SLEC and sputum test

[wizardfitz 13]

maribel and i went to the SLEC yesterday. she got an early physical. she had 4 yrs of old xrays (consisting of 7 sets of X-rays), her 6 month treatment plan for her having TB in 04. Her doctors notes saying she is cleared and an Xray from 3 months ago. the doctor at the SLEC noted this all down , and told her to return the following day. after waiting for about 1 hr she was called in and told she would would not have her vacations that she had to undergo the sputum. Why did they waste everyones time and money for us to to return , when they could have told her yest upon her telling them she had TB. I guess they just get a kick out of dashing peoples hopes. now the fun part starts. maribel cant spitup 3-10 ml of non existant plegm, I am just amazed at the incompetance, stupidty and buracracy of these people who cant think for themselvs and have to go by the manual. i wonder how much extra they charge the embassy for the sputum test. Both days she was there, there were over 300 people waiting to do the sputum test

[dbears 1]

it seems SLEC just do the "something suspicious on your xray" thing on a hit and miss basis... i also have another friend (a fellow vjer) who had to undergo sputum may 21,22 & 23.. she was supposed to have interview next week and now had to move the interview as far as july becoz of this sputum test... during the vj eyeball yesterday there were 2 other ladies whose xrays were declared having "something suspicious by SLEC"

I am sorry you and maribel had to hit another bump.

[shes 0]

the sputum exam is done to check for the presence of the bacteria. for those who got a suspicious xray results, it is really mandatory to undergo a 3 sputum test and if the client is completely healed from TB she should have 3 consecutive NEGATIVE result. (1 test per month)

the process is from the u.s. medical standard.

so for all of us, the best way to really prevent delays is to have an early medical check up and be cured as early as possible

[shes 0]

it seems SLEC just do the "something suspicious on your xray" thing on a hit and miss basis... i also have another friend (a fellow vjer) who had to undergo sputum may 21,22 & 23..

now atleast people who'll undergo this test dont need to do it monthly though..ideally it should be once per month.. so 3 months monitoring

[SunShineFL1210 0]

the sputum exam is done to check for the presence of the bacteria. for those who got a suspicious xray results, it is really mandatory to undergo a 3 sputum test and if the client is completely healed from TB she should have 3 consecutive NEGATIVE result. (1 test per month)

the process is from the u.s. medical standard.

so for all of us, the best way to really prevent delays is to have an early medical check up and be cured as early as possible

Hi shes!

I'm just curious, are you a medical doctor?

The poster stated that his fiancee is a documented PTB case and has undergone the necessary treatment. Infact she has notes from her doctor and recent (3 months) x-ray result too. I wonder why the pulmonologist at st. luke's waited for a day before telling her to have the sputum AFB test when she is already a known case of PTB. she could have done the sputum exam the next day thus saving her a day of going back and forth to the clinic.

To wizardfitz, hang in there. this is just a bump on your journey as dbears said. we're praying for you guys.

-ApriL

[Gradie and Jane 0]

maribel and i went to the SLEC yesterday. she got an early physical. she had 4 yrs of old xrays (consisting of 7 sets of X-rays), her 6 month treatment plan for her having TB in 04. Her doctors notes saying she is cleared and an Xray from 3 months ago. the doctor at the SLEC noted this all down , and told her to return the following day. after waiting for about 1 hr she was called in and told she would would not have her vacations that she had to undergo the sputum. Why did they waste everyones time and money for us to to return , when they could have told her yest upon her telling them she had TB. I guess they just get a kick out of dashing peoples hopes. now the fun part starts. maribel cant spitup 3-10 ml of non existant plegm, I am just amazed at the incompetance, stupidty and buracracy of these people who cant think for themselvs and have to go by the manual. i wonder how much extra they charge the embassy for the sputum test. Both days she was there, there were over 300 people waiting to do the sputum test

HI,

I had the same case with you too , though I already presented my medical records (all medicine and time frame i take) from my doctor and my old xrays still i undergone sputum test. According to SLEC staff thats the policy given to them my the US Health dept. so we have to follow...

Good luck to you guys and God bless

[shes 0]

Hi shes!

I'm just curious, are you a medical doctor?

The poster stated that his fiancee is a documented PTB case and has undergone the necessary treatment. Infact she has notes from her doctor and recent (3 months) x-ray result too. I wonder why the pulmonologist at st. luke's waited for a day before telling her to have the sputum AFB test when she is already a known case of PTB. she could have done the sputum exam the next day thus saving her a day of going back and forth to the clinic.

To wizardfitz, hang in there. this is just a bump on your journey as dbears said. we're praying for you guys.

-ApriL

i am a registered nurse in the u.s. thats why i understand how st. lukes are adopting their standard, well ofcourse basically because we are applying for a u.s. visa.

the philippines requires the vaccine called "BCG" for babies which that makes as all positive for the PTB "skin" test, because this type of vaccine produces bacteria same as that of PTB's bacteria.. thats why st. lukes is not immediately up for the"skin test" but to the "xray result" if its positive THEN they will take the sputum test which will then say if the client is an active PTB patient or a past one.

see if the client is negative with the xray, theyre done with it? because the xray tells the trace of PTB..also pneumonia can occur as well..and i heard that due to the climate right now in PI, flu and pneumonia are rising up.

i just took a pneumonia vaccine last week for prevention though

[shes 0]

wit the doctor's delay, i have no idea why ...

[dbears 1]

i am a registered nurse in the u.s. thats why i understand how st. lukes are adopting their standard, well ofcourse basically because we are applying for a u.s. visa.

the philippines requires the vaccine called "BCG" for babies which that makes as all positive for the PTB "skin" test, because this type of vaccine produces bacteria same as that of PTB's bacteria.. thats why st. lukes is not immediately up for the"skin test" but to the "xray result" if its positive THEN they will take the sputum test which will then say if the client is an active PTB patient or a past one.

see if the client is negative with the xray, theyre done with it? because the xray tells the trace of PTB..also pneumonia can occur as well..and i heard that due to the climate right now in PI, flu and pneumonia are rising up.

i just took a pneumonia vaccine last week for prevention though

They required ALL kids (0-15 if I'm not mistaken) to undergo PTB skin test but NOT ALL kids will have positive skin test though majority will be... during my kids skin test there was at least two kids who were negative on PTB skin test but the rest had positive skin test and was then required to do the XRAY (which added another day of waiting and anxiety for mothers like me) and there was also one tween who unfortunately had positive xray result too.

There wont be a question about standards and protocol, I don't think there will be problems and complains if only SLEC will be more transparent with the results and the process. A lot of people who was asked to do the sputum test requested to see the xray result just to see for themselves where that 'suspicious thing' is but SLEC wont even show it to them, as if just getting it from the file would kill them (that xray floor is perhaps the haven for the least hospitable amongst the SLEC staffs).. there were also some who even went out of their way to get second opinion at other reputable hospitals in manila and their xrays came out clear but SLEC won't even see it.

The additional waiting and being put in a limbo is the most stressful part of this "suspicious' xray, sputum, then treatment thing. And if I have not personally befriended a person who was forced to undergo this stress, i won't even understand how disheartening it really is.

My heart goes out to you Mike and Maribel, and to all others who have to go through this process. I will be holding all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

God be your strength.

[SunShineFL1210 0]

i am a registered nurse in the u.s. thats why i understand how st. lukes are adopting their standard, well ofcourse basically because we are applying for a u.s. visa.

the philippines requires the vaccine called "BCG" for babies which that makes as all positive for the PTB "skin" test, because this type of vaccine produces bacteria same as that of PTB's bacteria.. thats why st. lukes is not immediately up for the"skin test" but to the "xray result" if its positive THEN they will take the sputum test which will then say if the client is an active PTB patient or a past one.

see if the client is negative with the xray, theyre done with it? because the xray tells the trace of PTB..also pneumonia can occur as well..and i heard that due to the climate right now in PI, flu and pneumonia are rising up.

i just took a pneumonia vaccine last week for prevention though

They required ALL kids (0-15 if I'm not mistaken) to undergo PTB skin test but NOT ALL kids will have positive skin test though majority will be... during my kids skin test there was at least two kids who were negative on PTB skin test but the rest had positive skin test and was then required to do the XRAY (which added another day of waiting and anxiety for mothers like me) and there was also one tween who unfortunately had positive xray result too.

There wont be a question about standards and protocol, I don't think there will be problems and complains if only SLEC will be more transparent with the results and the process. A lot of people who was asked to do the sputum test requested to see the xray result just to see for themselves where that 'suspicious thing' is but SLEC wont even show it to them, as if just getting it from the file would kill them (that xray floor is perhaps the haven for the least hospitable amongst the SLEC staffs).. there were also some who even went out of their way to get second opinion at other reputable hospitals in manila and their xrays came out clear but SLEC won't even see it.

The additional waiting and being put in a limbo is the most stressful part of this "suspicious' xray, sputum, then treatment thing. And if I have not personally befriended a person who was forced to undergo this stress, i won't even understand how disheartening it really is.

My heart goes out to you Mike and Maribel, and to all others who have to go through this process. I will be holding all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

God be your strength.

The sputum tests is the most definitive exam for active PTB. The rest will just tell you if you have been exposed to the disease.

I agree with dbears that if only SLEC will be transparent with the results and processes, there won't be problems or complaints. As applicants, we have to adhere to the clinic's SOP and procedures but they should take into considerations that many of the applicants have medical background and trainings too which should warrant explicit answers should we want to question them.

oh well hope everybody who is to undergo their medical exams in the future will be given a clean bill of health.

Here's to a breezy medical!

Best of luck everyone.

[shes 0]

A lot of people who was asked to do the sputum test requested to see the xray result just to see for themselves where that 'suspicious thing' is but SLEC wont even show it to them, as if just getting it from the file would kill them (that xray floor is perhaps the haven for the least hospitable amongst the SLEC staffs)

this is unfair! let me tell you people who will undergo the medical, we have the right to see and read the result of the x-ray, eventhough technically we might not be able to really read the xray plate..the diagnostic result (the paper) should be provided to us and THAT IS A PATIENT'S RIGHT.

so demand to see the results isf they dont show you..tell them you paid and you have the right to see!

..

also i just remembered, it was just a hearsay from some clinic i've gone through before..the BCG isn't provided to babies in PI anymore..i dont know if thats for a fact.

[dbears 1]

this is unfair! let me tell you people who will undergo the medical, we have the right to see and read the result of the x-ray, eventhough technically we might not be able to really read the xray plate..the diagnostic result (the paper) should be provided to us and THAT IS A PATIENT'S RIGHT.

so demand to see the results isf they dont show you..tell them you paid and you have the right to see!

..

also i just remembered, it was just a hearsay from some clinic i've gone through before..the BCG isn't provided to babies in PI anymore..i dont know if thats for a fact.

That was exactly my sentiments... it was every patients' right to see the xray result before going through the sputum... but sadly that is not the case with SLEC. Dami nagreklamo, dami nagdemand bt it has fallen on deaf ears. may mga iba nga gusto na magdemanda kaya lang super exhausted na and they can't afford the tedious, time consuming and expensive legal battle with a giant like SLEC.

[mogdog 0]

My wife Sandra has a scar on her lung from a childhood illness and guess what? You know it, it's sputum testing time. Sandra had hers on April 28,29,30. Her preliminary results were negative, she was told to call back July 2 for the results. Just hang in there, I know it's hard but have patients.

[✿Ice Rain✿ 0]

hi guys, just want to good luck everyone with the medical.