Already stressing about the medical

[JFH 12,190]

I'm only at the I-130 stage (IR-1) but I'm already stressing about the medical.

I had a stroke at the age of 22 which has left some lasting "damage" (epilepsy, vision problems and partial paralysis in my right hand and foot). I work full-time and do not require any assistance with day to day tasks. I currently cannot drive because my license has been medically surrendered due to my epilepsy. But apart from that, no one would ever know I had a stroke. Speech is now fine after speech therapy.

Can anyone tell me in plain English what I need to do for the medical? Does it vary from consulate to consulate? Is there any harm in getting vaccinations done now in preparation? I notice one of them that is needed is chicken pox. I had this as a child. How do I prove that apart from a small scar from one of the pox on my chest? Do I need to get anything from the neurologist about my stroke and epilepsy?

Thank you.

[Sekhvaruli 74]

You are not going to have any problems with the medical. You can provide notes from your doctors, but that is not mandatory. Simply tell about your medical conditions, and that's it. Nobody is going to discriminate you or to give you hard time at the interview due to that.

Vaccinations done now are perfectly acceptable.

[JFH 12,190]

Thank you! That's a relief.

[mallafri76 1,012]

You'll start with an x-ray to check so you don't have TB. Then they'll check your blood pressure, vision, hearing, get your weight etc. Then the doctor will fill out a form about your general health, any medical conditions, piercings and tattoos plus he'll check you over (the general looking in throat and eyes, feel the throat and stomach etc). Then you'll talk about your vaccinations. If you have a vaccination record, bring this to the medical. If you don't have a vaccination record, you need to show immunity through a blood test or take a vaccination at your medical. Finally, you'll have a blood test to check for syphilis.

I had my missing vaccinations done before going for my medical and did a blood test to show immunity for the ones I didn't have a vaccination record for, simply because in Sweden, it's way cheaper to do it at your local clinic rather than at the medical for the visa.

You don't have to worry about your condition. I think what they're looking for in the medical is to make sure that immigrants are not a threat to the well being of Americans. I.e. they wanna make sure you don't have a contagious disease and that you have all your vaccinations, so you can't help spread a contagious disease once in the US.

Don't worry about the medical, you'll be fine. That's like the easiest part of the whole visa journey.

[JFH 12,190]

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I feel much better now. I've made an appointment with the doctor her regarding my vaccination history. I'm not even sure how long vaccines last but I'm sure the doctor will tell me.

Good luck with your medical and interview next week!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm only at the I-130 stage (IR-1) but I'm already stressing about the medical.

I had a stroke at the age of 22 which has left some lasting "damage" (epilepsy, vision problems and partial paralysis in my right hand and foot). I work full-time and do not require any assistance with day to day tasks. I currently cannot drive because my license has been medically surrendered due to my epilepsy. But apart from that, no one would ever know I had a stroke. Speech is now fine after speech therapy.

Can anyone tell me in plain English what I need to do for the medical? Does it vary from consulate to consulate? Is there any harm in getting vaccinations done now in preparation? I notice one of them that is needed is chicken pox. I had this as a child. How do I prove that apart from a small scar from one of the pox on my chest? Do I need to get anything from the neurologist about my stroke and epilepsy?

Thank you.

Here's some information on the London medical http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/474161-london-k1-a-complete-guide-do-not-post-questions-in-thread/?p=6741228

The varicella shot is waived if you had chickenpox. No proof needed. They take your word for it. Just be sure to tell them so they mark your form with a waiver code.

You can get shots sorted now. There is a list in the first post of that K1 London thread. Same thread I gave you with the medical info link.

Yes, I can almost guarantee you will need something from your neurologist explaining your condition to the visa doctor. They will want to know when, diagnosis, any treatments, current meds, prognosis....that kind of info they can not assess just by meeting you for 20 minutes. Something that serious, they want to hear it from a doctor, not your rendiction. You can take an explanation from your doctor, or wait until the exam and they will tell you to get that and send to them before they will release your results to the embassy. That will delay your interview until the doctor responds, which some people find is not too quickly. Depends on your doctor.

[JFH 12,190]

Thank you Nich-Nick. Very helpful and you've put my mind at rest. I'll contact the neurologist for him to compile a report.