Post Sputum Timeline – Questions

[mapletree 33]

Post Sputum Timeline – Questions

In advance, thank you all for the help and continued sharing of your knowledge base.

My fiancée has to go through the sputum / secondary testing due to TB in the family. We are now in the 8 week long culture window. My questions have to do with anticipated timelines and options.

We have been told the culture will be “done” on Feb. 9 and to call on the 14th to check on scheduling a return to St. Luke’s. My thoughts are to try and call about the 10th of Feb. and get a jump on things.

Assuming the call they want on the 14th is to schedule the next St. Luke’s appointment –

How long should we expect between the 14th and the next appointment with St. Luke’s?

How long should we expect until the medical clearance is available to the U.S. Embassy?

My thoughts are that the next Medical appointment can be the week of the 14th, and that the report will be “same day” / walk over available. However scheduling will likely result in an interview date of sometime in March if we wait until the 14th to schedule with the U.S. Embassy.

So what are the odds of making this work such that we schedule the interview with the embassy NOW for Feb 17, and work with St. Luke’s to have the last medical appointment the 16th that way we can do it all in one trip to Manila?

Thoughts on those that have been through this level of the medical?

Thank you

[Tahoma 2,292]

You won't be allowed to schedule an interview until the culture results come back negative.

You might be able to shave a a few off of that February 14th date by calling St. Lukes early.

[mapletree 33]

According to the embassy staff when I call, they can schedule at time any time I want, but they will not have the interview until the medical is ready. Specifically, I can schedule it for three weeks from now, but we cannot show up until the medical. If I schedule and the medical is not ready, then the interview is canceled. After three schedule interviews where we do not show up, then for the 4th I will have to pay again.

[Tahoma 2,292]

I haven't heard of scheduling an interview before the culture results are known. However, if you get three freebie appointments before you have to pay again, I would definitely schedule the next appointment for the 17th like you suggested. The reason I say this is because, once you clear the medical, St. it's my understanding that Lukes sends your medical packet to the Embassy right away. I'm not sure if St. Lukes would allow you to hand carry the medical packet to the Embassy since you are not the typical patient, but you likely would be good to go for an interview on the 17th.

I remember reading here on VJ recently where someone asked St. Lukes to help them get an interview appointment soon after the culture result were known, and St. Lukes got them an appointment about three days later, if my memory serves me correctly.

I hope some others with first-hand experience chime in.

[sam357 4]

We had to go to the sputum test as well. I also read that St. Lukes made the appointment but I didn't want to rely on them. I think my wife's culture was supposed to be ready around the last of August so I scheduled her appointment with the embassy for the 5th of September. I had her call a couple of days before the date they gave her and they told her to call back the next day. When she called back they had her come down the next day to finish her exam. I hope this helps and good luck.