NEED HELP!! Interview less than a month away.

[depdogeod 0]

Fellow VJers,

My Fiance recently went to the medical office her work has for her. The x-ray they took showed, as written by the radiologist "suggestive of PTB". When she goes to St Lukes for her exam and if they find the same thing, what will happen? Will this delay our process? She has no medical history of TB. Living in Manila, she is at high risk for exposure. Do we need to submit anything to extend our NOA2 approval which expires on 31 April 2013?

If they require her to get treatment, can she do get her treatment here in the US? I am a Navy Nurse and work in a major hospital, so medical care here is not an issue.

Don't want to get ahead of myself. We just found out today. Any assistance in this matter is GREATLY appreciated!!

Cheers,

Nolan

[Hershey888 5]

I think u have a problem. If u used a lawyer u better tell them and ask wat to do. Second do u knw war kind of tb? Did they tell? My brother had one but took medication and it was gone.

Sorry

[notusinganymore 31]

Hi! I have had the chance of working as a community nurse here in PI and we cater to TB cases. The thing about radiologist/radtechs here in PI is that they sometimes read films wrong. Additional to that, the interpretation says "suggestive PTB" so we can say that this isn't confirmed. X-ray films aren't diagnostic of any kind of TB. Gold standard test is a sputum test and the main symptom would be coughing for at least 2 weeks (productive or not unless it was due to known allergies). If I were to look at it my point of view, I would:

1. Ask if she had been coughing for 2 weeks.

2. Ask her if she had been to places that have positive TB cases. Manila is big and yes exposure is high however, if we bank on that then that would mean that every person in Manila should have PTB for now. So, it won't hurt to know if she had been somewhere that has (+) PTB.

3. Go for a second opinion. Another X-ray I mean. You are told to submit films for the past 6 months I think upon the SLEC medical exam. However, if it says "suggestive of PTB" I'd rather not pass that and have them take a "new" film. Their findings might be different right?

SLEC or the medical examiners are from one of the top hospitals here in PI and I'm sure they will have it their way. I think that if you have PTB, they will not allow you to go out of the country nor let you in another country. Prophylaxis or for safety and I know being a nurse you understand that. Patients that have confirmed PTB (through sputum smearing) have treatments for a minimum of 6 months. For suggestive PTB, it might take 2 months.

I hope things turn out well for you and your fiance and this is just how I see things and how I would go about had I been in the same situation. God bless you on your journey

[LSnBigBear 61]

Sorry to hear what you are going through. This topic is floating around just a few pages in from this morning. One of the members replied to this of which I will copy and paste for you that you may find helpful. "from my own experience the Xray from the local hospital where i live in the Philippines is different from the one in St. Luke's they actually take a chest radiograph which is more accurate than the regular xray that local hospitals take".

So if you are having issues now then surely St. Lukes with their equipment will find it more in depth. A few items to consider if your interview date is close, wait to see what St Lukes says about it her tests. Trust me if she has anything they will find it. They are good. At this time in the event she tests positive then there is no cost to you for her treatments. My frieds now wife had to under-go the TB medicines for 6 months. It did not cost them anything. Her children were not covered and it cost them 2 years ago $50 weekly per child. Just some thoughts. Sorry you are going through this. TB is just prominent in cultures like Philippines where sleeping conditions and normal living is in close proximity of each other.

I suggest getting her to St Lukes soon since your clock is ticking on NOA2 approval. What will happen is if she tests positive and there is a delay the US Embassy is contacted by St Lukes. You also contact them with the documents. The Embassy will allow her to get healthy and hence your April 30th deadline is extended. I do not believe they will extend from other non-accredited Medical Centers that US Embassy does not support.

Sorry again I wish you the best.

Edited January 30, 2013 by LSnBigBear

[heizel anne 3]

I had my medical the other day... i have exposure to ptb patients as well cause im working in the hospital but good thing i got my medical only one day. i am cleared about ptb issues... anyway to answer the question.. the applicant beside me (we're together since we started the line at st. lukes, plus we have the same hotel) as my medical, move smoothly, to her it turned not.. after we finish everything she was told to go check out at pulmo department, then when her name called they said she needed to talk the pulmo doctor.. then i havent seen her, cause i have to go to immunization area, for my vaccine... when i get back to hotel ive seen her then asked what happened, she said they saw a ptb scar, i asked her if she had that, she said last 2009 she has been detected of pneumonia, but never thought it could be a problem, cause she undergone a treatment, then i asked what did they said, to come after a week for sputum exam for 3 days, then they will call her in 7 to 10 days if there is a result, but she also told me about 2 months of waiting with the result i dont know... i feel like sometimes smear turned negative in few days of culture so maybe they need another 2 months, if turned negative.. its good but if positive u have to undergo 6 months of treatment... u have to go to st. lukes just to take the medicine, they only give the meicine to applicant every weekends cause there is no schedules every weekend... i asked also about the interview date.. she said.. they already cancelled it..st. lukes will handle everything