TB Testing

[SennaBrigante 92]

For some reason, I am very nervous about my upcoming medical exam and I was wondering if there's a way I can get myself tested for TB before I go to SLEC.

Is it just a simple chest xray that I should bring to a pulmonologist?

[CjBryan19 11]

You'll do fine Good luck i'm done with my Medical this Tuesday, don't worry she will just ask you to take a deep breathe hehe

[SennaBrigante 92]

Thank you.

I am smoker. I stopped while I was pregnant but started smoking again. Looks like I'll be quitting again. I can't afford the delay. My husband is at wits end waiting to meet his daughter.

[david&whenz 5]

It's harmful to get chest xray within 6 months period so I advise you not to have chest xray before your SLEC medical exam. You can try tuberculin skin testing at any hospital. When was the last time you had your chest xray taken?

[jhammin 4]

I am very very very nervous too. My medical will be on July 16. I was positive in TB last year 2012 and cure 2013 March. We Filipino are porn on TB. I am not smoker nor drinker. I don't know where I got my TB. Just be careful girl. And be healthy. Prevention is better than cure.

[SennaBrigante 92]

Last xray was yeaaaaars ago.

I'm so nervous. I've been so unlucky lately. I'll go crazy if we get even more delayed because of this.

[SennaBrigante 92]

Would you have an idea how much a tb skin test is?

[pinksorceress23 8]

I am nervous for my upcoming medical too.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

My wife was nervous like most are when it comes to TB testing. To calm her nerves I agreed to let her go ahead and have a chest x-ray of herself and two children prior to her SLEC exam. She had a friend who worked with a pulmonologist and was able to have all three tested at a reduced rate. The exam showed negative results and that is exactly what she experienced a few weeks later at SLEC.

The SLEC exam is only to find if you are currently afflicted with a contagious or communicable disease of public health significance. That would include but not limited to "polio, smallpox, SARS, influenza". If you have questions to what all this means you can find further information here: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/laws-regs/ifr/final-rule-questions.html#4

BTW, there is no "witch-doctor cure" as in drink lots of milk so, don't waste your time or money on trying to change the outcome as it is impossible. Just be positive and get your SLEC exam over.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Greenbaum

[LuckyTwo14 1]

We are going through the TB positive treatment now. It's for her health and our future. So maybe just think of it that way.

A PPD skin test should be very cheap. The challenge is the x-ray. If you clear that you can proceed on of course, although I can't imagine that catches every active TB patient. I'd recommend that sputum test for anyone at there final deatination country because our loved ones are coming from an area where TB is common. Also, there is much wrtitten too that there is a 15 percent false positive for the positive sputum test. Meaning line 100 positive tested people up here in the USA and there is a chance approximately 15 aren't TB positive. Their sputum looked positive, but isn't.

In addition, the Center of Disease Control is the guiding the screening process with their world-wide Division of Tuberculosis Elimination. We all want a World free of TB.

I've heard the sterilized milk is helpful in some way going to the x-ray although I don't have any first hand knowledge of success or failure of that.

All in all relax, it's in God's hands. Rejoice if clear or be strong to the challenge if delayed.

Edited June 6, 2014 by LuckyTwo14

[Hank_ 9,174]

For some reason, I am very nervous about my upcoming medical exam and I was wondering if there's a way I can get myself tested for TB before I go to SLEC.

Is it just a simple chest xray that I should bring to a pulmonologist?

There is nothing you can do, SLEC will do their own x-rays/tests no matter. Relax. For sure smoking has no effect regarding TB x-ray

[apple21 953]

Being a smoker doesn't put you at a higher risk of failing the chest xray. Based on my hubby's experience, he was a smoker too but he passed SLEC's exam with flying colors. He quit smoking the day he left for the US.

I was terribly worried about the chest xray too because back in 2009 I had slight pneumonia. My Pulmonologist saw some small marks on my right lung. I was put in antibiotics for a week. I got better naman kaya lang hindi na ulit ako nagfollow-up xray after that.

So when my case was near case completion at NVC, I decided to do the medical in advance. I thought of having xray done at a laboratory kaya lang SLEC will not use that as basis kasi gusto nila sila mismo ang magco-conduct ng xray sa atin, so derecho na ako sa SLEC. Masama rin naman sa katawan yung dobleng xray, di ba, lalo na kung hindi 6 months ang pagitan. Fortunately, okay naman yung results ko.

Good luck po.

[jhammin 4]

I don't have idea how much the tuberculin skin test. Im really nervous thou. I took my last x-ray year 2013 my doctor is said im clear. Im gaining weight and im actually feelin okey after my medication. I took some vitamins and milk every morning. Oh well guys hope I could pass the medical. Im not worry about my papers honestly bc I know were doing good by the help of our Angels here.. What im worry about is my MEDICALLLL!!!!! I CANT HELP IT!

PRAY FOR US!

[david&whenz 5]

Tuberculin skin testing doesn't cost much. It depends on where you will have it. Of course, private hospitals are a bit more expensive. Maybe php1000-1500... Plus doctor fees.

[Al422 221]

A few observations: First the SLEC x-ray machine is more sensitive than the ones most doctors in the Philippines have, so they may say clean while SLEC says otherwise. If you fail you fail. Of course none of us want that, but there is simply nothing you can think, do or say to prevent a failed xray. The sterile milk does nothing, no matter how much you drink. Just go there and hope for the best. Most applicants pass the xray.

Xray as TB screening is a pretty dirty test, meaning it gives a lot of false positives. I had bronchitis last winter, which left enough scar tissue to cover the head of a pin. I would probably fail the xray test for that reason. But they do the xray test because it is fast and easy and clears most people in one day.

The real test is sputum, but that is nasty and takes 2 months for results, so you only get that one if xray does not clear you. This test does not lie. If this test is positive, you have TB. Bad news for your visa but very good news for your health that it was found. TB is fatal if left untreated. Nobody wants a six month delay in their visa to get treated for TB, but it is a vast improvement over dying. So if you have TB, try to not focus on the six month delay in getting to America. Think instead of how good it will be to stay alive long enough to enjoy your new life in America.