I'm a soldier in the U.S. Army. I had convulsions like symptons about a year ago. I had a sleep study about 10 months ago. They lost my results. So now I'm deploying to Iraq Shortly. I also have Acid Reflux. I wake up with headaches, snore tired all the time, bad memory,Etc... After I eat I have trouble breatheing. My unit Doctor told me it is't serious. How true is it and how long to you have to sleep apnea for it to be serious, or can you wait another year to maybe fix it????

They "lost" your sleep study?  Was this a military or private hospital?  Can you get another sleep study done before you are set to deploy, even if you must pay for it privately?  With the symptoms you list, I would not recommend waiting a year to begin treatment, however, be aware that if you are prescribed a cpap for your apnea, and the military is aware of your diagnosis, you may be "medically reviewed" and this could result in a medical discharge from military service.

I would see about getting discharged.  The marines called me to recruit me, and once I told them that I had Sleep Apnea and was dependent on a machine at night, they lost all interest in me.


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"You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person."

Dear Guest,

It is serious and should not be put off another year.  Each apneic event causes an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and CO2 and a decrease in O2, none of which is good for your brain or your cardiovascular system.  There is recent research suggesting some hormonal disturbances as well.  Headaches are very common in obstructive sleep apnea and are likely due to to apneic events you are having.

You probably won't crock in the next year from your apnea, unless you fall asleep at the wheel of a hummer, but you'll continue to feel pretty miserable.  I'm sure we will all be thinking about you so you have to keep us posted!!  Also, consider registering, it is free and you get more perks out of this forum.

Vicki


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Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Vos Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

I too am military.  I am going to my first appointment to get a referral to the sleep clinic.  I hope the screening doc doesn't just push my needs aside like they do sometimes.  I inprocessed at one duty station and they did the eye screening.  Well, after a year of headaches and !@#!, and appointments out the ying yang, my next duty station decided I needed glasses.  
   I'm a bit nervous about all of this because I don't want to exit the military.  I am always tired though.  I got woke up every night in basic training and ait (advanced individual training) because of snoring.  In AIT I would get so mad at my buddy for waking me up.  He just would reply with "man, you weren't breathing!" etc, etc.  So after being told all of this and that I snore louder than anyone else on the planet, I have finally decided that I may have a problem.  
   I just registered with this site tonight and hope to read more about these issues.
   I will also keep everyone updated as to my appointments, progress, etc. Hang in there soldier, and make an appointment with your sick call or adult clinic to get your referral.  Part of my problem is that I can sleep 3 hours or 24 hours, and either way, feel the same....Like I have had no sleep at all.  My ex used to get so mad when I'd fall asleep in the recliner or on the dog pillows with the dogs. LOL  I thought I was alone with this problem, but after reading some of the posts, find that other people fall asleep on the floors also.

Gerd and OSA

bilzarkz wrote:

I too am military.  I am going to my first appointment to get a referral to the sleep clinic.  I hope the screening doc doesn't just push my needs aside like they do sometimes.  I inprocessed at one duty station and they did the eye screening.  Well, after a year of headaches and !@#!, and appointments out the ying yang, my next duty station decided I needed glasses.  
   I'm a bit nervous about all of this because I don't want to exit the military.  I am always tired though.  I got woke up every night in basic training and ait (advanced individual training) because of snoring.  In AIT I would get so mad at my buddy for waking me up.  He just would reply with "man, you weren't breathing!" etc, etc.  So after being told all of this and that I snore louder than anyone else on the planet, I have finally decided that I may have a problem.  
   I just registered with this site tonight and hope to read more about these issues.
   I will also keep everyone updated as to my appointments, progress, etc. Hang in there soldier, and make an appointment with your sick call or adult clinic to get your referral.  Part of my problem is that I can sleep 3 hours or 24 hours, and either way, feel the same....Like I have had no sleep at all.  My ex used to get so mad when I'd fall asleep in the recliner or on the dog pillows with the dogs. LOL  I thought I was alone with this problem, but after reading some of the posts, find that other people fall asleep on the floors also.

OSA is NOT a sole reason to be separated from the military.  You will be put on an assignment limitation code that really only affects WHERE you can go overseas.  obviously you cannot go to You-pick-a-'stan and live in a tent city with your CPAP machine but you can still be a productive member of the armed services at a permanent stateside and even overseas base.

Well I had another sleep study scheduled, but the Dr called and told me they don't have enought time to to a sleep study before i deploy. So, I have to wait until i get back seeing how i will leave very shortly.They told me today that i should not die from it. Also it was a military hospital who lost me records. I was not to worried about it at the time because i was Non-deployable. A few week before we leave they tell me i am going. so i have no or little time to do anything, with tring to pack, get ready and do stuff for my sleep study. They will make me go i have no say it that. Thank you all for your help P.S. I did register,but it won't log me in.

Anonymous wrote:

Well I had another sleep study scheduled, but the Dr called and told me they don't have enought time to to a sleep study before i deploy. So, I have to wait until i get back seeing how i will leave very shortly.They told me today that i should not die from it. Also it was a military hospital who lost me records. I was not to worried about it at the time because i was Non-deployable. A few week before we leave they tell me i am going. so i have no or little time to do anything, with tring to pack, get ready and do stuff for my sleep study. They will make me go i have no say it that. Thank you all for your help P.S. I did register,but it won't log me in.

Here's a thought...can they hook you up with a home study?  Not as good as a full study, but maybe enough so they will prescribe a CPAP for you.  With what you have said, you don't need to be in Iraq with your tiredness and memory problems.  I went a good 7 months feeling that no matter how much I slept, I was still exhausted.  Snored very loudly and did have acid reflux issues.  Did I nod off during driving???  I was so close and it wasn't a smart thing to do.  Now that I'm on CPAP, I get better every single day.  Acid reflux issues have greatly decreased to maybe one or two a month, whereas before it was 3-5 times a week. Even if they can't get a full sleep study, at least with this you could possibly get the ok for an APAP that would give you the pressure you need.  It's worth a try...all the docs can say is no, but if they go for it you'll be amazed at how better you'll feel.  I say an APAP since a CPAP is set at one pressure, so this might be a better bet.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

Melinda

bdsintx6 wrote:

bilzarkz wrote:

I too am military.  I am going to my first appointment to get a referral to the sleep clinic.  I hope the screening doc doesn't just push my needs aside like they do sometimes.  I inprocessed at one duty station and they did the eye screening.  Well, after a year of headaches and !@#!, and appointments out the ying yang, my next duty station decided I needed glasses.  
   I'm a bit nervous about all of this because I don't want to exit the military.  I am always tired though.  I got woke up every night in basic training and ait (advanced individual training) because of snoring.  In AIT I would get so mad at my buddy for waking me up.  He just would reply with "man, you weren't breathing!" etc, etc.  So after being told all of this and that I snore louder than anyone else on the planet, I have finally decided that I may have a problem.  
   I just registered with this site tonight and hope to read more about these issues.
   I will also keep everyone updated as to my appointments, progress, etc. Hang in there soldier, and make an appointment with your sick call or adult clinic to get your referral.  Part of my problem is that I can sleep 3 hours or 24 hours, and either way, feel the same....Like I have had no sleep at all.  My ex used to get so mad when I'd fall asleep in the recliner or on the dog pillows with the dogs. LOL  I thought I was alone with this problem, but after reading some of the posts, find that other people fall asleep on the floors also.

 
OSA is NOT a sole reason to be separated from the military.  You will be put on an assignment limitation code that really only affects WHERE you can go overseas.  obviously you cannot go to You-pick-a-'stan and live in a tent city with your CPAP machine but you can still be a productive member of the armed services at a permanent stateside and even overseas base.

I'm military as well and was diagnosed with OSA 6 months ago. The clinic initally set me up to see an ENT ( Ears, Nose, Throat) Doc and then sent me for a sleep study. I was put on a CPAP for a trial period...3 months with a temporary profile that would not let me go PCS or TDY outside my local area until they performed a medical board on me. Depending on serveral factors...your years inthe service, the severity of the OSA, and the recommendation from your commander, a decision will be made to:  return you to duty with assignment restrictions (NO outside the U.S. moves or TDY or deployments); separate you from the service with a disability; return you to duty with no restrictions. Your enlsitment physical is looked at to see if this problem happened prior to entering in the service (no disability upon retirement if this is the case) or "just started" while on active duty. If your OSA is not severe, most likely the Mediacal Board will recommend you be retained in the service but you can't go outside (PCS or TDY) the U.S. except for Alaska, Guam, or Puerto Rico. I hope this helps. Request a sleep study from your Doc. Good luck.

I have been the the military 23 years.  My medical board just came back.  The Mediacal Board (Stratified at C3)recommend that i be retained in the service but I can't go outside (PCS or TDY) the U.S. except for Alaska, Hawaii. Except with a waiver ofcourse.  Your life is worth the risk, if they kick you out the VA told me 50% hands down for disabillity.  Then you would not even have to do 20 years to get your 50%, LOL.



Last edited by Haku on Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:40 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Anonymous wrote:

Well I had another sleep study scheduled, but the Dr called and told me they don't have enought time to to a sleep study before i deploy. So, I have to wait until i get back seeing how i will leave very shortly.They told me today that i should not die from it. Also it was a military hospital who lost me records. I was not to worried about it at the time because i was Non-deployable. A few week before we leave they tell me i am going. so i have no or little time to do anything, with tring to pack, get ready and do stuff for my sleep study. They will make me go i have no say it that. Thank you all for your help P.S. I did register,but it won't log me in.

Guest,

This is a shame.  When you go, take advantage of every opportunity to discuss it with any military medical facility you find.  Constantly let people know you think you might have a medical condition, regardless of how it might sound.  Remember, this IS a medical condition, not some silly problem with sleep.  Also, should you ever get in a situation where you require surgery, shout to every respiratory therapist or other medical person there that you have sleep apnea.  Assume that you DO have it.  People with sleep apnea, treated or untreated, and undergoing general surgeries are at extra risk and the medical people need to be informed you have it so they can adjust some of the procedures during surgery.

If you'd like, post your name and the address to get to you, maybe some of us can write to you while you're away, if you're interested.
I assume it's always nice to get mail, and it might be even nicer to have a fellow sleep apneac to communicate with.

But regardless, take care, and try and keep in touch.


Linda

Thanks for all the replies from everyone above.  To the above soldier deploying, keep up the efforts in trying to get your records and illness sorted out.  
My first appt. went well.  It helped that it was the same doc that saw me a couple of months ago with a really bad sore throat, with a 102.5 fever that wouldn't go down until they gave me a couple bags of fluid.  they sent me home and it was still 101.  Anyway, they have to follow protocol and see me again in 4 weeks.  They sent me home with a list of things to do to get better rest (I already do those).  He also said he will probably send me to the ENT clinic and it will be up to them to finally send me to the sleep clinic.  Another thing he said  was that I may have to have my tonsils out "before" they send me for the sleep study.  My tonsils are huge and other soft palate tissues as well.  The opening to my airway is extremely small.  I get sore throats about 4-5 times a year, and that is one of the guidelines on who to take tonsils or not.
   He already told me that he will refer me after the next appt, just needs to check to make sure which clinic to send me to for sure.

Haku wrote:

I have been the the military 21 years.  My medical board just came back.  The Mediacal Board recommend that i be retained in the service but I can't go outside (PCS or TDY) the U.S. except for Alaska, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Except with a waiver ofcourse.  Your life is worth the risk, if they kick you out the VA told me 50% hands down for disabillity.  Then you would not even have to do 20 years to get your 50%, LOL.

Haku - sent you a PM...

Respects,
Bruce

Hi, just sharing my experience.  I'm in the 3ID and I too deployed with OSA.  I had the sleep study done about 8 months prior to deploying to OIF3.  The sleep study said that my OSA was moderately severe.  After about 4 months of common symptoms of OSA, I was finally medevaced to Germany to see an ENT.  I was operated on with my uvula removed, tonsils removed and soft pallete reconstruction.  I think it's called a UP3.  Extremely painful recovery.  They gave me 30 days to recover.  The surgeon said normally you get 60 days to recover, but do to the efforts in Iraq recovery was cut in half.  The reviewing surgeon instructed me to have another sleep study completed when I return stateside.  He told me that the policy now is to MEB sodiers with this condition and that 50% is the standard for disability.

It's been 6 months after the surgury and the procedure has helped, but I still have sleep problems.  I'm still tired, just not as tired as I used to be, I'm down to one nap a day.  The recovery was brutal.  But for those of us who know what it's like to be constantly tired, taking naps after PT and during lunch just to make it through the day, I would recommend the surgury.  

Cheers