Sleep Apnea on a 1st time SI

[Chris Charanza]

So I've done some searching and read over the documents on the FAA website but maybe someone else has experience with this topic. So I'm going through the process of ultimately obtaining an SI (which I suppose would be tied to sleep apena and not adhd - I just completed the required neuropsychological testing and think i'll be ok). For me this whole process started with a denial back in 2013 along with a follow up that addressed the ADHD meds, sleep apnea and a blood pressure issue. The only thing I have left to address from that letter is the sleep apnea which I now have an appointment with a sleep doctor next week and I'm sure i'll have a sleep study shortly thereafter. My question to the group is the process once the sleep study is completed. I'm going to assume just for the sake of simplicity that I will show positive for sleep apnea and will then be outfitted with a CPAP (mainly because back in the day I tested positive for sleep apnea and had a cpap but wasn't ever really compliant but now i'm determined to be). So assuming what I just said is true will i have a period where the FAA will want me to actually use the CPAP for a series of months and then provide a compliance report with that ongoing into infinity or until i can figure out a way to lose sleep apnea or will i submit the results of my sleep study and corresponding treatment plan along with the statement that they require and then later have to send them the data showing i'm in compliance. I'm aware I've got quite a bit of time before now and any issuance but am just curious on which one of the two scenarios above is probably most likely.

 

[Matthew]

I'm pretty sure, even for the 1st time, that FAA will want to see compliance. Normally, they will want to see 12 months of data, but they know that for a first timer you probably won't have that. I *THINK* they'll be OK with 30 days, but the more the better. You'll have to get more info from an AME, but I *THINK* your AME will have to defer to OKC, send in the status report you get from your treating physician, plus whatever data you have, and then let FAA make the final decision. SOME AMEs might make a few phone calls and be able to issue in the office. This is a variable that I'm not too sure about.

Also it's important to remember when it comes to CPAP compliance and FAA: They want to see 6hr per night. Most CPAPs and CPAP reporting s/w will default to 4hrs per night and count that as compliant, you'll have to specify that compliance reports use the 6hr setting.

As far as compliance reports "going on into infinity": Yes. Annually you will have to generate a report for the previous 12 months, plus get a letter from your treating physician verifying you are being properly treated and have not excessive daytime sleepiness. You'll use that to renew the SI every year. On the years where your medical expires, you'll also get the medical exam at the same time you turn in the report to your AME. On those off years, you can mail the status and compliance reports to FAA and wait for them to send you renewed medical, or you can visit your AME and get the paperwork done in the office.

To get rid of sleep apnea: If you lose enough weight or have other physiological changes to where you think you don't have it anymore, you'll probably have to prove that by getting another sleep study that shows negative for OSA.

 

[Chris Charanza]

Luckily for me I'm quite certain i'll have enough of a window to provide them with that while i'm waiting on all the stuff from the cogscreen to work it's way through the system so i'd imagine that shouldn't be much of a problem. I guess my main concern was having to wait another year just collecting data when everything else has been cleared up and am hoping that they'll take a shortened time period showing current compliance and then just pick it up annually as you mentioned.

 

[Half Fast]

So assuming what I just said is true will i have a period where the FAA will want me to actually use the CPAP for a series of months and then provide a compliance report with that ongoing into infinity or until i can figure out a way to lose sleep apnea...

Infinity or until you switch to Basic Med, whichever comes first.

 

[schmookeeg]

Like a cow plotting to get rid of its brand.

 

[Rcmutz]

Your SI for sleep apnea will be issued for 6 years. However, as was stated, you will have to send in a compliance report and physicians statement each year. Your Class 3 medical will be issued, valid for only one year. Every other year or perhaps 4 if you are under 40, you will need to see the AME for the medical exam. On the off years, you can submit the compliance, your attestation of compliance, and the treating physicians statement. I have had my SI for OSA approved twice now over the last 12 years. This year I am considering switching to Basic Med.

 

[Chris Charanza]

I appreciate the responses here, I guess my main question was how it would be issued initially. I don't have any problems complying with whatever the FAA wants me to do. I figure I've already crossed over the main hurdle, being the Cogscreen I had to take (or at least I feel like I did pretty well but we'll see). I just wasn't sure if I'd have this built in delay right off the bat so I can collect data or if it's compressed and then you start sending it annually. Based on what i've been seeing on timelines of things lately I think it would be a safe bet to assume that by the time anything were to come down from OKC that i'd probably be able to have at least 3 months of data. I have an appointment with a sleep specialist next week and I'd have to think based on my own history of a previous diagnosis years ago that a new sleep study is going to happen anyway plus the fact that the FAA is asking for one on the correspondence I got from them in 2013.

 

[Matthew]

I appreciate the responses here, I guess my main question was how it would be issued initially. I don't have any problems complying with whatever the FAA wants me to do. I figure I've already crossed over the main hurdle, being the Cogscreen I had to take (or at least I feel like I did pretty well but we'll see). I just wasn't sure if I'd have this built in delay right off the bat so I can collect data or if it's compressed and then you start sending it annually. Based on what i've been seeing on timelines of things lately I think it would be a safe bet to assume that by the time anything were to come down from OKC that i'd probably be able to have at least 3 months of data. I have an appointment with a sleep specialist next week and I'd have to think based on my own history of a previous diagnosis years ago that a new sleep study is going to happen anyway plus the fact that the FAA is asking for one on the correspondence I got from them in 2013.

Initially, I think there are two ways: 1) the AME sends your apnea reports and other paperwork to FAA in OKC and you wait, or 2) the AME makes some calls and handles it for you without the wait. I'm really not sure what determines, or how, either one of those options is taken. You can call the AME in advance, let him or her know the situation, and then ask.

Before that AME visit, get as much compliance data as you can. After that, it's an annual thing to maintain a class 2/3 medical.

 

[Chris Charanza]

Initially, I think there are two ways: 1) the AME sends your apnea reports and other paperwork to FAA in OKC and you wait, or 2) the AME makes some calls and handles it for you without the wait. I'm really not sure what determines, or how, either one of those options is taken. You can call the AME in advance, let him or her know the situation, and then ask.

Before that AME visit, get as much compliance data as you can. After that, it's an annual thing to maintain a class 2/3 medical.

I'm currently working with a HIMS AME because of the complications with the past ADHD medication and as soon as the FAA known psychologist writes his report for the Neuropsychological I had to do this past Tuesday it will be forwarded to the HIMS AME although the psychologist said he likes to send a copy direct to the FAA just in case and when i get my sleep study done the sleep doc will forward that report to the HIMS AME and he was going to package it all up together and send it in. I had a previous consultation with him prior to going for another medical and i'm not sure if he ever actually submitted anything when i visited him about a month ago or if he's waiting until he has everything the FAA had previously requested before submitting the package. I had read somewhere that the AME can make a call to someone somewhere and might have the authority to make the call on that. I guess what i'm hoping to avoid is to complete the steps and then package it all up and send it in only for the FAA to respond months and months later saying they need 6 months of data or something which hopefully doesn't turn out to be the case.

 

[Lindberg]

From the horse's mouth:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...ices/aam/ame/guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/osa/

They want 30 days if you are newly diagnosed.

 

[Chris Charanza]

From the horse's mouth:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...ices/aam/ame/guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/osa/

They want 30 days if you are newly diagnosed.

I'm not really newly diagnosed as much as diagnosed in the past and just wasn't compliant but now I have to be compliant so I'm going to do what is necessary. 30 days of data isn't really a big deal in the whole scheme of things. I figure I'll probably have close to that by the time I hear back from them about some other stuff I'm clearing up so that timing works out pretty well.