Medical Examination questions

[mrs.hsu 0]

12 years ago, I was diagnosed to have advanced PTB but i was treated right away. So I worry because there is a big possibility that they will be able to detect the scar on my lungs and might suspect that i have PTB. So if that happens, what will they do and will this delay the whole process?

Anybody who had that experience? I'll be glad to hear your story and maybe some advice on what to do.

[TBoneTX 43,546]

*** Country-specific thread moved from CR-1 Process forum to the Philippines regional subforum. ***

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

If they detect a scar, you will have to do a sputum test. The sputum test is done every day for 3 days consecutively. It takes about 2-3 months to get the results of your test. If after 2-3 months your cultures are negative, then you can continue your interview. If they are positive, however, you will be put on anti-b meds for like 6 months.

Here is also a post on one woman's experience with the sputum test:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/333247-my-3-day-sputum-exam-experience/

[Tahoma 2,291]

If your x-ray shows scarring, St. Lukes will perform a smear test with your sputum, and they will perform a culture also. You will know the results of the smear test soon after sputum collection. However, you will have to wait two months for the result of your culture.

If either your smear test or your culture are positive for TB, you will be required to undergo at least six months of treatment.

[mrs.hsu 0]

Jesus! You have to wait that long???

Well, we are still on the process of collecting our financial and supporting documents to submit to the NVC but i just can't help but worry about this. I actually am planning to get an x-ray as early as now just to know if it is still visible cz they say the scar can sometimes become difficult to detect and undergo sputum test if possible too. So if i am able to do that ahead and get a negative result, do you think they will consider?

[Tahoma 2,291]

Jesus! You have to wait that long???

Well, we are still on the process of collecting our financial and supporting documents to submit to the NVC but i just can't help but worry about this. I actually am planning to get an x-ray as early as now just to know if it is still visible cz they say the scar can sometimes become difficult to detect and undergo sputum test if possible too. So if i am able to do that ahead and get a negative result, do you think they will consider?

Nope.

[Hank_ 9,173]

12 years ago, I was diagnosed to have advanced PTB but i was treated right away. So I worry because there is a big possibility that they will be able to detect the scar on my lungs and might suspect that i have PTB. So if that happens, what will they do and will this delay the whole process?

Anybody who had that experience? I'll be glad to hear your story and maybe some advice on what to do.

Any scaring on the x-ray will result in the 60 day SPUTUM test. No way to avoid this if you have scaring on your lungs.

Jesus! You have to wait that long???

Well, we are still on the process of collecting our financial and supporting documents to submit to the NVC but i just can't help but worry about this. I actually am planning to get an x-ray as early as now just to know if it is still visible cz they say the scar can sometimes become difficult to detect and undergo sputum test if possible too. So if i am able to do that ahead and get a negative result, do you think they will consider?

No value in doing an x-ray early. SLEC does not consider what is shown on outside x-rays, they will rely on their x-ray results. There is nothing you can do early, for now be patient.

[Brassballs 47]

Not a Dr. so I don't profess to know much if anything about TB but in our case 4 yo step daughter showed positive skin test but negative chest x-ray. She was cleared to travel and got a 'B2(?)' classification. Within 2 weeks of hitting the POE I got a call from the county board of Health that they needed to see her and open a file on possible immigrant with TB.

So off we go the same week. They didn't screw around with the timing. Board did preliminary questionnaire then sent it off to infectious disease nurse at Children's hospital for analysis the next week. Before seeing the nurse we had to get another x-ray. Nurse said it showed some 'darkness' that could be attributed to coughing from a simple chest cold or ??????. So next stop was for a higher resolution CAT scan. That thankfully showed up negative so she wasn't admitted to quarantine but she had to go back the following week to schedule treatment for possible latent TB as evidenced by the initial positive skin test. Choice was either once a week for 3 months under supervision by a nurse or once a day for 9 months, home treatment.

During that consultation we were advised that we could opt for a blood draw and workup that would determine if there was latent TB to cause the Positive skin test or if it might have been the result of initial vaccination as an infant. Kind of a no-decision on our part and 4 days later we were told she is totally clean with not additional treatment necessary.

So if blood workup would give positive or negative indication of the TB being in the body why not do this for all x-ray positives instead of the sputum 9 month treatment? Just saying'.

And for anyone with K2 or CR2 visas with a B2 classification be prepared for a BoH phone call and definitely ask for the blood test.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

mrs.hsu, on 21 Oct 2015 - 2:00 PM, said:

Jesus! You have to wait that long???

Well, we are still on the process of collecting our financial and supporting documents to submit to the NVC but i just can't help but worry about this. I actually am planning to get an x-ray as early as now just to know if it is still visible cz they say the scar can sometimes become difficult to detect and undergo sputum test if possible too. So if i am able to do that ahead and get a negative result, do you think they will consider?

All testing and treatments for TB will be ONLY be the responsibility of SLEC. PERIOD.

The reason is that testing results can be forged from a Doctor in the Philippines and the USEM does not trust those results and therefore SLEC is the only medical body that will do the testing and the administering of the medications for TB.

[DaNnE 17]

So if blood workup would give positive or negative indication of the TB being in the body why not do this for all x-ray positives instead of the sputum 9 month treatment? Just saying'.

Well just like you said: "the Positive skin test might have been the result of initial vaccination as an infant" -- which is the BCG. Skin test and blood test are not a confirmatory test, positive result would only indicate that the person was EXPOSED or had been INFECTED before. The sputum culture is the only definitive confirmatory test if the person has an active TB disease or not.

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/

[Brassballs 47]

So if:

A positive TB skin test or TB blood test only tells that a person has been infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether the person has latent TB infection (LTBI) or has progressed to TB disease. Other tests, such as a chest x-ray and a sample of sputum, are needed to see whether the person has TB disease. (from CDC site)

what does a positive skin test and negative blood indicate???

Basically a moot point in our case since we have a letter that says my daughter is 'clean'. It also says that for the rest of her life TB skin test would not be indicative of actual TB. The way I read it is that the skin test will always show positive.

[DaNnE 17]

So if:

A positive TB skin test or TB blood test only tells that a person has been infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether the person has latent TB infection (LTBI) or has progressed to TB disease. Other tests, such as a chest x-ray and a sample of sputum, are needed to see whether the person has TB disease. (from CDC site)

what does a positive skin test and negative blood indicate???

Basically a moot point in our case since we have a letter that says my daughter is 'clean'. It also says that for the rest of her life TB skin test would not be indicative of actual TB. The way I read it is that the skin test will always show positive.

Yes, the skin test will most of the time shows a positive result to people who receive the BCG vaccine. The blood test on the other hand does not cause a false positive result for people who had prior BCG vaccination so MAYBE that's the reason why it was ordered for your daughter.. Latent TB Infection mostly shows positive on both tests (skin test and blood test) but since your daughter's blood test came out negative, it was rule out that she doesn't have latent TB and that the positive skin test is not an indicative of her having an actual TB disease.

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/ltbi/diagnosis.htm

[Tahoma 2,291]

All testing and treatments for TB will be ONLY be the responsibility of SLEC. PERIOD.

The reason is that testing results can be forged from a Doctor in the Philippines and the USEM does not trust those results and therefore SLEC is the only medical body that will do the testing and the administering of the medications for TB.

That's not what it says here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/541299-info-from-slec-if-applicant-choose-to-do-acceptable-tb-treatment-from-local-physician-other-than-slec/#entry7529938

[Hank_ 9,173]

They said, he said... just hearsay

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Tahoma, on 22 Oct 2015 - 4:19 PM, said:

That's not what it says here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/541299-info-from-slec-if-applicant-choose-to-do-acceptable-tb-treatment-from-local-physician-other-than-slec/#entry7529938

I see back in 2010 you had the same opinion that I had. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/264190-failed-medical-sputum-exam/