Medical Exam in Moscow

[mendeleev 68]

2005 was three years ago... IOM seems to have cleaned up their act.

When my wife first called AO Meditsina, they told her to call back in a few weeks. It was necessary to have the exam scheduled in advance.

IOM, often called MOM (since that is the Russian acronym) is a clinic that gives poor service too often. My wife (fiance) then had a terrible experience there back in 2005. The only advantage of MOM is that it might be $5 cheaper. The disadvantages can fill a substantial list.

My wife and her daughter had their medical in MOM in 2006 and had no problems at all. Most reports lately have been positive. I guess there were a few isolated problems several years ago that have since been taken care of. The advantage of MOM is same day results.

I remember that one poster was shocked that his girl had to expose certain parts of her body for the medical. Come on, it's a medical exam. What did they expect?

On thing you don't expect is to have nonmedical objects inserted into private parts with several men looking on!

When my fiancee ended up having to go there for her medical, I read every thing on IOM/MOM here on VJ and all the links that those threads generated. I never read anything about rape. Did that happen to your lady? Because I just reread and couldnt find anywhere where a lady had anything like that done. One poster was claiming harassment similar to that, but the guy later retracted his claims when he found out that the doctor who examined his lady was a woman. It wouldnt surprise me that there was some gawking and oogling going on in some of the cases, but that is a far cry from rape/rape with an instrument.

At her K1 physical in 2005. I've written about it before, not so graphically. Once I did mention "rape by instrumentation" which apparently is a legal term I don't quite understand, and got criticized here for it.

Needless to say, she did not return to AOM for her K3 physical.

We have good reason not to be fond of MOM.

[Bobalouie 0]

2005 was three years ago... IOM seems to have cleaned up their act.

When my wife first called AO Meditsina, they told her to call back in a few weeks. It was necessary to have the exam scheduled in advance.

IOM, often called MOM (since that is the Russian acronym) is a clinic that gives poor service too often. My wife (fiance) then had a terrible experience there back in 2005. The only advantage of MOM is that it might be $5 cheaper. The disadvantages can fill a substantial list.

My wife and her daughter had their medical in MOM in 2006 and had no problems at all. Most reports lately have been positive. I guess there were a few isolated problems several years ago that have since been taken care of. The advantage of MOM is same day results.

I remember that one poster was shocked that his girl had to expose certain parts of her body for the medical. Come on, it's a medical exam. What did they expect?

On thing you don't expect is to have nonmedical objects inserted into private parts with several men looking on!

When my fiancee ended up having to go there for her medical, I read every thing on IOM/MOM here on VJ and all the links that those threads generated. I never read anything about rape. Did that happen to your lady? Because I just reread and couldnt find anywhere where a lady had anything like that done. One poster was claiming harassment similar to that, but the guy later retracted his claims when he found out that the doctor who examined his lady was a woman. It wouldnt surprise me that there was some gawking and oogling going on in some of the cases, but that is a far cry from rape/rape with an instrument.

At her K1 physical in 2005. I've written about it before, not so graphically. Once I did mention "rape by instrumentation" which apparently is a legal term I don't quite understand, and got criticized here for it.

Needless to say, she did not return to AOM for her K3 physical.

We have good reason not to be fond of MOM.

I am surprised you didnt go to moscow and burn that place to the ground with the offending individuals inside. Thats what I would have done.

[mendeleev 68]

2005 was three years ago... IOM seems to have cleaned up their act.

When my wife first called AO Meditsina, they told her to call back in a few weeks. It was necessary to have the exam scheduled in advance.

IOM, often called MOM (since that is the Russian acronym) is a clinic that gives poor service too often. My wife (fiance) then had a terrible experience there back in 2005. The only advantage of MOM is that it might be $5 cheaper. The disadvantages can fill a substantial list.

My wife and her daughter had their medical in MOM in 2006 and had no problems at all. Most reports lately have been positive. I guess there were a few isolated problems several years ago that have since been taken care of. The advantage of MOM is same day results.

I remember that one poster was shocked that his girl had to expose certain parts of her body for the medical. Come on, it's a medical exam. What did they expect?

On thing you don't expect is to have nonmedical objects inserted into private parts with several men looking on!

When my fiancee ended up having to go there for her medical, I read every thing on IOM/MOM here on VJ and all the links that those threads generated. I never read anything about rape. Did that happen to your lady? Because I just reread and couldnt find anywhere where a lady had anything like that done. One poster was claiming harassment similar to that, but the guy later retracted his claims when he found out that the doctor who examined his lady was a woman. It wouldnt surprise me that there was some gawking and oogling going on in some of the cases, but that is a far cry from rape/rape with an instrument.

At her K1 physical in 2005. I've written about it before, not so graphically. Once I did mention "rape by instrumentation" which apparently is a legal term I don't quite understand, and got criticized here for it.

Needless to say, she did not return to AOM for her K3 physical.

We have good reason not to be fond of MOM.

I am surprised you didnt go to moscow and burn that place to the ground with the offending individuals inside. Thats what I would have done.

Well, we aren't going to burn the place down.

But I will continue to warn people away from MOM. Really, I can't see why the consulate continues to accept their work. Ours has not been the only plausible complaint of abuse coming from MOM. But MOM is pretty chummy with the Russian government and that may help protect them.

I don't see why an American man would want to send a wife or fiance to MOM. though. To save $5? Does recidivism sometimes occur? Why risk it?

The second time around, we used AOMeditsina. My wife was pleased to report that no one there asked her to take off her clothes. I might have helped that I was sitting outside of the examining rooms that time, but I don't think so. I think AOMeditsina genuinely strives to do good medical work, although they also might be in it for the money a bit too much. They made my wife get an unnecessary vaccination and, along the way, relieved us of an extra $50 or so. I wrote about that episode here before and did complain to the consultate. They fixed that one, apparently, based on more recent posts about AOMeditsina experiences.

I continue, in spite of an experience not 100% positive, to recommend AOMeditsina.

[eekee 182]

OK, here is my question. I thought the exam involved tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea. I have always thought that people tested for these in a way that involves a gynecological exam, not a blood test. Do they show up in the blood test? I thought that since they were bacterial infections they wouldn't, but I'm not a doctor and don't know much about medicine.

[slim 1,514]

OK, here is my question. I thought the exam involved tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea. I have always thought that people tested for these in a way that involves a gynecological exam, not a blood test. Do they show up in the blood test? I thought that since they were bacterial infections they wouldn't, but I'm not a doctor and don't know much about medicine.

I didn't think they tested for those, but if they did, yeah, they'd have to "take a look." (Or so I thought too.)

As far as which clinic to go to, there's one that could charge you extra money for stuff you don't need and the other one could possibly harass/abuse you?

What ever happened to the days of "I'm the one paying you.... do what I say." Sure, then they're not going to sign the required documents, but that's why there's another clinic. And another. People here in the States do that alot too. They forget that their doctor and medical staff are working for them. There's not too much disagreement with doctors and nurses here. Usually just complaining after the fact.

Remember, going to the doctor is no different than going to Jiffy Lube. You're going there to get a service performed and your equipment checked. If they give you any hassle, either go to the dealer or do it yourself.

[eekee 182]

They're on the list of things that would make you fail a medical.

I didn't think they tested for those, but if they did, yeah, they'd have to "take a look." (Or so I thought too.)

[mendeleev 68]

No STD tests for my wife, either, except for HIV. So the outrageous aspects of my wife's examination cannot be dismissed as a "misunderstanding".

[eekee 182]

Why are they on the list (along with syphilis and some things that I've never heard of) if they don't test for them?

No STD tests for my wife, either, except for HIV. So the outrageous aspects of my wife's examination cannot be dismissed as a "misunderstanding".

[mendeleev 68]

Why are they on the list (along with syphilis and some things that I've never heard of) if they don't test for them?

No STD tests for my wife, either, except for HIV. So the outrageous aspects of my wife's examination cannot be dismissed as a "misunderstanding".

Let me correct myself: apparently they also tested for syphilis with the blood draw they used for the HIV test. As for the various other conditions you refer to -- I cannot comment.

[Bobalouie 0]

I wanted her to go to AOM, but neither they or Filitov would pick up the phone. She called all day, every day for about 4 days and finally decided to try MOM/IOM and they picked up the phone.

[eekee 182]

According to wikipedia they can test your pee for gonorrhea/chlamydia as well. Good to know.

Why are they on the list (along with syphilis and some things that I've never heard of) if they don't test for them?

No STD tests for my wife, either, except for HIV. So the outrageous aspects of my wife's examination cannot be dismissed as a "misunderstanding".

Let me correct myself: apparently they also tested for syphilis with the blood draw they used for the HIV test. As for the various other conditions you refer to -- I cannot comment.

[visaveteran1 33]

According to wikipedia they can test your pee for gonorrhea/chlamydia as well. Good to know.

Why are they on the list (along with syphilis and some things that I've never heard of) if they don't test for them?

No STD tests for my wife, either, except for HIV. So the outrageous aspects of my wife's examination cannot be dismissed as a "misunderstanding".

Let me correct myself: apparently they also tested for syphilis with the blood draw they used for the HIV test. As for the various other conditions you refer to -- I cannot comment.

The clap disease-chlamydia test used to be be VERY unpleasant, for men anyway. Now they can test with urine sample. Thank you modern medicine!

[visaveteran1 33]

The medical exam is an issue for me and I resent our embassy allowing such nonsense to occur under it's oversight. Abuse and rip-offs and we have to pay for such #######.

There needs to be a better way...but there's so much corruption and bribery and mafia influence in Russia...especially Moscow, that there seems no better way except to maybe add more clinic choices than 3 or 4.

Regarding MOM, I understand they offer same day results and, unfortunately, I think many folks who want to save money by limiting their stay in Moscow choose to use MOM for that reason alone. I have already decided we will not use MOM. If there were no choice, I pay a female body guard to go along.

[eekee 182]

Not so pleasant for women either, but unfortunately the, uh, technique is still a part of the exam for other things.

The clap disease-chlamydia test used to be be VERY unpleasant, for men anyway. Now they can test with urine sample. Thank you modern medicine!

[visaveteran1 33]

Not so pleasant for women either, but unfortunately the, uh, technique is still a part of the exam for other things.

The clap disease-chlamydia test used to be be VERY unpleasant, for men anyway. Now they can test with urine sample. Thank you modern medicine!

Yes...don't envy you.