London Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors

[miss g 1]

oh SNAP.. I said the same thing.. apologised for having a boring life!!

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

oh SNAP.. I said the same thing.. apologised for having a boring life!!

Damn. I thought I was being witty. She probably hears that EVERY day! D'OH!

[Furious Biscuit 0]

Had my medical today..

Got to Bond street pretty fast, with an hour to spare. I went to Snappy snaps to get US-sized passport photos for my interview. Went to the nearby Costa to have a severely overpriced sandwich, as is typical of London. At 2:10pm I walked to Bentinck mansions. (Laurence+Lauren, the photos were really helpful here) The waiting room had cushy black leather sofas and paintings on the walls. Waiting around was so much nicer. I gave my passport, passport photo, questionnaire, doctor's note and vaccine records to the woman at reception who gave me more forms to fill in. The usual... do you have diseases, have you ever physically hurt another person, can we test your blood for AIDS..

I'd only been waiting for 5 minutes when a nurse called me. We went through my vaccines and.. amazingly, I didn't need any. There's the one that I need for AOS, but she said it's cheaper to get it done out there anyway. (HPV?) She also said my doctor might do it for free, so she gave me an info pack and sent me on to a guy in another room to get my chest X-rayed. He was really nice. He gave me a blue cotton robe, separated himself and I with a curtain, asked me to strip from the chin to waist and put on the robe. After I changed he came back in, gave me a band to tie my hair up with (joking about how it was 'that or the scissors') pulled a metal/glass plate from the wall, put me in a really weird posture and then put it against my chest. IT WAS REALLY COLD. Told me to breathe in deep, hold it, took the X-ray. Said it was all good, told me to stay in my robe and directed me to another waiting room. I think I was in there for about 15 minutes before I was called by a female (Indian?) doctor. She took me to another room and began by asking questions. They were pretty much things I'd already answered on the questionnaire, but I was warned that they check for inconsistencies.

Then she got to my doctor's note about medication I take. My doctor was really blunt in his note and she said she needed a note back from him basically saying that I'm safe/not going to go and kill somebody/etc. I explained that I'd just changed doctors after moving (so that doctor didn't really know me) and she said it was alright, and just to fax the note back to her.

She was so nice. She explained to me how she coped with panic attacks, herself. We chatted a bit before she pointed me to a chair and checked my eyes and throat. Asked me to lay down on the table, poked my abdomen. Stood up again. Examined my chest, and had a glance at my private region. Then she got me to lay down again, took my blood pressure, said it was high but dismissed it due to nerves. I was shaking when it was time to have blood drawn, but it was really needless in the end. She put the strap around my upper arm, made me clench my fist, told me to 'keep still or my vein would break and we'd have to start over' I tried to keep my eyes on the ceiling. Really quick and professionally done. I wondered if she'd even started when she was finished.

Then I was all done, pending the additional note from my doctor and clean blood test results. I went to pay the £180, ouch. (Can't complain though, it's less than some have paid)

Really painless, efficient and quick

Edited February 23, 2009 by Furious Biscuit

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

At 2:10pm I walked to Bentinck mansions. (Laurence+Lauren, the photos were really helpful here)

Happy to be of service! If it made even ONE person's journey less confusing, it was worth my time!

I'd only been waiting for 5 minutes when a nurse called me.

Same with me. The wait times weren't long at all, I was really impressed.

He gave me a blue cotton robe, separated himself and I with a curtain, asked me to strip from the chin to waist and put on the robe.

No fair! I didn't get a robe! I guess you got the preferential treatment because you have boobies and I don't!

I was shaking when it was time to have blood drawn, but it was really needless in the end. She put the strap around my upper arm, made me clench my fist, told me to 'keep still or my vein would break and we'd have to start over' I tried to keep my eyes on the ceiling. Really quick and professionally done. I wondered if she'd even started when she was finished.

You did really well. If she'd said 'keep still or my vein would break and we'd have to start over' to me, that'd be all it'd take to finish me off! I HATE stuff like that!

Good report, Furious! Bet you're glad to have all that over and done with! Best of luck for the interview now!

[Furious Biscuit 0]

You did really well. If she'd said 'keep still or my vein would break and we'd have to start over' to me, that'd be all it'd take to finish me off! I HATE stuff like that!

Oh, that REALLY got me scared. I guess it had the desired effect though. I kept EXTRA still

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Nobody's posted here for a while, so I'm going to write my long and rambling medical experience from today =D. My appointment was at 1 o'clock and it took about an hour.

Getting into London was easy...got off the tube at Oxford Circus (take the Bakerloo line from Waterloo), which I found a little easier. My medical was at Bentick Mansions, so I got there an hour early so I could meet up with a friend of mine for lunch. The map given on the actual website wasn't too good, so my friend had printed a much better one and we found the place easily. Had lunch at a nice little Lebanese place (look for Levant, it's tucked away on Wigmore Street nearby) and then hurried off to Knightsbridge Doctors.

Handed my passport, photo (British passport size), medical questionnaire and vaccination record to the lady at the desk, who was pretty efficient about things. Asked if I could use the washroom 'cause I'd been waiting all the way from Egham and it was probably the nicest one I'd run across in a while. She seemed okay with this . With that out of the way, filled in the questionnaire, handed it back to her, and she told me to wait a bit longer so I could fill out more stuff and get my passport back. My backpack was smelling of food because I'd asked for whatever I hadn't finished earlier to be packed, so the place probably smells of Lebanese cooking now.

Word of advice: they ask if you'd like a male or female doctor for the checkup later (not the X-Ray I think). I thought they were just referring to the X-Ray, and I was lucky enough to get a female doc after. They will check if you're the gender you claim to be O.O.

Was told to go along to get an X-Ray by a chap who sounded vaguely South African, got confused when he was poking some scales so I thought I had to get on them. I pointed out my Doc Marten boots were too heavy, and after much confusion and flapping about, I finally realised that he didn't want me to weigh myself. After getting into a gown, had to stand in an awkward position like a trussed-up chicken, got the X-Ray, and was shuffled onto the next room. Random girl joined me there, but she didn't seem too eager to chat. Tried discussing visas and omigawdit'ssoawesometogototheUS, but failed miserably. Shut up and listened to my iPod instead while staring intensely at the ceiling.

A lovely South African lady doc called me to the other room, so we had a tidy chat. Found out, much to my dismay, that I've been delusional and I am not in fact 5'7, but 5'5. Then discovered that I am, still, after 21 years, female (and this is why it's important to clarify whether you'd be uncomfortable with a male doc or not. I didn't expect that bit). Had my eyes and teeth poked at, and blood pressure checked. Removed blood from my bloodstream even though I was quite happy with it staying where it was, but as giving precious red blood cells meant going to the States, I conceded. I was shooed out of the room shortly thereafter.

Staggered out of the room trying to juggle my things while keeping my thumb pressed against the needle jab so I wouldn't bleed to death. Managed to throw money at them so they would let me leave. Wandered out toward Oxford Street and gradually made my way to the station. Went home. Need sugar as I am now dizzy...

Magpie.

Edited March 2, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[pothergavel 0]

Thanks for the review

Mines in a few weeks, so its always good to see whats in store for me!

[Stinky Monkey 1]

ha ha one step nearer hon

Now I feel hard done by no one wanted to see my rude bits hahaha

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

ha ha one step nearer hon

Now I feel hard done by no one wanted to see my rude bits hahaha

Whaaat? I feel violated now! Well, I mean, she was a very nice doc so it wasn't too weird, but...still! Hey! :: Hides in a hole :: Hissss!

Magpie.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Magpie, you always make me laugh. Glad to know it went relatively well.

Onward, ho! As in, "onward ho", not "onward" "ho"... Ummm... am I being clear?

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Magpie, you always make me laugh. Glad to know it went relatively well.

Onward, ho! As in, "onward ho", not "onward" "ho"... Ummm... am I being clear?

I see what you did there!

Naw, I got it. O.O

Magpie.

[The_dip_sticks 0]

My hubby had his medical yesterday and he told me that apart from the regular medical stuff the female asian doctor asked him questions almost as if he were at the interivew already. For thoes of you who have had the medical, did you have any of these questions asked?

Where did you meet?

What visa are you applying for?

Is your wife here?

Where does she work?

Do you fight?

What sort of job will you get in the states?

Have you been married before?

You have two kids are they from your wife?

Do you have a crimminal record?

Hubby used to smoke so she asked him how many cigs he had a day. She then did a lungs test and told him that his lugs were as if he never smoked before.

They took his Xray, took some blood out, then he was asked to drop his pants for the under the waist inspection.

Other than that she told him that all seemd fine except that he had high blood pressure. And my husband said it was probably because of the 2 cups of coffee he had.

Then Doc asked if he wanted to have his shots done there for 60 pounds t, and he said no because he could get them free from his doctor. The doc also told him that since he was doing a K3, he could also get the shots done in the states.

So did any one else get grilled at their medical? Is that unusual?

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

My hubby had his medical yesterday and he told me that apart from the regular medical stuff the female asian doctor asked him questions almost as if he were at the interivew already. For thoes of you who have had the medical, did you have any of these questions asked?

Where did you meet?

What visa are you applying for?

Is your wife here?

Where does she work?

Do you fight?

What sort of job will you get in the states?

Have you been married before?

You have two kids are they from your wife?

Do you have a crimminal record?

So did any one else get grilled at their medical? Is that unusual?

I did get asked a few questions...but she was a lot more mild about it. She was pretty brisk, though. She asked:

Where did you meet?

What visa are you applying for?

What does your fiance do?

What sort of job will you get in the states?

But we did have a very engaging conversation after that, so it seemed less impersonal. I think it's maybe to break the ice or something.

Magpie.

[The_dip_sticks 0]

Thanks so much that puts me at ease.=0)

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

Good review, Magpie!

Dip_Sticks, does your hubby LOOK like he fights? LOL! I find that such an odd question. And I'd be SOOOOO tempted to give a joke answer, like "What?! You expect us to FIGHT for our visa's now? That's barbaric! If I'd have known this in advance I'd have subjected myself to some kind of harsh training regime...."

I didn't get asked anything other than medical stuff. I'd heard before I went to my medical that they do sometimes ask stuff like that, and that they are even expected to comment on your mood/demeanour. But yeah, other than that it was pretty much just medical business.