SLEC Medical Examinations

[ryandgracey 2]

Well, we finally had our medical examinations last November 26. Arrived at SLEC just before 3pm, appointment letters checked by the guard ( he checked both the photocopy and the originals) and we were given forms to fill out. No, I did not need to get any number. So...filled up the forms (NOTE: You will be asked for your nearest US relative...not your husband nor fiancee...if none, leave it blank. But you need to know your relative's address and phone number), gave them to reception who checked if I filled them out right then had our digital photos taken. Oh...affix one 2x2 picture to the form. And PLEASE make sure that you have the correct size and style photo...like the ones you put on your visa application forms. Anyway, I was directed to the 5th floor to pay the fees (Php10, 0667.??) then on to the 2nd floor for immunization interview. My daughter did not have any history of primary complex and was thus given a skin test. I did not get any. From there, on to the 3rd floor for my X-ray to 4th floor for my laboratory (urine and HIV) then to the 5th floor for the vital signs and physical exam. Bring any prior medical record if you have one. And you will be asked to strip down to your birthday suit..there is a gown you can put on, of course. We were asked to come back today, November 28 for the skin test interpretation. So we whiled away Thanksgiving in the mall. Today, we went to SLEC at 2:30pm and the guard checked our names against a list. He found my name and said that I can have my vaccines already, that I had passed (thank you Lord!). We had to wait till 4pm, however for the skin test interpretation. While waiting, I got my vaccines (MMR --- I had been vaccinated just last year but was unable to obtain a certification--- and TdaP), one on each arm....ouchy! Soon after that, my child's TST was due and it was read positive so that she was sent for an X-ray PA and lateral views. We were told to return on Tuesday, Dec 2 for her results. Thing is, my results will not be released without hers. And we have a Dec 9 interview sched.

What happens after this? What if her CXR comes out positive? What will happen next? Will we be delayed? What about my results? How long is it valid?

[dbears 1]

Soon after that, my child's TST was due and it was read positive so that she was sent for an X-ray PA and lateral views. We were told to return on Tuesday, Dec 2 for her results. Thing is, my results will not be released without hers. And we have a Dec 9 interview sched.

What happens after this? What if her CXR comes out positive? What will happen next? Will we be delayed? What about my results? How long is it valid?

I am positive that your child will have a positively negative xray result come Dec. 2, then she can have the required vaccines that same day and you will both be set for your Dec. 9 interview. My kids were both positive sa skin test and then both negative sa xray, we only spent 10 days in manila for medical and interview and everything was according to schedule... Trust me I know how you feel, I can empathize with your fears kasi I also went through the same worries before but everything will be ok.

About the validity of your medical, the USEM site says it is valid for 6months pero 1 year sya valid dito sa US so you will be ok... yong visa, if you will check the validity of it when you get it, it will be valid din 6months after you complete the medical, regardless of your interview date pero di naman siguro kayo aabot ng 6months pa jan after you get visa di ba?

Congrats on the medical and good luck on the coming interview, make sure you bring pics of you and your baby together nong maliit pa talaga siya ha, just in case your consul will ask for it, my consul asked for it before so just a heads up. God bless always.

[ryandgracey 2]

Finally! A reply! Thank you very much!

thanks for your sympathy. I am in that nerve-wracking stage right now and will be till next week. I know I have everythng ready, save fore these medicals. Our departure date we have set for April 7th of next year, after my baby's graduation from prep. Am anxious to book the flight already, knowing that these are expensive tickets and will only get more expensive as the date nears. I am thinking that even if my child needs to start antibiotics, she won't have to complete them here? We could go ahead with the interview?

[dbears 1]

Finally! A reply! Thank you very much!

thanks for your sympathy. I am in that nerve-wracking stage right now and will be till next week. I know I have everythng ready, save fore these medicals. Our departure date we have set for April 7th of next year, after my baby's graduation from prep. Am anxious to book the flight already, knowing that these are expensive tickets and will only get more expensive as the date nears. I am thinking that even if my child needs to start antibiotics, she won't have to complete them here? We could go ahead with the interview?

If her xray is positive, she would need to go through sputum exam pa and if positive sya sa tb SLEC will reschedule your interview till after she completes 6months tb treatment (some of those who had to go through the 6months tb treatment had to get another complete medical prior to interview kasi 6months nga lang validity ng medical).. but i doubt your daughter would be positive sa xray unless she had tb before, primary complex, or have been exposed to somebody with tb... during our medical, most of the kids had positive skin test, isa lang ata hindi, but then majority of them had negative xray naman, BCG vaccine is the first vaccine most, if not all, filipino babies receive and it gives a false positive result sa skin test but it is nothing to worry about.

And yes, i could agree with booking flights the earliest time.. pero check with local travel agencies, not the one in the malls kasi mahal parin sila. there are a lot of promos usually february and march, i just dont know if may mga promo offers ba sa december, just ask around and ask them when do they usually give out promo fares. if you want to book online, try your prefered airlines website or try expedia.com, vayama.com, economytravel.com

[dbears 1]

you are a doctor and probably knows more about medical and stuff but being a mom and worrying about our kids.. well, it usually overrule logic... Everything will be fine with your child's medical. (((HUGS)))

[ryandgracey 2]

Thing about primary complex, the treatment is differnt from one with active TB. Also, kids with primary complex can't infect other kids. They got the infection from an infected adult, apparently. Unlke an adult who is usually put on sick leave for at least 2 weeks upon starting treatment, kids go on ahead with their (less) busy lives and continue going to school. but anyway, would i have to repeat my medical after 6 months too?

My cousin owns a travel agency and she says there are first-time immigrant promos which is much much cheaper daw. will investigate that.

[dbears 1]

if worse comes to worst, and your medical expires, you would need to repeat the whole medical process too, but as i have said, i doubt it will come to that... i can understand where you are coming from, throughout the whole visa process, I only worried about my kids (it was clear in my previous postings months back): what if they will have positive xray, what if they mess up during interview, what if we would have a hard time at point of entry because they were categorized as type II suspected tb carriers because of positive skin test, what if they could not adjust here, what if, what if, what ifs.. there were so many what ifs for my kids, mom's could really worry when it comes to kids but all my worries were unnecessary, their medical was ok, interview and POE went without hassle and they are adjusting fairly well here, even getting in the honor list for the first grading, they are adjusting better than me actually.

We were given a note at POE and was instructed to call department of health which we did, my kids had to repeat another xray here which was negative again, but still because of the positive skin test they recommended 9months antibiotic tb treatment for them just to eliminate whatever caused the positive skin test.. my kids xray were negative, they did not display any sign of tb infection, they did not any history at all, and i also told them that there has never been any history of anybody in my family ever having tb... so the 9months treatment was not mandatory, just recommendation kasi nga daw positive ang skin test.. and I flatly refused, OK lang sila, 9months treatment, kahit pa free yon, di ako comfortable sa treatment dahil wala naman sakit mga anak ko... i still don't know if we will get RFE for this during AOS, tsaka ko na iisipin yon.

i'm jumping ahead na, sorry ... your child will be ok. I will be holding you both in my prayer.

[ryandgracey 2]

Again, thank you very very much. Hirap maging nanay 'no? Used to be our parents' role and we are now stepping into that very same role. We all want the best for our kids. And my daughter, having been father-less for 4 years, I had taken every precaution to safeguard her from everything though I know that I cannot. Her Daddy and I, we are looking into her best interest, but we know that some things are beyond our control. Sigh....I will leave it all up to the One above then.

Again, many thanks

[vichygurl 1]

Hello guys, I am so curious about this.

The results of the test depend on the size of the skin reaction and on the person being tested.

A small reaction (5 mm of hard swelling at the site) is considered to be positive in people who have HIV, who are taking steroid therapy, or who have been in close contact with a person who has active tuberculosis.

Larger reactions (greater than or equal to 10 mm) are considered positive in people with diabetes or kidney failure, and in health care workers, among others. In people with no known risks for tuberculosis, a positive reaction requires 15 mm or more of hard swelling at the site.

I just wanna know if you guys have heard about how many "mm" a person with healthy immune system should be declared positive? a friend of mine I knew who had been positive in skin test as well mentioned to me that her doctor told her that a healthy person should have 15 mm to be confirm positive. How true is this? The information above says the same thing. I think before they let you take antibiotic, they should undergo several test first to confirm if a person is really positive with the disease or not, right? I am getting paranoid of this because someone is using this result of mine against my husband.

To the OP, don't worry. the kids will be alright. AS what dbears said...usually they turned out positive because of the BCG vaccine. Even us adults sometimes.

Vida Taylor

[ryandgracey 2]

My infectious medicine is a bit rusty but 5mm is ok, 7-10 is questionable, 15mm is positive. My daughter's was 14mm and she was labeled positive. The gold standard for determining PTB still remains the presence of the tuberculosis bacilli on sputum culture. But even witht he proper environment and culture media, it is still hard to grow the bacteria.

[nbfsb 0]

BCG vaccination is included in the routine immunization of filipinos here in the PH that's why mostly tested positive in their PPD test. PPD is not a definitive diagnosis of TB. my cousin,during her SLEC medical exam, in her school age years, tested (+) in PPD but (-) on 2nd CXR. also,sputum culture results take 2mo. pa..& if you're petitioned as a family then you must be all cleared in medical exam before you can proceed w/ USEM interview.

[nbfsb 0]

in a healthy person, induration of >10mm is (+). that was according to my nursing books.

[nbfsb 0]

some anti TB drugs are nephrotoxic, ototoxic & neurotoxic. if CXR is (-),they recommend treatment, its for prophylaxis. it could be possible that the bacilli lies dormant in the system & could be activated by a weakened immune system.

[vichygurl 1]

Thank you for the infos. So a 13mm is really positive regardless of 15 mm requirement for a healthy person? No history of kidney problem and diabetic. Granted that 13mm is positive but with negative CXR do you think he/she should undergo treatment for 9 months even if the CXR is clear? Isn't it a person should be tested several test first before giving the treatment? What if the person complies with the treatment because it's a US law, does that affect the kidney or liver somewhat?

There is this another test called QuantiFeron test that says it wouldn't affect the BCG vaccine as the TB skin test does. Isn't it CXR is not enough to determine if you have the disease or not? I am PPD positive but CXR negative. I don't know of any person in the family who has the disease. It's just frustrating and unfair to get positive.

Vida

[vichygurl 1]

My infectious medicine is a bit rusty but 5mm is ok, 7-10 is questionable, 15mm is positive. My daughter's was 14mm and she was labeled positive. The gold standard for determining PTB still remains the presence of the tuberculosis bacilli on sputum culture. But even witht he proper environment and culture media, it is still hard to grow the bacteria.

This makes sense..thanks!

Vida Taylor