Medical Exam - X-ray Result Problem

[journeyingwithyou 0]

The Medical Interview is one of the biggest joke that USCIS requires.

Once you get to the USA, you will see millions, Maybe over 25 million Illegal Aliens that crossed the southern border and have came to USA Illegaly, and have set up house in the USA.

They cross with numerous disease, and it's OK.

But if decide to try to come to the USA the legal way, then they want you to jump thru hoops to get here.

actually i brought this up at st lukes. i told them that if they are so strict with immigrants entering the USA , then they should also require an xray for those applying for a tourist visa.

AS TO MY EXPERIENCE, I WAS FOUND NEGATIVE OF TB INFECTION AFTER TWO MONTH DELAY.

1. SOME OF MY BATCH MATE, OVER 100 OF US THAT TIME, NEVER HAD X-RAY PROBLEM EVER AT ANY TIME IN THEIR LIVES, ONLY TO FOUND OF SOME SUSPICIOUS X-RAY RESULT AT SLEC. ONE ,BEING A sea man, TRAVELED CONSISTENTLY IN AND OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES EVEN THE LATEST BEING VERY RECENT BEFORE THE SLEC EXAM, WAS DELAYED FOR TWO MONTHS WITH SLEC'S DECLARATION OF SUSPICIOUS X-RAY....

2. HOW TO COUGH OUT PHLEGM? SOME CRIED OF THE PAIN BEING VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO WHEN NOT COUGHING. KUNG HINDI, GAGAMITAN NG NEBULARIZER....

3. TIPS UNDERGO SPUTUM CULTURE WITH ST. LUKES MEDICAL CENTER(MAIN, QUEZON CITY )

= REGARDLESS OF X-RAY RESULT, JUST ASK TO UNDERGO SUCH AT A TIME CLOSE TO THE INTERVIEW...I GUESS IT WOULDN'T COST OVER 1000 PESOS...

4. HOPE THIS HELPED....GOD BLESS.....

[loveaboo 0]

Thanks to all who responded...I have something in mind but I don't know if it's possible.

Is SLEC exclusive for USEM medical exam for immigration purpose only?I mean, do they accept regular patients (not someone applying for immigration purpose)? Is it possible to have a chest X-ray taken at SLEC itself before the medical exam? Anyone who have tried this? If so, how much will it possibly cost?

I've read in some posts that SLEC doesn't accept any other X-ray result from others, even from St. Lukes Medical Hospital. They'll probably accept the one taken from them prior the medical exam. And if in that X-ray result, there's a problem and the sputum test will be done there also, will they accept it, even if it's before the USEM medical exam requirement?

Sorry if I'm being difficult. I'm planning to have a general check up soon. Also an X-ray test though reading posts here saying that even though their X-ray results from other clinics/hospitals were ok, they encountered a problem at SLEC makes me worry. We just really want to avoid the 2 months delay as much as possible, thus, want to cover all the bases if possible.

Thanks again.

[ccndyeth 0]

Nope st. lukes doesn't accept regular patients it is strictly for visa applicants only. if you have a problem with your lungs The sputum test is most likely to be inevitable.

I suggest, you take an xray from a hospital so that you'll know what to expect and be ready for it..

Good Luck!!!

Edited September 13, 2009 by ccndyeth

[loveaboo 0]

Nope st. lukes doesn't accept regular patients it is strictly for visa applicants only. if you have a problem with your lungs The sputum test is most likely to be inevitable.

I suggest, you take an xray from a hospital so that you'll know what to expect and be ready for it..

Good Luck!!!

Just when I thought I've got the perfect plan... Thanks though for answering the main question before I get really excited about it...Much appreciated.

Since I can't take an X-ray test at SLEC prior the medical exam, I have no choice then but to have it somewhere else and just hope and pray that the result will be the same as that of the SLEC.

Anyways, thanks especially for the good luck. I'll be needing lots of that soon.

[gennyangel 3]

hi

i have cough and sick during my medical,however prior to my medical,i tried to have adequate sleep,drink milk, i took herbal meds too and that is lagundi tea. Also i took honey everyday.

im just lucky that eventhough im not feeling well that time,i still passed it....

My cough last till im done with my interview. Imagined how long i am bearing myself with colds and cough..

I bear it in three months on and off. I also tried avoid cold drinks as it aggravate my conditions sometime..

Just make sure your getting enough rest marien or better yet consult a doctor...

Get well

genny

if you had xray prior to st.lukes medical exam, bring it there on your medical exam, they will take it for a comparison

[loveaboo 0]

hi

i have cough and sick during my medical,however prior to my medical,i tried to have adequate sleep,drink milk, i took herbal meds too and that is lagundi tea. Also i took honey everyday.

im just lucky that eventhough im not feeling well that time,i still passed it....

My cough last till im done with my interview. Imagined how long i am bearing myself with colds and cough..

I bear it in three months on and off. I also tried avoid cold drinks as it aggravate my conditions sometime..

Just make sure your getting enough rest marien or better yet consult a doctor...

Get well

genny

if you had xray prior to st.lukes medical exam, bring it there on your medical exam, they will take it for a comparison

Thanks for the response. Been awhile...How have you been?

Anways, I've been worrying about it so much lately. I have colds and "phlegmy" throat for a week now. I've consulted a doctor and she said it's just a common cold and cough. She gave me antibiotics and medicine for phlegm. For the 1st time in my life, I've been religiously taking my medicines.LOL...I'm planning to have the chest X-ray a week before my medical exam.

[Dakine 26]

SIMPLE!

DO the medical as soon as you get your MNL # and take that and your NOA2 and go do it. My wife did hers almost 2 months early. That way you won't have a 8 week delay if you have to have a sputum test.

[FranknAiza 0]

hi

i have cough and sick during my medical,however prior to my medical,i tried to have adequate sleep,drink milk, i took herbal meds too and that is lagundi tea. Also i took honey everyday.

im just lucky that eventhough im not feeling well that time,i still passed it....

My cough last till im done with my interview. Imagined how long i am bearing myself with colds and cough..

I bear it in three months on and off. I also tried avoid cold drinks as it aggravate my conditions sometime..

Just make sure your getting enough rest marien or better yet consult a doctor...

Get well

genny

if you had xray prior to st.lukes medical exam, bring it there on your medical exam, they will take it for a comparison

Thanks for the response. Been awhile...How have you been?

Anways, I've been worrying about it so much lately. I have colds and "phlegmy" throat for a week now. I've consulted a doctor and she said it's just a common cold and cough. She gave me antibiotics and medicine for phlegm. For the 1st time in my life, I've been religiously taking my medicines.LOL...I'm planning to have the chest X-ray a week before my medical exam.

sorry i missed this post, i know a little about this stuff. Chest x-ray will show current illness like active TB , Pneumonia. They are looking for any signs that might indicate a current or past problem. If you never had TB then dont worry. If you go in there coughing its going to throw up a red flag. No Offense, but pinoys seem to always go to the extreme. Like if the world says "no flash photography" Pinoy will ban cameras all together "NO Cameras Allowed" LOL. See what I mean? They check your shoes 2 times at the airport, I'm surprised they even allow shoes. hehehe. If they hear you cough, automatically they assume TB . I seen this, I talked to people this happened to. If you cough they will make you come back a few days later for another chest x-ray. EVEN if the one they do first is good, they will make you go back and do it again. Its rediculous but thats how it is there. Dont drink milk before you go in there. I read someone else said what they did before their exam, thats crazy. Milk , dairy products, that will make phlegm. taking any meds could mess up your blood/urine work. Before you go, like day before, drink plenty of bottled water. Dont eat a lot of junk. Try to get a good 8 hours sleep , your going to be there all day. Actually its 2 days. After 1st day, they make you come back next day for nonsense. They dont tell you this in advance. I know some people went to Manila from like Mindanao and had no budget for hotel etc etc then they got surprised with no place to stay. Not to mention they had to pay Cebu Pacific to change their return flight. When you wake up, have a nice big bowl of rice. Drink some water or hot tea. Chinese tea is best for days like this. Bring a bottle of water with you so you can take sips from time to time. If you do have a cough and cant control it or sip it away with the water then buy dextromethorphan at pharmacy. Thats cough med. Buy pills if they have it. Take 1 night before and 1 before you go and have 1 in your pocket for just incase. So buy 3 or 4 pills. BUT most of all just relax, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water. Go to comfort room too if you can before you get there. I passed by St Lukes a few weeks ago at like 9am and there were about 40 people waiting to go into the building. Inside looked full too. Oh also what works good and will even help with a cough is Ibuprofen (advil) . Take some advil if you want. It will relieve any fever you might have, numb up any cough, keep you from getting a headache from waiting all day. Good Luck

[hara/eric 0]

i havent been on the forums recently, so am sorry my reply is a bit delayed.. i am a young physician in residency, and hope to be of some help. chest xrays are done primarily to exclude, with reasonable certainty, active tb disease. this is the main issue here, as someone found to have currently active disease, are not allowed to travel into the US; this is because TB is highly communicable if not treated. in the US, it is one of the reportable diseases, and people here, if diagnosed with TB, will be forced to receive treatment if they refuse. just a fyi, chest films are really one of the least informative of the imaging modalities. in active TB, can show show very specific lesions that set off red-flags for TB. however, TB can also appear very similiar to what pneumonias look like on chest film.. that's why they have you do the sputum culture, to see if they are able to grow the TB bug, usually negative after 42days. now, i believe everyone in the PI receive the BCG vaccine at birth correct? i have 2 infant nieces born there who also received the vaccine.. well, it's almost always pointless to do a PPD test on someone who got the BCG, because you willl almost always show positive PPD.

anyway, are you a smoker? because if you are, your cough is more likely due to a bronchitis, which typically wouldnt show anything on CXR. if you do in fact have a pneumonia, then i would anticipate a sputum culture and additional delay. lastly, if you are coughing up any blood, have fevers, chills, fatigue... then it might actually be TB and you should get a checkup immediately.. hope this helps. cheers!

[loveaboo 0]

Thanks everyone! Your responses are much appreciated.

My "phlegmy" throat seems ok now. I think it developed into full pledge cold and once in awhile cough to clear my air passages.

To the people who shared their experiences and their knowledge, thank you so much. My worry is lessened.

Dr. Eric, no, I don't smoke nor drink. I also didn't suffer from any of the other symptoms of TB or pneumonia besides the coughing/phlegm. I've noticed though that I became vulnerable to colds and cough after my Boracay vacation. Makes me wonder if there's something airborne that got into me or it's just really the weather here.

Haole, thanks for the suggestion. We're planning to do that to lessen the wasted time, just in case.

Aiza, thanks. I'm not so into herbal teas though. I'm drinking so much water and grapefruit juice (for Vit. C) instead.

Gennyangel, you just made my day when i've read your experience. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks to all!!! (F)

[Rings 10]

Hello to all!

My fiance and I are still waiting for our NOA2 but we're planning ahead...

Anyways, I'm nervous about the X-ray test. I had a persistent cough from May to July. It wasn't really so bad. It's just that there were times I had cough attacks especially when it's so warm here. Since I'm not into taking chemically-prepared medicines, I didn't consult a doctor and I've taken herbal medicines only. Now, I'm worried that it might affect the X-ray result when the time comes.

I'm just curious about the people here who had a problem with their X-ray results at St. Lukes...Are you aware of the reason why you had the problem? If so, what was it?

Are there people here who had the same issue as mine? Did it cause a problem in your X-ray result?

I'm thinking of taking a chest X-ray before I take my medical exam though I'm not sure how helpful will it be since I've read in some posts here that the X-ray machine at SLEC is more advanced than the usual X-ray machines being used in others and that it has the ability to see something which other X-ray machines can't.

Thanks

They are looking for Tuberculosis so i am sure you are in the clear unless you have TB

[gennyangel 3]

hi ***

I am okey here at my place,missing the Philippines so much,cant wait for my future visits.

..I am now pregnant and what makes it difficult to my situation now is my morning sickness...

Oh by the way,wag ka magpupuyat. I have a friend here in HI that went sputum culture test because St.Luke found something suspicious in her x-ray. Shes not a nonsmoker and a non drinker as well. No history of TB. But i guess what they found from her xray might be due to her work ,she's working in a graveyard shift and shes not getting the sufficient sleep...

I believed getting enough sleep will give you more resistance to cough and colds and a healthy lungs as well..

goodluck ...hope you'll hear good news soon from your petition...

Edited September 22, 2009 by Captain Ewok
update per member request

[loveaboo 0]

^Thanks! My fiance and I are getting excited after seeing that our status has changed from pending to initial review. Yay! Wish us luck! I'm really doing my best to be at my best health asap.

Anyways, congrats!!! That was fast...I'm so happy for you! I hope you'll have a healthy pregnancy. Take care!!!

[loveaboo 0]

Just got our NOA2! I knew it! I felt it coming! Yay! :dance:

Now to the next steps...Should really get ready for the medical. Thanks everyone!!! Wish us luck!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

post containing personal information temporarily removed - and now post is returned

Edited September 22, 2009 by Kathryn41