Please, I need advice bad, in God's name and his help!

[raven52 233]

My fiance went to St. Luke's "last week" for medical, first day all was fine until x-ray, two doctors say is fine, and one say "something suspicious" so she had to go back to St. Luke's this week for the 3 days of "sputum" collection! She is only 29 years old, no symptoms, and I dod not think she has any TB! She is there today and goes back one more day, tomorrow for final collection of "sputum"!!!

We have waited patientely for 6 and 1/2 months, and now this.,.,.,how heart breaking.,.,she is cruched, and I feel I do not have a heart to beat, it is just gone from my body!

Can anyone with any knowledge, wheather it is what you read here, or actual experience.,.,.,.,PLEASE tell me what we can expect the next thing to happen in this process.,.,(one doctor, against two) what is the least amount of time can we expect this to take, and what is the worst case senerio?? God bless you al that experience this terrible ordeal! Please, all who read this, PLEASE post something if you have any knowledge. She did say something about another x-ray Friday, the last day.,.,.,.,I just do not know what to think or what to do.,.,PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

[raven52 233]

I have been told that +95% of sputum tests come back "negative".,.,.,,,,just forgot to add this.,..,my fiance and me are "crushed"!!

[Mike&Lena 3]

I have been told that +95% of sputum tests come back "negative".,.,.,,,,just forgot to add this.,..,my fiance and me are "crushed"!!

Hearing how you must feel so anxious, and worried, I can relate, and can offer my prayers. Surely all will work out for you both, and it is important to show strength to her especially now...she needs this from you more than anything. Be strong, determined, and believe.

Mike

[pigmonk 16]

hi!

First of all you need to cancel your schedule for visa interview.

After the the sputum collection, your fiancee will go back to st. lukes for pulmonary evaluation. The doctor will tell her if the sputum smear is negative or positive. If it is positive, she will need to start the 6 months treatment. She needs to go to st.lukes everyday to take her medication. She will also undergo x-ray and sputum exam from time to time (i think). Now if she is negative on sputum smear, the slec will need to culture her sputum. She will wait for 2 months for the result. After 2 months, and the culture came out negative, she will receive her vaccines and her passport will be stamped as cleared by st. lukes. Then she can proceed to visa interview.

St. lukes will schedule her for visa interview, or she can do it herself.

[AdamandLulu 2]

Hello raven52 sorry to hear about your fiancee medical exam in st. lukes. I know how you feel right now bcoz I'm was in that situation before kinda frustrating but we can't do anything if the doctor say need to have sputum. First you need to cancel your fiancee interview. Second, you need to be positive bcoz the doctor in st. lukes same to find something suspicious in the x-ray on a regular bases, almost as if they have some sort of quota to fill. Don't feel down bcoz 99% chance she will be ok. Just hang in there 2 months pass pretty quick. God Bless and Good Luck.

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved to Philippines, as the post is suited for that forum

[B_J 2,752]

My fiance went to St. Luke's "last week" for medical, first day all was fine until x-ray, two doctors say is fine, and one say "something suspicious" so she had to go back to St. Luke's this week for the 3 days of "sputum" collection! She is only 29 years old, no symptoms, and I dod not think she has any TB! She is there today and goes back one more day, tomorrow for final collection of "sputum"!!!

We have waited patientely for 6 and 1/2 months, and now this.,.,.,how heart breaking.,.,she is cruched, and I feel I do not have a heart to beat, it is just gone from my body!

Can anyone with any knowledge, wheather it is what you read here, or actual experience.,.,.,.,PLEASE tell me what we can expect the next thing to happen in this process.,.,(one doctor, against two) what is the least amount of time can we expect this to take, and what is the worst case senerio?? God bless you al that experience this terrible ordeal! Please, all who read this, PLEASE post something if you have any knowledge. She did say something about another x-ray Friday, the last day.,.,.,.,I just do not know what to think or what to do.,.,PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

There are many of us who have gone through this; don't let it get you down. It's just one more hurdle that you're going to make it over and, in the end, you'll finally be together. Just follow the advice you've gotten in this thread. Everything is going to end up fine.

When our results were in, I went ahead and scheduled the interview rather than waiting for St. Luke's. It just made me feel better to actually do something instead of waiting.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Most-likely scenario: Eight weeks from now, St. Lukes tells your fiancée that her TB culture is negative.

Highly-unlikely scenario: Her eight-week TB culture is positive and St. Lukes puts her on TB medication for six months or so.

Worst-case scenario: Her TB culture is positive and she refuses treatment.

My wife, Chinook, went to St. Lukes with a friend. Chinook's x-ray was fine. Her friend's was not. The friend had to wait eight weeks for the results of the culture. Fortunately, her friend's culture was negative.

Of course, the waiting is h*ll.

[Bron Chase 1]

My fiance went to St. Luke's "last week" for medical, first day all was fine until x-ray, two doctors say is fine, and one say "something suspicious" so she had to go back to St. Luke's this week for the 3 days of "sputum" collection! She is only 29 years old, no symptoms, and I dod not think she has any TB! She is there today and goes back one more day, tomorrow for final collection of "sputum"!!!

We have waited patientely for 6 and 1/2 months, and now this.,.,.,how heart breaking.,.,she is cruched, and I feel I do not have a heart to beat, it is just gone from my body!

Can anyone with any knowledge, wheather it is what you read here, or actual experience.,.,.,.,PLEASE tell me what we can expect the next thing to happen in this process.,.,(one doctor, against two) what is the least amount of time can we expect this to take, and what is the worst case senerio?? God bless you al that experience this terrible ordeal! Please, all who read this, PLEASE post something if you have any knowledge. She did say something about another x-ray Friday, the last day.,.,.,.,I just do not know what to think or what to do.,.,PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

We had the same thing with the doctors. The first doctor said it looks ok but wanted to ask another doctor. The second doctor said it looks ok but wanted to ask another doctor. The third doctor decided it was suspicious so we had to do the 2 month culture as well. She was there at 5am and had her x-ray by about 8am. She had to wait there for 11 hrs before the third doctor finally was able to show up and make a decision. The problem with the process is that they don't let people know ahead of time that doing the 2 month culture is a very possible outcome. I think that should be the #1 bulletpoint on the st. Luke's instructions "be prepared to wait for 2 months because we flag half of all x-rays as suspicious; don't be alarmed but please plan your immigration/interview plans accordingly", etc. That would alleviate some of the surprise and frustration. Long story short though; don't worry. There's very little chance that she actually has TB. We're still wating for our results; have like 3 weeks to go or something. Good luck

- Bron (Makati/Utah)

[christracy 0]

I am hoping the best for you,the three day sputum collection and results will take at the very least 6 n a half weeks...i heard one patient get negative results in 6 weeks. They will not tell you results till then and not over the phone,they will call and she has to go there for results...a early call..3 or 4 weeks is always a positive result and they will start 6 months DOT then. My wife is currently in her 5th month of treatment..almost over now..whew. St Lukes will postpone your appointment and reschedule it when they give clearance...hopefully this is just a false alarm for you n will be just a couple months of more waiting..I have no idea about the odds of being positive or not..if 95 or 99 percent then I guess we were the unlucky ones but it would have never been cured and now it is and she will be healthy. A little patience and encouragement to her will go along way now..the other women there will tell her stories of how they got dumped at this point cos the petionor didnt want to deal with all this..be positive and supportive...worst case scenerio...8 months and she will have to move to manila..best outcome is 6 and a half or 8 weeks then go to interview..good luck

Chris

[Karee 4,191]

I'm curious. I've never seen this Sputum test issue arise at any other consulate except Manila. I know there is TB all over the world. Just wondering why this is?

[LSnBigBear 61]

Best case sceneri you are 5-7 weeks behind your normal timeline as I am sure you will miss your interview if you have scheduled it like others within a week of medical not anticipating anything. I fyou had to postpone the Embassy does a good job of getting you in once you have cleard and passed all tests at St Lukes. In the event she is found to have TB Virus then she needs to go to St Lukes for medicine a few times weekly and then get re-checked after 6 months. I know of both instances with friends so this is pretty good timelines unless something has changed within the year. I know it is hard on both of you. You have come this far and can make anything that is thrown at thrown at you. Just a few hours ago I emailed my fiancee with excitement of her upcoming medical. However I have mentially prepared both of us for the shock of a delay. I explained to her I am here for her as long as this process takes.

Be strong through all of this. I know it is hard.

Good luck

Shawn (bigbear)

[LSnBigBear 61]

I'm curious. I've never seen this Sputum test issue arise at any other consulate except Manila. I know there is TB all over the world. Just wondering why this is?

TB manifests more in developing countries where conditions are tropic and people live and sleep near each other. Manila is known to throw the red flag up if a small spot shows up on xrays. It could be the close ties of Philippines/USA or just due to conditions there. As others mentioned, most delays for possible TB end up passing through after the sputum test is complete. It cannot be a money thing as the testing and medicine in the event of a positive is covered by the medical and visa fee from my understanding unless they are charing the US Embassy for the on going tests and treatments...

That is how I understand it all.

[LSnBigBear 61]

We had the same thing with the doctors. The first doctor said it looks ok but wanted to ask another doctor. The second doctor said it looks ok but wanted to ask another doctor. The third doctor decided it was suspicious so we had to do the 2 month culture as well. She was there at 5am and had her x-ray by about 8am. She had to wait there for 11 hrs before the third doctor finally was able to show up and make a decision. The problem with the process is that they don't let people know ahead of time that doing the 2 month culture is a very possible outcome. I think that should be the #1 bulletpoint on the st. Luke's instructions "be prepared to wait for 2 months because we flag half of all x-rays as suspicious; don't be alarmed but please plan your immigration/interview plans accordingly", etc. That would alleviate some of the surprise and frustration. Long story short though; don't worry. There's very little chance that she actually has TB. We're still wating for our results; have like 3 weeks to go or something. Good luck

- Bron (Makati/Utah)

Good luck to you all... And us to as our medical is next week.

[Karee 4,191]

TB manifests more in developing countries where conditions are tropic and people live and sleep near each other. Manila is known to throw the red flag up if a small spot shows up on xrays. It could be the close ties of Philippines/USA or just due to conditions there. As others mentioned, most delays for possible TB end up passing through after the sputum test is complete. It cannot be a money thing as the testing and medicine in the event of a positive is covered by the medical and visa fee from my understanding unless they are charing the US Embassy for the on going tests and treatments...

That is how I understand it all.

Yeah but I never hear about this test in Thailand or India or really any other country. Just seems odd to me.