Wife has to do sputum test.

[JT114881 2]

Now I am worried that my wife might have TB. If she is positive, she will be stuck here in the Philippines for another 6 months at least after the 2 month test for a total of 8+ months delay. She has no symptoms of TB but they found "something" in the chest x-ray apparently. Judging by the amount of people standing outside SLEC in the morning for a sputum test, they do this to about 75% of all people doing the medical. What are the chances of my wife actually having active TB? And if she has latent TB, will she still have to undergo medical treatment; or is it that only immigrants with ACTIVE TB have to do the treatment? Two months is a long time to wait for results...

[Glynn & Jean 5]

Now I am worried that my wife might have TB. If she is positive, she will be stuck here in the Philippines for another 6 months at least after the 2 month test for a total of 8+ months delay. She has no symptoms of TB but they found "something" in the chest x-ray apparently. Judging by the amount of people standing outside SLEC in the morning for a sputum test, they do this to about 75% of all people doing the medical. What are the chances of my wife actually having active TB? And if she has latent TB, will she still have to undergo medical treatment; or is it that only immigrants with ACTIVE TB have to do the treatment? Two months is a long time to wait for results...

I know your pain. My fiancee had to undergo the Sputum Test in Jan 10. She will call for the results this March 15th. They too found small slight scar on one of her lungs. She has no symptoms of TB either. Honestly, If she has no symptoms then you probably have nothing to worry about. If she has Active TB then she will have to undergo the 6 months of treatment in Manila. If it is Latent TB "which is not infectious" she will be cleared and sent for her interview but once she is stateside you will have to take her to health unit or to the doctor for treatment so that it will not become Active TB. (This is required)

But at least she will be stateside to undergo this procedure.

I hope that it is neither but if it has to be one of the two let it be Latent TB cause this does not stop them from getting into the U.S.A

I do know that if my fiancee is cleared once she is stateside we will have to take another chest x-ray for the A.O.S, This makes no sense to me to have to redo this if she is cleared of the Sputum Test but it is the rules.

[JT114881 2]

Thank you, this is the answer I was looking for. I hope she doesn't have active TB. She has undergone a sputum test before in 2007 while working for Intel because of a spot on her x-ray but it came up negative. The results of that test were available after 2 weeks though. I am not sure if it's the SAME spot that was seen on the new x-ray, but I hope it is as we have already proved that spot to be non-TB. We are currently trying to get a copy of the 2007 x-ray from Clinica Manila in Megamall.

[sjr09 155]

Now I am worried that my wife might have TB. If she is positive, she will be stuck here in the Philippines for another 6 months at least after the 2 month test for a total of 8+ months delay. She has no symptoms of TB but they found "something" in the chest x-ray apparently. Judging by the amount of people standing outside SLEC in the morning for a sputum test, they do this to about 75% of all people doing the medical. What are the chances of my wife actually having active TB? And if she has latent TB, will she still have to undergo medical treatment; or is it that only immigrants with ACTIVE TB have to do the treatment? Two months is a long time to wait for results...

If she has Active TB she will have to stay in the PI for treatment, if one has latent TB you dont have 'spots' on the chest xray. Latent TB is not active, but Dormant (temporarily inactive.) Latent TB will not effect her visa. a blood or standard skin test can be done for testing of Latent TB.

Edited March 7, 2010 by sjr09

[sjr09 155]

Thank you, this is the answer I was looking for. I hope she doesn't have active TB. She has undergone a sputum test before in 2007 while working for Intel because of a spot on her x-ray but it came up negative. The results of that test were available after 2 weeks though. I am not sure if it's the SAME spot that was seen on the new x-ray, but I hope it is as we have already proved that spot to be non-TB. We are currently trying to get a copy of the 2007 x-ray from Clinica Manila in Megamall.

I think you will find that, U.S. Doctors will 'exclude' the x-ray from your medical or a PI Doctor(s)

[mshopeful 1]

I understand you completely, I was in the same situation two months ago. I don't have a history of TB, watches my diet, exercise regularly, there was only once i got colds and cough but i did x-ray and it was negative. however, slec still found a scar on my lungs and that means i have to do smear test (negative) and culture test (thank god it's negative). If you're wife has no history of TB i'm pretty sure she will test negative so just sit down and relax and wait till two months. here's for your peace of mind: does your fiance's three smear test resulted to negative? because most likely her culture test will be negative. good luck.

[JT114881 2]

I understand you completely, I was in the same situation two months ago. I don't have a history of TB, watches my diet, exercise regularly, there was only once i got colds and cough but i did x-ray and it was negative. however, slec still found a scar on my lungs and that means i have to do smear test (negative) and culture test (thank god it's negative). If you're wife has no history of TB i'm pretty sure she will test negative so just sit down and relax and wait till two months. here's for your peace of mind: does your fiance's three smear test resulted to negative? because most likely her culture test will be negative. good luck.

She hasn't done her testing yet. The three sputum tests start tomorrow. How long does it take to get results of the smear?

[Glynn & Jean 5]

She hasn't done her testing yet. The three sputum tests start tomorrow. How long does it take to get results of the smear?

She should be told the results of her 2 smear test on the 3rd day that she gives the culture. This is what was done when my Fiancee did her Sputum test on Jan 10. When she found out about her medicals they told her to come back the following week for the Sputum test. She went back home and went to the hospital and did the Sputum test there. All 3 smear test were negative, She then reported back to St Luke's week and redone the Sputum test with them.

She had the same problem with x-rays a few yrs ago when she went to work in Japan but was cleared. She also sent in x-rays to St Luke's that she took in Jan 09 for comparison to the ones they took. She has never had a history of TB nor anyone in her family. We will find out the results next Monday and hopefully all will be good for her to do the interview.

[JT114881 2]

The NVC has told me that they schedule interviews on the second week of every month only. How soon after the 2 month culture results will the interview be scheduled? Will I have to wait for the second week of the following month or will there be some sort of special date just for her?

[Glynn & Jean 5]

The NVC has told me that they schedule interviews on the second week of every month only. How soon after the 2 month culture results will the interview be scheduled? Will I have to wait for the second week of the following month or will there be some sort of special date just for her?

From what I have seen on other post concerning the sputum test, If it is negative they expedite the visa interview and should be within a couple of days after the results are given. But I will know for sure next Monday when my Fiancee calls for her results and is told to come in to St Lukes's. I 'll make a new post about the interview date if all goes well for her next week.

[JT114881 2]

From what I have seen on other post concerning the sputum test, If it is negative they expedite the visa interview and should be within a couple of days after the results are given. But I will know for sure next Monday when my Fiancee calls for her results and is told to come in to St Lukes's. I 'll make a new post about the interview date if all goes well for her next week.

Thank you, I hope you remember to post your update here. I will be looking forward to your reply. Thanks for all the help.

[Glynn & Jean 5]

Thank you, I hope you remember to post your update here. I will be looking forward to your reply. Thanks for all the help.

Rest assured. I will make the post! It has been along journey for us since May 09. I'll be very happy once this is completed. The hardest part of this is the wait. But I know it will be all worth it once she is with me stateside. I will post again here once I know the results and when her interview will be set. I spoke with her on the phone earlier and told her from what I have read, When she calls Monday for the results, If all is good she can set her interview date while she is speaking to them on the phone before even going to St Lukes. Course this all depends upon her results.

[Caveman_Robot 0]

Hi guys. We are also in the same boat. Smear test result today.

[mshopeful 1]

She hasn't done her testing yet. The three sputum tests start tomorrow. How long does it take to get results of the smear?

Usually a day or two after the third smear test.

[JT114881 2]

My wife just got the results of the first test (the stain) and she was negative but she still needs to wait the two months for the culture.

What are the chances of her being negative on the stain but positive on the culture?

The doctor told my wife that 50% of the applicants that undergo the sputum tests are eventually put on medication.

I am really worried that we will have to wait another 6 months after the 2 month result are in. IMO the medical exam should

be done at the START of the visa process not the end.