Does sleep apnea patients qualify for Disability

FairSpirit · Post by **FairSpirit** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:20 pm

rpalmer said:

"I don't know specifically all of FairSpirit's medical conditions, what pain she's in, how disabled she really is, or any of the other myriad details of her situation. I'm sure you don't either. So for you to equate her condition to your needing glasses just strikes me as incredibly judgemental and completely unfair. "

I appreciate that so much rpalmer. I think though, that maskedmechanic may have been referring to the original poster of the thread, not myself. That is I THINK so anyway. Not sure. I appreciate your reply just the same. I agree 100% with what your last post said. You are very wise in all your statements and also thoughtful of others.

so tired · Post by **so tired** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:26 pm

Well folks, I am one in a million who has been approved on the first try. In fact, it took only 6 weeks!! However, I had been diagnosed with severe left heart failure due to severe cardiomyopathy. I was told that I probably would need a heart transplant sooner than later. So I really was in bad shape and was not expected to recover.

I filled out the forms in great detail and with total honesty. If you google SSD I think you will find several sites devoted to helping people get approved.

I think if you work at all, even though it may be very difficult, that you are likely to not get approved, at least on the first try. I could barely walk across the room. I hear that it can be a very frustrating process, and that many need to hire a lawyer to get approved. I was stunned to find out I was approved so quickly and believe me, I am sooo thankful. I pray that everyone who applies gets approved quickly.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:19 pm

However, I had been diagnosed with severe left heart failure due to severe cardiomyopathy. I was told that I probably would need a heart transplant sooner than later.

so tired, I don't know if this would apply to your situation or not, but you might want ask your sleep doctor about a new machine developed by ResMed. It's a completely unique combo bi-level/autopap designed to handle Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern in CHF patients. The ResMed Autoset CS 2.

During clinical trials of this machine in Europe, one patient who was in line for a heart transplant had such improvement that he was able to get off the transplant list. It has been undergoing FDA trials in the U.S. I don't know if the trial for FDA approval has finished yet, but the machine is available in other countries already.

The CS 2 on ResMed's Australian website

so tired · Post by **so tired** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:08 pm

Thanks, rested gal, for the info. I should've mentioned that I have improved so much in 3 years that there is no further mention of heart transplant. It is interesting to see what is available anyway. I barely qualified for Cpap, but have been on O2 at night for a year and a half. I have read that as many as 60% of CHF patients have sleep disordered breathing. Not all the cardiologists seem to know this, though!

rpalmer · Post by **rpalmer** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:45 pm

rested gal wrote:It's a completely unique combo bi-level/autopap designed to handle Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern in CHF patients.

RG, what's Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern? I can't find any reference to it in WebMD, or any of my other usual internet medical haunts.

I'm somewhat like So Tired - diagnosed with CHF over 10 years ago, but suspect I've had OSA for at least 20 years, just wasn't diagnosed til 5 years ago. Makes sense to me that 60% of CHF patients suffer sleep disorders. The chicken or egg thing. Also now have a whole assortment of mostly cardio-pulmonary issues; AFib (pacemaker implant in 2000), Cardiomyopathy, COPD, blah, blah. blah... I was using O2 at night before CPAP, so now feed O2 into the CPAP hose before the humidifier.

So Tired, it's fantastic news you've improved so dramatically in 3 years they're no longer using the transplant word around you. To what do you attribute your improvement?

RG, as an aside, I just have to tell you how great your posts are. In fact, I've found myself logging on to a topic I might not have otherwise, just because I see you've posted to it. I'm sure I speak for many users of this forum, so in behalf of all of us - Thank You!

Rol

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:59 pm

Links to some topics about Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern:

Dec 30, 2004 subject: Cheyne Stokes Respiration

Feb 23, 2005 subject: Anyone else told they also have Cheyne-Stokes ?

Jan 25, 2005 subject: AutoPAP and BiPAP combined

so tired, I'm very, VERY happy to hear that you've turned things around with your cpap treatment. VERY happy!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:18 pm

rested gal wrote:Links to some topics about Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern:

Wow - that was fast. Thanks, RG!

The links are excellent. Already visited them & downloaded ResMed's .pdf brochure. As luck would have it, my oldest daughter & family are touring around UK right now. If only I'd jumped on this a couple of weeks ago. Oh well, timing is everything isn't it?

Thanks again!

RP

rpalmer · Post by **rpalmer** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:24 pm

Oops. That last post thanking RG was me. For some reason, i'm suddenly getting "unlogged" after logging in. If I were paranoid....

Thanks again, rested gal!
RP

sleeplesssue · Post by **sleeplesssue** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:42 pm

well, as for me, I will enjoy being "abled" rather than dis-abled. I'm sure all of you would also. As many of you do, I also have several other medical problems, and did try to collect on the income I paid in for Disability. I have been turned down. I didn't really want to apply in the first place, but I did qualify for vocational Rehab and my worker insisted on my applying. So I did. I didn't appeal.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:26 am

Yes I know everyone wants to be able to work until they retire. As you not everyone can do that. Some people have othe health problem that sleep apnea. I go over sleep apnea and it still comes down to that you dont breathe when you sleep if thats not to worried about I dont know what is. I would love to work but my other health issue wont allow me to work right now. My Doctor said if I went back to work I will only get fired because I will have to miss so many days of work. I do have other health issues besides OSA. Yes I know cpap is a treatment for OSA but it's no cure. We all have to deal with it everyday of our lives. Everyone handle OSA different some can deal with it and some can't.

rmship · Post by **rmship** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:04 pm

This Blog has open-ed my eyes to a whole new world of people and information. Thanbks all of you, I wear hearing aids as well, I have high BP, also I have been in a 12 step program for 20 plus yrs. a day at a time.

I truly believe if I would have continued to drink I would have been dead long time ago.

It's funny how my acid reflux problem went away, as soon as I started my CPAP treatment.

My BP is under control as well, I admit I have been cheating on my meds as a result. I know that thats not a good Idea.

However, I have developed throat problems, I have serve spasms, I have tried two botox shots to no or little improvement, voice therap 12 weeks little improvement then it reverts back to bad talking condition.

I am having trouble communicating on the job...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:49 am

If you have OSA, then PROVE that it is a DISABLING condition. I find it hard to believe that there is NOT one job in the entire world that you cannot do because you have OSA. PROVE that you have tried all available treatments: CPAP, weight loss, surgery, meds etc. SSI should be limited to people who's HEALTH is SERIOUSLY COMPROMIZED. Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself is not a solution. Give me a break...Mothers stay tired.working full time, raising a family, cooking, cleaning etc etc etc. Do they qualify for SSI because they are tired? Quit looking for an easy way out. If your ONLY problem is Sleep Apnea then you need to quit whining, get treatment and go forward with your life, Be happy that you are not rotting from cancer or any other myriad diseases. If you have Sleep Apnea and you continue to NOT follow your doctor's advice about quitting smoking and losing weight...then you should not qualify. With all the jobs that can now be done from your own home, there is NO reason for otherwise healthy people to be sitting on their duff expecting a free ride.

CandyADiva · Post by **CandyADiva** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:19 am

Who are you to judge what hse needs if you look at what she wrote she has other health beside OSA. If SSI Said she is disable and her doctor wrote that it's nothing you can do. It's funny how people are rush to judge people they dont know. Everyone handle their health issue different and it affects them different. woory about something dont worry about if this person should get SSI. Well I should't say that I applied for SSI. you dont live in my house and you dont take care of my family and you dont know what I need

old_backhoe_man · Post by **old_backhoe_man** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:56 pm

For all those who doubt that OSA is a disabling condition: I hope that you or your loved ones are NOT in the car that gets crushed by the truck driven by some sleep-deprived driver who has been denied SSDI and is forced to work to pay for his health care because his health insurance has been cancelled because he is too much of a risk. That's the reality of life with OSA.

rpalmer · Post by **rpalmer** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:55 pm

old_backhoe_man wrote:For all those who doubt that OSA is a disabling condition: I hope that you or your loved ones are NOT in the car that gets crushed by the truck driven by some sleep-deprived driver who has been denied SSDI and is forced to work to pay for his health care because his health insurance has been cancelled because he is too much of a risk. That's the reality of life with OSA.

Hear, hear! In support of Old_Backhoe_Man, consider one of my favorite quotes:

"I'd rather die calmly in my sleep like my grandfather did than yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car."
— Emo Phillips

And for some of you more indignant & judgemental posters:

“When you take yourself too seriously, no one else will."
— Kathleen Parker

Does sleep apnea patients qualify for Disability

Thanks

SSI

you doubt that OSA is a disability?

Re: you doubt that OSA is a disability?

Humidifier

Humidifier

Mask