Question on OSA SI for new pilot, never had medical before

[LoneAspen]

In the months since I've last been on POA, I've moved back to Colorado and am (finally!) ready to start some training. However, I think things have changed with medicals (Basic Med, etc) since I last did some research, so I wanted to ask a quick question, especially for any AMEs that might read this...

I've read in different places that for an OSA SI, you need a copy of the sleep study. I had that done back in 2014, was diagnosed with OSA, and have been on CPAP therapy ever since with 100% compliance (as in, I have used the CPAP literally EVERY night since I got it).

Will I need a copy of my old sleep study to get an OSA SI, or is it enough to have "x" number of days showing compliance on the SD card from the CPAP machine?

Do I need some kind of statement from a new sleep doc or a PCP? I haven't bothered to find a new sleep doc since moving out here because I've never had any issues with CPAP, never feel tired, etc. And I've never had a PCP anyway, as I always go to specialists when I have medical issues.

(EDIT: After reading what I wrote, I felt a little extra clarification was needed... I haven't found a new sleep doc here in Colorado yet only because I do so well on CPAP therapy that my old doc in California would just review the SD data, make sure I never feel tired (which I never do), and that would be it until the next year's appointment. I just haven't had a need to find a new sleep doc yet since moving back.)

I guess I was hoping that I could just take the SD card to an AME and they'd be able to read it and do whatever for the OSA part of the medical, but I'm guessing it's not that simple and I might have to line up a sleep doc and/or PCP to evaluate the data and write a statement of some sort?

On a related note, I was also diagnosed with open angle glaucoma in my left eye, but have been taking drops each night for that with no further issues. Does that require any kind of SI?

Thanks for any help on this!

 

[denverpilot]

Use the search box to search for OSA and posts by @bbchien — he has outlined the mandatory items for OSA before. They’re usually not negotiable.

 

[Brad Z]

This is what they’re going to need: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...ia/OSA Spec Sheet A - Information request.pdf

More FAA info for AMEs on OSA:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...ices/aam/ame/guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/osa/

 

[gkainz]

and welcome (back?) to Colorado!

 

[LoneAspen]

Thanks for the info, and @gkainz for the welcome back - it's good to be back!

I got my old sleep doc in CA to email me the PDF version of my old sleep study, so I got that one covered.

I need to look for a new sleep doc here in Denver that can look over the CPAP compliance and issue a statement for me. In doing a quick search, I'm finding several sleep clinics (that look like all they do are the sleep studies) and dentists who do oral appliances (which don't apply to me), but no dedicate sleep specialists like what I had in CA. I'll have to keep searching, unless anybody knows of a good sleep doc in Denver that might also be familiar with writing those statements for the FAA and pilots who need them for the medical process?

Anyways, I've started ticking the boxes, so thanks for the info!

 

[gkainz]

I did my sleep study at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge years ago, and the sleep doc was part of that department. He reviewed the results and wrote up the summary analysis of the study. I took that to my GP who wrote RX for CPAP. For years (before the requirement for recording CPAP, generated compliance and efficacy reports, I would visit my GP and would discuss how I was feeling and self reported compliance in general. He would write a letter that adhered to the verbiage of the FAA requirements at the time (link from Brad Z above I assume is the current requirements) which I would present to my ME annually.
When the recording CPAP and printed reports became required, I got a new CPAP and SleepyHead software and would produce the reports myself and hand carry to my GP, who would do the letter again annually, with the new required information.

I recently switched to BasicMed and eliminated a lot of steps ...

However, as I'm sure you've already read, to go BasicMed, you have to have held at least a class III medical once in what is it - last 10 years?