Narcolepsy Ratings

SeaSarah

New Member
Registered Member
I have seen a lot of comments on narcolepsy starting off at a 10% rating but then people getting it up to 40-80%
Anyone have input on how they did it? What was the supporting documentation to increase the rating? And did you get a lot of push back with the appeal?

Thanks!
 
80% narco here. If you don't have documented narcoleptic episodes or cataplectic episodes, you're going to get low balled. I found the DBQ for narcolepsy on the VA website, reached out to my sleep doctor and had him use the exact verbage in an ALTA note.

Narcolepsy is also rated in the same scale as epilepsy. Seizures are to epilepsy what narcoleptic/cataplectic episodes are to narcolepsy. A lot of VA raters will look for the word seizure in your medical record and, being that they will not find it, will rate you at 10%. I recommend getting your sleep specialist to write a MFR that shows this link. Better yet, have your sleep doctor fill out the VA DBQ and put it in your medical records.
 
80% narco here. If you don't have documented narcoleptic episodes or cataplectic episodes, you're going to get low balled. I found the DBQ for narcolepsy on the VA website, reached out to my sleep doctor and had him use the exact verbage in an ALTA note.

Narcolepsy is also rated in the same scale as epilepsy. Seizures are to epilepsy what narcoleptic/cataplectic episodes are to narcolepsy. A lot of VA raters will look for the word seizure in your medical record and, being that they will not find it, will rate you at 10%. I recommend getting your sleep specialist to write a MFR that shows this link. Better yet, have your sleep doctor fill out the VA DBQ and put it in your medical records.

I'm a little confused by what youre saying... To clarify, you suggest for my sleep specialist to fill out the DQB and to also state the amount of "episodes" i get throughout the day/week/month? what's an ALTA note? and am I too late for this? my package is being sent to AFPC this week or next week for their IPEB, I have my follow up with sleep specialist in 5 days, should I still try to get it? My concern is being rater below 30% and not be able to medically retired and just get kicked out the door with nothing but separation and maybe severance pay..
 
I'm a little confused by what youre saying... To clarify, you suggest for my sleep specialist to fill out the DQB and to also state the amount of "episodes" i get throughout the day/week/month? what's an ALTA note? and am I too late for this? my package is being sent to AFPC this week or next week for their IPEB, I have my follow up with sleep specialist in 5 days, should I still try to get it? My concern is being rater below 30% and not be able to medically retired and just get kicked out the door with nothing but separation and maybe severance pay..

Yes, I def suggest you have them fill it out. I had my doctor fill out the DBQ for my ratings reconsideration and was changed from 10% to 80%. Narcolepsy is rated on the number of narcoleptic episodes you have a week. Your doctor needs to clearly enumerate your number of occurrences a week in your medical records (ALTA notes). You can find the ratings table in the VASRD to ballpark what your percentage would be.
 
Yes, I def suggest you have them fill it out. I had my doctor fill out the DBQ for my ratings reconsideration and was changed from 10% to 80%. Narcolepsy is rated on the number of narcoleptic episodes you have a week. Your doctor needs to clearly enumerate your number of occurrences a week in your medical records (ALTA notes). You can find the ratings table in the VASRD to ballpark what your percentage would be.


Okay thank you a lot, when you got that the 10% rating, was that from AFPC right after the IPEB? their initial rating? how easy was to actually get the rating changed? thanks man
 
Unfortunately, not all sleep doctors are willing to fill in the form, and they are not obligated nor required to, and they know this... Some medical facilities even have it as a standard to not fill DBQs in at all... I am also told by the PEB offices that a DBQ is typically filled in by your physician as a response for an appeal as your "new evidence", not as the initial submission, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try... I definitely can see it as beneficial... Also, the DBQ essentially asks the same questions they will ask you during your C&P exams... The VA Rep during the C&P exams can provide the same information that the DBQs will provide... However, as mentioned, still try to run one through your sleep doctor, they may be willing to fill it in for you, and get it into your initial package...
 
Diagnosed narco here......and ironically, I am going through an MEB for my back (degenerative disc disease and L5-S1 herniation). In an appointment earlier this week on FT Campbell, I specifically mentioned the VA DBQ and asked my Doctor to clearly articulate how many sleep attacks I have per week. In addition, I am keeping a daily sleep log of the hours I sleep (both at night and sleep attack naps throughout the day). I plan to give this sleep log to the VA Doc when I do my C&P for narcolepsy.
 
I am going through IDES now (active duty Navy in Maine) - I have two diagnoses: one for narcolepsy and another for hypersomnia in my record from 2014-2015. I also have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. My civilian PCM can't get me an appointment with a sleep doctor until April 2020. My C&P exams for all of my claimed conditions are over the next two weeks. How would I go about getting a confirmed narcolepsy of hypersomnia into the IDES process when the MEB portion will more than likely be over and have moved on the the PEB?
 
Hey everyone I got my doc to fill out the VBA form for narcolepsy with cataplexy as the rebuttal to the 10% so we Checked the box for over 10 narcoleptic episodes (minor) a week (40 % rating) and noted an average of 3 cataplexy (major) per month(100% rating)
Now waiting the 8 weeks or so for the change to medical retirement from separate.


Currently 10% dod (separate from service) for the un fitting condition and 100% va for everything else. 18yr active duty navy.


Hoping to get 100% dod and 100 % va so I can apply for crsc
 
I am going through IDES now (active duty Navy in Maine) - I have two diagnoses: one for narcolepsy and another for hypersomnia in my record from 2014-2015. I also have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. My civilian PCM can't get me an appointment with a sleep doctor until April 2020. My C&P exams for all of my claimed conditions are over the next two weeks. How would I go about getting a confirmed narcolepsy of hypersomnia into the IDES process when the MEB portion will more than likely be over and have moved on the the PEB?


Get the vba form from the va website and have you doc fill it out according to the va disability and rating pub crf 38 and submit it to your peblo
 
Yes, I def suggest you have them fill it out. I had my doctor fill out the DBQ for my ratings reconsideration and was changed from 10% to 80%. Narcolepsy is rated on the number of narcoleptic episodes you have a week. Your doctor needs to clearly enumerate your number of occurrences a week in your medical records (ALTA notes). You can find the ratings table in the VASRD to ballpark what your percentage would be.
Question...
Filled out form to state the 40% range for the narcolepsy and an average of 3 cataplexy episodes a month. .. it is also noted "service member has an average of 10 minor episodes a week and 3 major episode a month while on medication"... this should put me in the 40% range for the narcolepsy and 100 range for the cataplexy. So I am hoping the doc got it right at least the lawyers think so and the state va rep does as well. Do you have any thoughts
 
Get the vba form from the va website and have you doc fill it out according to the va disability and rating pub crf 38 and submit it to your peblo

For which condition(s)? Are you referring to narcolepsy? It would have to be my OCM, because I haven’t had a sleep doc consult yet...
 
Question...
Filled out form to state the 40% range for the narcolepsy and an average of 3 cataplexy episodes a month. .. it is also noted "service member has an average of 10 minor episodes a week and 3 major episode a month while on medication"... this should put me in the 40% range for the narcolepsy and 100 range for the cataplexy. So I am hoping the doc got it right at least the lawyers think so and the state va rep does as well. Do you have any thoughts
Hey, I dont want to burst your bubble but cataplexy doesn't count as major episodes. There are numerous claims that tried to justify the same thing. However, with your 10 naps and 3 episodes of cataplexy you should qualify for the 80%.
 
For which condition(s)? Are you referring to narcolepsy? It would have to be my OCM, because I haven’t had a sleep doc consult yet...
For the narcolepsy. Try to get a sleep doc out in town unless your doc will fill the form out as required to meet the condition that will require you to retire as long as it is true.
 
Hey, I dont want to burst your bubble but cataplexy doesn't count as major episodes. There are numerous claims that tried to justify the same thing. However, with your 10 naps and 3 episodes of cataplexy you should qualify for the 80%.
Rgr. Thanks for the clarification
 
For the narcolepsy. Try to get a sleep doc out in town unless your doc will fill the form out as required to meet the condition that will require you to retire as long as it is true.

I don't understand - you're saying my civilian PCM can fill out the narcolepsy DBQ? I have a sleep consult scheduled, but its not until April by which time the MEB will be over. My disability attorney said that I could have an IMR done or do a rebuttal to the MEB. I'm so confused and frustrated. I mean the condition is true, I have a 2014 MSLT that was positive for narcolepsy and a 2015 MSLT that was positive for hypersomnia. Both are rated the same according to the VA...
 
I had my civilian sleep medicine doctor fill out the form for me. He is also the one who diagnosed me. If your PCM will do it I'll be good but if you can have an actual sleep doctor do it that would be better. I had all the evidence that I have now for my Med board and I still got 10% so I had to rebuttal and submit the form. Also quick question have you been diagnosed with the narcolepsy buy a sleep studies
 
what I meant was recently have you had a study. What is the end result that you're trying to get.
 
This is from 2014. I am either trying to get a narcolepsy diagnosis or a hypersomnia diagnosis. Both are rated the same by the VA. I think I will have my PCM fill out the form - my sleep consult isn't until April. I would have to get an IMR or do a rebuttal to the MEB in order to have it added as a referred condition.
 

Attachments

  • thumbnail.jpeg
    thumbnail.jpeg
    184.8 KB · Views: 18
Top