TB Skin Tests

[Lovetoteach 53]

The rules seem to be different in different areas. Backstory: Nadya had her physical at the American Medical Center in Kiev, took the sealed envelope to her interview at the embassy and handed it to them. She eventually received her sealed packet and we delivered to the immigration officer at O'Hare who said the second page of her medical information (the I-693A) was missing and to call the embassy. I did, they said call the hospital. I did, they said we were out of luck. So I had to track down a local USCIS approved civil surgeon and make an appointment for a new physical and immunizations.

The instructions we received from the doctor's office said we must go to the county health department and get TB and STD tests done, and bring the results to the appointment. The doctor took that, did a physical exam, gave chicken pox and tetnus vaccinations and gave us a sealed envelope for her interview on Monday (yep, finally here) and an unsealed copy. The copy contained a copy of the result letter from the county health department and the I-693 and I-693A.

I don't pretend to understand why our experience re: doctor and health department is different than others detailed in this thread, but so it is.

I was given the exact same instructions from my CS as you. I had the tests done at the Health dept iie skin test, Xray (+ve skin test) and the HIV and STS test. I'm still waiting for the latter two's results then I can make an appointment.

Shona

[Lovetoteach 53]

Please can you post how your interview went when you've had it. I'd be really interested.

Good luck, hope all goes well !!!!

Shona

[Mags 112]

Okay, got my RFE - it isn't for a skin test/medical so scratch all I said! lol

[SirLancelot 1]

Okay, got my RFE - it isn't for a skin test/medical so scratch all I said! lol

Well don't tease us and keep us in suspense. What was the RFE for?

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Ditto!! what Sirlancelot says spill the beans Mags

[Magnolia31 0]

Read what happened here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=78047

Hey Rebeccajo ... did you read the post from the person who got an RFE for the skin test from the CSC?

[foxtobee 1]

Okay ... I have limited time to utilize our medical system and I have just found out that they do the chest xray at the medial but to adjust status they are now requiring a TB skin test to be done. If I ran to a lab and had it done and took the paperwork down with me would they accept the information not done by a certified US civil surgeon?

Requiring TB test? this is the first I've heard of it--Pras did AOS last October, and we didn't need to do TB test.

I had my interview last week and never had a TB skin test done and yet got appoved.

[nuzzledark 0]

Okay ... I have limited time to utilize our medical system and I have just found out that they do the chest xray at the medial but to adjust status they are now requiring a TB skin test to be done. If I ran to a lab and had it done and took the paperwork down with me would they accept the information not done by a certified US civil surgeon?

Requiring TB test? this is the first I've heard of it--Pras did AOS last October, and we didn't need to do TB test.

I had my interview last week and never had a TB skin test done and yet got appoved.

Same for me. Had an interview last week in Seattle and no mention of the TB test tho I know my husband didn't have one.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Went to my local CS here in Columbus Nebraska yesterday for my TB skin test and i go back tomorrow for the results. The CS said that if where i was given the TB skin test has a swollen hard bump then i would test positive (false positive) due to having had the BCG as a baby back home. So far, 24 hours later, i dont have a swollen hard bump but i guess that could change in the next 24 hours. The CS did say that because i was given the BCG more than 41 years ago it is more than likely my body no longer carries anti-bodies from the BCG and are no longer present in my blood which would present a 'Normal' (negative) Tb skin Test. Yippeeeeeeee i hope

I'll let you's know tomorrow the final outcome of my skin test

Just got back from getting my TB skin test results.....It was "POSITIVE" but because ive had my BCG done as an infant it was actually (false-positive) So, because the CS wasnt there today, the nurse has to wait and speak to the CS and also contact the CDC and speak to them because i dont have written proof that i had the BCG done, all i have is the BCG scarring on my arm and my X-Ray was clear. Now i have to wait and see what they say. I had a Positive result the sign of a "Dime" the nurse said ..... Hopefully all is good

Maria

[Cécy 44]

Just got back from getting my TB skin test results.....It was "POSITIVE" but because ive had my BCG done as an infant it was actually (false-positive) So, because the CS wasnt there today, the nurse has to wait and speak to the CS and also contact the CDC and speak to them because i dont have written proof that i had the BCG done, all i have is the BCG scarring on my arm and my X-Ray was clear. Now i have to wait and see what they say. I had a Positive result the sign of a "Dime" the nurse said ..... Hopefully all is good

Maria

Same here. Although they didn't tell me it would be a false-positive, I did the research myself and find out it would be because of BCG vaccine.

X-ray clear. I made sure to ask the CS office if they would contact me if I had any health problem. They only sent me the sealed envelop for the USCIS and the test result for syphilis and HIV which were negative.

Since your X-ray is clear there is no reason to worry. You're fine.

At least you didn't do it with the paranoïd helth centers... >.> they are 'advising me' to take medication for 9 months even though the X-ray is clear and that I told them I had BCG as a child (they say they don't care). I told them that the CS was likely to know better than they did.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Just got back from getting my TB skin test results.....It was "POSITIVE" but because ive had my BCG done as an infant it was actually (false-positive) So, because the CS wasnt there today, the nurse has to wait and speak to the CS and also contact the CDC and speak to them because i dont have written proof that i had the BCG done, all i have is the BCG scarring on my arm and my X-Ray was clear. Now i have to wait and see what they say. I had a Positive result the sign of a "Dime" the nurse said ..... Hopefully all is good

Maria

Same here. Although they didn't tell me it would be a false-positive, I did the research myself and find out it would be because of BCG vaccine.

X-ray clear. I made sure to ask the CS office if they would contact me if I had any health problem. They only sent me the sealed envelop for the USCIS and the test result for syphilis and HIV which were negative.

Since your X-ray is clear there is no reason to worry. You're fine.

At least you didn't do it with the paranoïd helth centers... >.> they are 'advising me' to take medication for 9 months even though the X-ray is clear and that I told them I had BCG as a child (they say they don't care). I told them that the CS was likely to know better than they did.

Yes, the CS knows alot more than the "paranoid" health centers do..... The nurse did say i would be fine and that more than likely i wouldnt need to take any medicine. She did say that the CS would likely have a letter drawn up stating that "All Future" TB skin tests would be positive and therefore i shouldnt have anymore TB skin tests in the future. Which i thought was very nice of her

Maria

[Cécy 44]

Yes, the CS knows alot more than the "paranoid" health centers do..... The nurse did say i would be fine and that more than likely i wouldnt need to take any medicine. She did say that the CS would likely have a letter drawn up stating that "All Future" TB skin tests would be positive and therefore i shouldnt have anymore TB skin tests in the future. Which i thought was very nice of her

Maria

Yes, that's one thing I need to ask them, I want the same type of letter. I don't wish to have anymore TB test and have people freak me out for no reason.

[Mags 112]

Okay, got my RFE - it isn't for a skin test/medical so scratch all I said! lol

Well don't tease us and keep us in suspense. What was the RFE for?

A marriage certificate! Which they already have, of course. USCIS probably lined the hamster's cage with the old one!

[athena_ny 1]

Yeah, it's "new requirements" though there's no consistency. For example, there are plenty of K1 > AOS who got transferred to CSC and approved without interview who were not required to supply TB skin test results. But there are recent interviewees (both K1 & K3 > AOS) who were asked to supply it.

Some civil surgeons in the U.S. will not transfer someone else's (i.e., health department) TB skin test results.

One recent interviewee was told by her interviewer that it's because of the dude who brought back TB from Europe.

Yeah, except he went to Europe WITH the TB.

[perunyc 0]

there is always much confusion about TB skin tests. it doesn't help that lung specialists and infection specialists differ in opinion over some of the issues as well. additionally, the skin test is NOT perfect and not all people react to it and not all people place it correctly. it's not a very good test.

to mariadane- skin tests are NOT recommended in people who have had tuberculous in the past NOR positive skin tests before

otherwise, it's not contraindicated, aka there are no reasons (like HIV, etc) that would prevent someone from getting one placed.

while a note documenting the positive test result in the past is helpful, there is nothing wrong with a person refusing a skin test and just requesting the chest xray. just explain you have had a positive test in the past. any competent doctor should NOT force anyone to repeat it. if they do, get yourself a new doctor. seriously.

chest xrays will show active pulmonary tuberculosis lesions and old tuberculosis lesions. why do we care about pulmonary tb? that's the most contagious. a positive skin test can mean the person has been exposed to tb in the past- chest xray checks for the most important form as far as public-health is concerned.

and last thing re BCG vaccine. it's a crappy vaccine and does not necessarily prevent TB. so that's another reason why many physicians will recommend a person doing 9mos of treatment for latent tb. why do countries still use it? it may decrease cerebral tb or tb meningitis in babies/kids.