep apnea claims? 2.) If ITF filed before changes, changes pass, claim filed and decided after changes, which law applies? Law at time of ITF or law afterwards? Your efforts and time making such are genuinely appreciated.
Thank you for this. It’s great to know a sister or a brother is helping us out. We have to take care of each other long after our separation. I hope you have a great day.
I’m at my sleep apnea exam this morning .. cpap issued . Filed secondary to my service connected allergic rhinitis. Pretty confident! I’m at 90 now . I believe this will get me to 💯
@@prestigeveteranmedical I promise to keep updated . Today I honestly cried when I looked online . I hit 💯! P/T as well! Thank you so much for your videos and knowledge! Veterans keep fighting ! I’m so happy !
@@prestigeveteranmedical Thank you !! my goal is to guide others to this channel and assist them to get the benefits they deserve. I want to help others as you helped me. Nobody left behind . 👍🇺🇸
Thank you very much for your time and posting. 10 - 15 minutes is great... For me. :) Just got my cpap machine, I will put in a claim soon, it only took 50 years to figure out I had sleep apnea after telling the VA for decades I was tired all day long. Thank you again.
Your information was very helpful. You touched on a lot of things I will be facing in a few days. DAV, didn't attach my Sleep Apnea to a already service connected injury. I have a CPAP machine just waiting to be rated at 50%. Thank you for the insight.
Great information helping Veterans. OSA is a tough one to win but with medical records and a medical evaluation review from Leah’s company you have a better chance. I used Leah’s services years back for OSA secondary to orthopedic primaries with weight gain as the interim step and lost on initial claim with nexus and dbq and private hospital sleep study medical records. Strike one from VA. Filed HLR and requested phone call. VA just denied it with no phone call. Strike 2. Then Filed supplemental with Va and got a second dbq and mini nexus statements within dbq paperwork from my private doctor to add for my supplemental claim. VA denied again. Strike 3 for me. Then I filed direct review appeal with BVA judge. A year later my BVA Judge cited my private doctor and Leah’s dbq and nexus records and became a home run. Approved. Medical records and more medical records and a fair minded BVA Judge and finally got it. Great company and no guarantee you win it but you have your best hand to play by trying. Thanks again Leah. Your the best out there. Hope all Veterans win theirs.
This is an awesome story sir. More so to give veterans hope that persisting and continuing to seek service connection despite multiple denials often results in a positive outcome when you have a good history and good evidence to support your claim. I am happy to hear you never gave up
Jesus man you went through a lot to get that approved. That’s awesome you finally got it SC. I luckily did a sleep study & diagnosed while on active duty. I got it direct service connected on the first try.
How what a journey. I have two nexus, one from my doctor and one from prestige along with a dbq from prestige plus a lay/buddy statement from my wife... I will prob get denied but hopefully get through at a high level review
@@jasonburke7685 Yes which is always great from the time you applied when you keep it active in the appeals process( without more then a year of nothing pending, I believe). For me having Leah evaluation initially was a solid case but after VA denials which seems far too common and unjust, the Federal Law Judge in the BVA saw through what the VA did and approved it. For me having a good private doctor willing to fill out the DBQ with a mini nexus statement within the DBQ that supported the same position took it to the finish line for me. Good luck with yours. Very frustrating process with VA but most Vets already know that first hand.
Very helpful…I had my Test done by an outside facility…my VSO said I didn’t need a nexus cause she’ll write something on it 🤷🏻♂️. She submitted it but never gave me what she submitted (other than the tests I gave her) I have my C&P later on today and not sure how I’ll answer the questions other than I feel it get worse (or better) depending on my PTSD symptoms. I appreciate this video and will keep y’all posted good or bad
Great/awesome video, especially when it's by a SME. Filed for Sleep Apnea secondary to my PTSD. Sked for a teleC&P exam this Friday (12/8) with a PsyD (that's what it says on my paperwork). I'll advised ALCON of the end results. Currently @80%. Again -- thanks for educating your audience.
Oh sure that is a good idea. Here are some tips for now. Stay focused! Remember they are people and while it shouldn't impact your claim being rude or ugly to the examiner doesn't help. I know that can be difficult because respect is a two way street!
Hi everyone, I've got two nexus letters from Prestige Veteran, resulting in 50%rating for each disability. Sleep apnea was one of them. 100% recommended. Thanks for the help, Paul!
How do I go about getting a Nexus Letter for sleep apnea secondary to major depression disorder from prestige consulting? My sleep apnea aggravates my depression disorder.
Thank you 🙏🏾 for knowledge…I was diagnosed with in 2015 and was denied but now that I am more educated and knowledgeable about OSA, I have filed a supplemental claim for OSA secondary to my depression and muscle skeletal issues which I am considered obese by gaining weight with meds as a side effect and not being able to exercise…I have also sent a nexus letter with an expert opinion who specializes in sleep apnea as new evidence….So now I have a sleep apnea C & P exam coming up in November..I plan to to have another recent copy of my compliance letter which shows I have been recently still using a CPAP from the va hospital so hopefully I won’t have to do a new sleep study…🧐
Thanks for the information and bringing it in a clear manner. I would like content regarding Gulf War Vets and the claims that are common for us and the presumptives.
reached out to you guys today and got a response within 30 minutes. Hoping for more info tomorrow. The VA relying on the vet having a sleep study while in service is super frustrating . I had all the signs of this while in service but no one bothered w/a sleep study until I'd been out for 8 years. Now I have dx of CSA but does it even matter without nexus? well, hoping you guys can help.
Hey sir sorry to hear that you have been dealing with this. I hope we are able to assist as well. Please let me know if you do not receive a return reply to your inquiry beyond what you have already received.
I have been using a clap since about 2003 long before I starting to get a benefit. Just found out about cpap benefits. I have had heart by pass surgery. I am going to file on that.
The VA gave me a CPAP unit and a zero percent rating. They also gave me a zero percent for my service-connected prostate cancer. I did get 10% for tinnitus.
On my post deployment medical survey I maked that I was tired after sleeping during and after deployment. VA did sleep study and was issued a cpap machine in 2012. Claim denied. 😒
I’m currently at 30% for anxiety and depression for when I was on the USS COLE during the bombing. I didn’t get a sleep study done while I was in service but I have buddy statements. Should I file sleep apnea secondary to my anxiety/depression? Or should I file for PTSD then sleep apnea secondary to PTSD?
You can only be rated for one mental health condition. As far as the filling process for the sleep apnea is concerned you will want to get with a legal expert like a VSO to advise on that specifically.
Hi sir snoring is just snoring. Sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing or has disruptions due to airway collapse. Snoring does not cause airway collapse
Appreciate all of your extremely valuable information. My question is can OSA be secondary to Hypothyroidism and or Diabetes 2. I was diagnosed Agent Orange Exposure with both symptoms including Hypertension. My C&P Exam is scheduled for next week via video at my VA Clinic. Thank you Leah
Hi sir I am not sure about that. Sometimes sleep apnea can lead to diabetes but I am unaware of the relationship going the other way. Best of luck to you and thank you for watching
I received a letter that stated I would receive a phone call if they had questions…no phone call came and i haven’t received any type of a follow up email, letter or phone call
I was diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea by the VA after a home sleep study. When I went to my C&P exam I got completely F'd . Dr. looked right at me & blatantly said "I can't exam you for sleep apnea". Terrible experience
Thanks for the content. I have a c&p tomorrow actually and the rater requested a sleep study; however, I’ve done one with the VA in 2020 and they found I had mixed SA. Have you encountered this and, if so, do you know what the purpose was for performing another sleep study?
Hey sir I do see that happen occasionally. Typically if your sleep study was that recent this is a case of them not sending the correct documentation over to the contract examining company. Many vets would call and inquire about this and if the contracted company tells you they do not have a copy of your sleep study you could ask them to go get your recent copy from the VA. Hope that helps. Keep us posted!
What you are stating never was asked at my c&p.Iwas only asked three questions.Thr doctor asked only three questions.She asked If I had daytime sleepiness. If I has a pac machine.She t9ld me that she only types into boxes in the computer. That was it.
I wanted to share how I got 50% Sleep Apnea Service Connected. In 2018 got 40% SC for back and radicular. In 2021 a sleep study got diagnosed with 50% SA. Va put me on Seroquel, and gained 50 pounds on it. Turned my sorrows into gold by joining the MOVE program. Filed claim for sleep apnea to be secondary to obesity and said obesity is due to inability to exercise bc of service connected lumbar.
I filed for SA secondary to PTSD and was denied. One of the reasons given was because the C&P doc wrote he didnt believe PTSD causes SA. I dont get it. I'm 70% service connected PTSD and the VA did my sleep study which showed severe obstructive SA. My impression is that most organizations believe SA is at least aggravated by PTSD so I'm being punished bc this one doc doesnt believe what everyone else believes? Will it help if I get a private nexus letter and another DBQ and resubmit?
I’m so sorry to hear this sir. It really just depends on your situation. You may want to follow up with an accredited legal professional like a VSO, claims agent, or an attorney. If you are interested in a nexus letter please reach out to us at info@prestigeveteranmctx.com
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. To answer your question it really just depends. If the examiner completes the DBQ quickly and submits it the rater will need to review this and the remainder of the contents of your claim and that can be quick or can be delayed depending on the complexity of the case or the amount of claims they have in front of yours. There really is no way to tell beyond the updates in the system
thanks this was super helpful and especially at the end when you mentioned the secondary claims so I'm service connected for mdd and I have a cpap... to claim osa to mdd -- during the exam what should I be telling the examiner.... how can I relate that during the exam so I get a more than likely opinion?????
@@prestigeveteranmedical so I think the best approach for the C&P exam is to talk about how my depression has led to me to eat as a comfort and soothe my anxiety which contributed/nexus to sleep apnea as a result of weight gain/obesity. i wish I would have found your channel sooner I would have ask you to do my nexus letter (i'm expecting to get mines in a few days). Some more secondary condition vids would be awesome!!!! Thanks for your service and all you do here
Thank you for this video; very helpful! I've got service connected allergic rhinitis and am filing secondary claim for SA because I have a real hard time breathing through my nose at night when it's symptomatic. I requested 2x to get a SS done while on AD but it was during COVID and no clinics were open. Daytime somnolence and sleep fragmenting are my big issues. What is a phone ACE exam--is that in lieu of a sleep study?
I did sleep study. Was put on a space machine. I have headaches after a nap. Can I use my high blood pressure and diabetes as a secondary to sleep Alpena.
do you have any videos on secondary conditions attributed to asbestosis exposure on a navy ship that leads to calcified pleural plaques 30 years later. Also appropriate compensation for the initial discovery of pleural plagues to initial exposure. For me it was 1972 to 2016
Great video...wished I saw this earlier. I have been diagnosed with SA, have a CPAP machine for years. Examiner (very condescending) started off with "Do you know what SA is?"... she said it's obstructive because of BMI, so not service connected. Being muscular always has a high BMI... is that a reason for obstructive SA thus denying service connection (Im not a doctor)? Thank you!
Does it you posted this video 2 years ago so I don't know if I leave and get an answer to this question. If you already have a seat pap machine and did the study a year and a 1/2 ago will you have to have another sleep study for the C&P exam??
It just depends sir. Sometimes they do not have it on file and they decide to order one, and sometimes they order them for arbitrary reasons. It all just depends on the specifics of the case
Love watching you. I wanted to ask you a question. I have a dilemma. I seemed to have a plethora of evidence , Nexus letters and what not, but I currently have 10 % for tinnitus, Service connected for Right ear hearing loss O %. Service Connected for Hyperacusis 0%. And I was denied for Migraines. Where should I go form here ? I am currently in the process of filing for Anxiety and Somatic stress disorder. Any advice I would welcom . I love hearing your thoughts. Thank u
If you are looking for nexus letters we are happy to try to assist if you contact us at info@prestigeveteranmctx.com if you need strategy assistance I would recommend that you follow up with a legal professional like a VSO or an attorney. Thank you for watching!
I had aC&P exam and was denied for sleep apnea. I'm at 80% service connection. Tinnitus, Parkinson's, PTSD, depression. I've been using a c pap since 2012. C&P physician only did a phone interview that lasted 3 minutes. I think he didn't really give a shit about us veterans
I was discharged from the service for years ( maybe 8 yrs ) before being diagnose with Sleep Apnea. Never knew I had it. All those years my Wife and Hunting buddies said sound like a bear. To add to this I've been discharged for 47yrs. I'm not a combat veteran, I served in Panama. Is it worth while bringing up? The reason I'm going to the VA now is to see if I can get help for Prescriptions
Most of my VA experience has been positive, as far as treatment at appointments, and getting Dr, visits. It seems that my biggest issue with disabilities and the VA is that I'm retired, and so it doesn't affect my work. Therefore my disabilities are all deferred. I guess until I die, then they can just write it off.
Just had a phone call C&P for sleep apnea.. i had about 2 hours of notice that it was coming. Definitely dont feel good about it. The whole thing felt rushed, especially since i didnt know this was even happening today.
The VA diagnosed me with sleep apnea and provided me with a Cpap but my doctor refused to put in my record or provide me with a nexus letter. And he refused to say that it is service connected. I had to get a nexus somewhere else so fingers crossed.
Glad they now offer legal and medical advice for discharged vets ,Served 1966-1970 they showed us the door. Got involved with the va in 2010 ,and they act like theyre doing me a favour.
Alot of what she said wasn't done...and it wasn't my examiners fault. In a military hospital, I received a "Provisional diagnosis "Syncopy" The VA wantrd me tested for Narcolepsy, which was never mentioned in my medical files. Then the decision letter basically said that I said I had narcolepsy (which I never said)
Filed a claim for OSA 2° to primary insomnia in 2017 and was denied. since then my insomnia was changed to mhc of GAD. now I have buddy statements, and new MH dignosis. i was issued a cpap but rarely used it bc it made me feel claustraphobic. i am client now of Carmella George. will I be denied SC 50% rate if i do not use my cpap? i feel i will need a good nexus from a sleep dr or psychologist. I am sure Carmella will know, i am just hoping a supplimental claim can be filed b4 VA changes something. Thanks L.D.
Hi sir! I would def follow up with Ms. George. I also would not recommend working with a psychologist on a letter about sleep apnea as they have no formal education or training on this matter.
I didn't know any of this before I went to my C&P Exam for sleep apnea. My "exam" lasted about 5 min. I don't even remember if the Doctor even asked if I used a CPAP/Bi-PAP which I have for the last 15 years! I might not have also submitted my Sleep Study documentation with my Benefits Claim, but I did give it to the Doctor before the exam. The VA just said my request for Sleep Apnea was denied. That's all, nothing more. So what should I do now? I'm 73 and a Vietnam Vet, VA has agreed that I have claims under the PACT Act and I'm at 40% right now. Seems I should be getting some rating for Sleep Apnea.
I am so sorry to hear this sir. Thank you for watching. If you are interested in working with us on a nexus letter we would be happy to take a look at your case. Please email us at info@prestigeveteranmctx.com
About to begin my BDD with retirement, and my sleep study results showed OSA and hypoxemia. Not sure why my blood isn't getting enough oxygen but that's a bit scary. Leah, have u had experience with someone having hypoxemia?
I did a sleep study at a lab and was diagnosed with OSA 3 months ago, when I filed the claim they sent me a at home sleep study and that test was negative. I know something went wrong because I had an actual episode with the home study and it didn't show on my result. Will they evaluate me with both study or they only using theirs? And can I disagree with the negative home study and get a second review?
That is tough to say sir. It is important that you show the one that has the positive values of course. Was the home one done after your sleep lab one or before?
@@prestigeveteranmedical Thank you for your feedback. I gave the physician who did my C&P exam a copy of my lab result but I don't know who else I can submit it to. Yes the night owl home test was done after.
Is it too late to submit a private DBQ after I submitted my nexus for supplemental claim. I got a nexus from your company. I’m gonna get the DBQ too if it isn’t too late to submit it. Already have a C&P exam scheduled 3/1
