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Hello i need help about my medical, any ideas please let me know

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Its been 6days now since i had my medical test. I am very frustrated and disappointed with the result and i couldnt sleep very well because of this . I never had TB before in my intire life and i am pretty sure i dont have it. But they tell me i need to undergo sputum exam on july 1-3. I have question, is it possible to do xray again? And if the result is normal Is it possible not to undergo sputum exam at all? The last time i was having my medical i was not feeling well that time my breathing is not normal because i will be having a cough and i had sore throat taht time. I got sick when i get back to boracay because of hang over. I regret why i did medical when im not feeling well. :( please let me know by any chance. I am really hoping theres other option . 2months is tooo long to wait. :'(

Thank you

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Hi, sorry to hear about that!

Depends on why they want to do a sputum examination.. If you had a positive PPD and signs of TB on an X-ray they are probably going to check your sputum for active disease.

There is another quicker more specific test called "gamma quauntiferon test" but i dont know if your physician would order that.

Disclaimer: Only giving my opinion as per my knowledge of TB, i am not an immigration expert :)

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Ooh ok. . But is this maybe because i was having a cough when i had the medical exam? I dont see any signs for TB. And ive been searching about it. I dont smoke and i dont drink really .

Whats gamma quauntiferon test ?

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Well up till a few years back we were really just using PPD to screen everyone and didn't have something very specific to test for TB very quickly. The other option was take 3 early morning sputum samples on 3 different days or send sputum samples for culture.

In short, sputum samples for AFB staining is really inaccurate even if done properly 3 times and Sputum cultures take too long,

Gamma Quantiferon does the job faster. But i'm sure your doctor has a good reason to screen you for TB. If you havent had a chest x-ray yet, i'm confused as to why he didnt order that before ordering a sputum AFB stain?

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Philippines
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If you search you will find many threads about the Sputum test at St. Lukes.

Here is one:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/277273-sputum-test-in-st-lukes-walkthrough/

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Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a disease caused by bacteria spread through the air from one person to another. Commonly, it attacks the lungs, but also other parts of the body. It is estimated that one third of the world's population is infected with TB, but it can lay latent, meaning not everyone develops the active disease. Persons with latent TB do not spread the disease unless it is active in the body. Of all TB cases in the world, 85 percent occur in 22 countries. Of these 22 countries, 9 are in sub-Saharan Africa and over 1.5 million cases of TB occur in Africa each year. In Africa TB/HIV co-infection is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Africa. A 3-5 drug regimen using Directly Observed Therapy – Short course (DOTS) over a 6-8 month period is the standard of treatment for TB. Treatment failures result in drug resistance including multi-drug resistance.

This is your life and maybe those you come in contact with if you are "active". Do you want to die?? Do you want a love one in your family to die from TB? TB is real and it KILLS. Don't mess around with this. Be a BIG girl and "take your medicine". There is nothing you can do to make this process go away. You can't enter the USA until such time that SLEC signs off on your medical. So go and follow their directions. That is your only option. And, please don't listen to anyone who tells you to eat health and drink lots of milk because that is not going to make a bit of difference. It's just BS.

Sorry, but I am very direct when it comes to TB.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Hello VJ family..

Be advised St. Lukes is now requiring sputum tests for nearly 100% of applicants !!!

My Fiance' Kris arrived in Manila from Davao for her physical on Sunday for Monday exam. All seemed great and no problems during the various exams.
They just told her to come back for vaccinations and and final results the next day.

Kris went back to St. Lukes at 7:15 am Tuesday and within 10 minutes they told her she needed the Sputum Test... We thought this must be impossible! She had even brought recent x-rays and reports from her internist stating CLEAR / NEGATIVE. The staff would not say why they require the test and just presented her with a yellow slip to be back on July 6-7-8 for the test and to cancel our interview at the consulate!!! I had arrived in Manila early that same morning from San Francisco, CA planning to be at the consulate interview with her the next Monday...

Yesterday Kris had met others who had the exam the same day and they all were required to submit to the tests too..
Some were arguing with staff as to why and they were told nothing!! Some said they were told that the x-rays appeared a little blurry... Well why don't they just take a few more??? I guess several hundred blurry X-Rays a day is NORMAL....

Apparently this is a very recent mandate by those in control.

All of us are devastated and totally perplexed.. Like us, others got no explanation at all. None are then are allowed to take the tests immediately or soon after the exam... No staff for that say the SL personnel.
Hundreds of people per day are in essence forced to leave and not return for nearly two weeks to take these 3 day tests.

After questioning the St. Lukes staff again they did admit they are now require almost all people who apply for these visas... More than one thousand over the past 3 days alone.

Yesterday Kris called the USEM hot line and they confirmed that most all applicants will be tested...

Needles to say we have had to change EVERYTHING, our hotels, the CFO appointment, USEM interview, purchase return airfare back to Davao, cancel all our wedding plans, work schedules, etc.

If anybody out there has more insight to the reasons they are doing this and holding everyone's lives up. Please speak out!

Some believe the USEM told them to do this to slow the embassy workload down. Some say it's the corruption factor of the testing agency to get more extorted moneys from the embassy... Either way the result is at the expense of the rest of us who are just trying to do the process the right way..

Just be aware this is happening and maybe do not schedule an interview until you have finalized the medical exam...

Luck to us all,

Chris n' Kris

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Filed: Other Country: Philippines
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Its been 6days now since i had my medical test. I am very frustrated and disappointed with the result and i couldnt sleep very well because of this . I never had TB before in my intire life and i am pretty sure i dont have it. But they tell me i need to undergo sputum exam on july 1-3. I have question, is it possible to do xray again? And if the result is normal Is it possible not to undergo sputum exam at all? The last time i was having my medical i was not feeling well that time my breathing is not normal because i will be having a cough and i had sore throat taht time. I got sick when i get back to boracay because of hang over. I regret why i did medical when im not feeling well. :( please let me know by any chance. I am really hoping theres other option . 2months is tooo long to wait. :'(

Thank you

CDC sets the guidelines, St. Luke's is required to follow the guidelines.

Accept the reality that you have to complete the 60 day SPUTUM testing.

Your not feeling well because of a hang-over has no affect on the x-ray. Most people don't feel sick or know they have TB until it is very progressed. TB kills and is contagious, be glad you are being tested to verify if you have TB or not, if you do they will issue the medication to cure you.

Hank

"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind"

 

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“LET’S GO BRANDON!”

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Filed: Other Country: Philippines
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Hello VJ family..

Be advised St. Lukes is now requiring sputum tests for nearly 100% of applicants !!!

My Fiance' Kris arrived in Manila from Davao for her physical on Sunday for Monday exam. All seemed great and no problems during the various exams.

They just told her to come back for vaccinations and and final results the next day.

Kris went back to St. Lukes at 7:15 am Tuesday and within 10 minutes they told her she needed the Sputum Test... We thought this must be impossible! She had even brought recent x-rays and reports from her internist stating CLEAR / NEGATIVE. The staff would not say why they require the test and just presented her with a yellow slip to be back on July 6-7-8 for the test and to cancel our interview at the consulate!!! I had arrived in Manila early that same morning from San Francisco, CA planning to be at the consulate interview with her the next Monday...

Yesterday Kris had met others who had the exam the same day and they all were required to submit to the tests too..

Some were arguing with staff as to why and they were told nothing!! Some said they were told that the x-rays appeared a little blurry... Well why don't they just take a few more??? I guess several hundred blurry X-Rays a day is NORMAL....

Apparently this is a very recent mandate by those in control.

All of us are devastated and totally perplexed.. Like us, others got no explanation at all. None are then are allowed to take the tests immediately or soon after the exam... No staff for that say the SL personnel.

Hundreds of people per day are in essence forced to leave and not return for nearly two weeks to take these 3 day tests.

After questioning the St. Lukes staff again they did admit they are now require almost all people who apply for these visas... More than one thousand over the past 3 days alone.

Yesterday Kris called the USEM hot line and they confirmed that most all applicants will be tested...

Needles to say we have had to change EVERYTHING, our hotels, the CFO appointment, USEM interview, purchase return airfare back to Davao, cancel all our wedding plans, work schedules, etc.

If anybody out there has more insight to the reasons they are doing this and holding everyone's lives up. Please speak out!

Some believe the USEM told them to do this to slow the embassy workload down. Some say it's the corruption factor of the testing agency to get more extorted moneys from the embassy... Either way the result is at the expense of the rest of us who are just trying to do the process the right way..

Just be aware this is happening and maybe do not schedule an interview until you have finalized the medical exam...

Luck to us all,

Chris n' Kris

There is no additional fees for SPUTUM testing, so not sure who is being extorted or by whom.

Hank

"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind"

 

Picture

 

“LET’S GO BRANDON!”

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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There is no additional fees for SPUTUM testing, so not sure who is being extorted or by whom.

Hi Hank,

It's just rumors and speculations offered by others who were utterly surprised by the recent changes or policies regarding the Sputum testing requirements.

We do know they are not charging the applicants any more than already paid to them but the ramifications of this new action to all affected are pretty far reaching...

We certainly understand the importance of proper testing but the question is "What has changed or caused this new scatter gun approach"???

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Filed: Other Country: Philippines
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You are the first I have read of that report "everyone" is being required to complete SPUTUM. Many others are still going through the medical in the typical 2 days... still.

Hank

"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind"

 

Picture

 

“LET’S GO BRANDON!”

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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You are the first I have read of that report "everyone" is being required to complete SPUTUM. Many others are still going through the medical in the typical 2 days... still.

As of yesterday after contacting the embassy and St. Luke's, they both said (verbatim) that "most" applicants are now required to have the test.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Good day to everyone. I just finished my 60 days sputum culture. 8 weeks waiting is the longest 8 weeks of my life. A 60 days nightmare.

Looking back, when i had my first day of medical i had a mild cough. I never thought that a simple mild cough will delay my visa application.

Lesson learned. Be prepared physically. Make sure to be physically fit when you go for a medical. Any suspicious thing in the CHest xray is a sure slot in the SPUTUM section.

SLEC is just doing thier work and following the US-CDC guidelines.

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Filed: Other Country: Philippines
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As of yesterday after contacting the embassy and St. Luke's, they both said (verbatim) that "most" applicants are now required to have the test.

Interesting. CDC may have made some changes in requirements. The Philippines is near the top of the list in the TB hit parade.

According to WHO - The Philippines is one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden countries in the world

Edited by Hank_

Hank

"Chance Favors The Prepared Mind"

 

Picture

 

“LET’S GO BRANDON!”

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