[jhsay]

For those who have unusual medical condition and already taken the medical exam,
I am wondering if extra tests were given to you when you declared your past/present medical situation. My family and I are having our medicals this Saturday. In as much I would like to "hide" my previous operation, the scar on my neck will definitely tell a story. I had thyroidectomy (removal of thyroid gland) in 2003.

I really appreciate your inputs.

-Jinkee

[Moorf]

As far as I am aware they are looking for specific problems - TB, syphillis etc. I'd come clean, I am sure you'll feel better for it too!

[evelynne_r]

Hi,

I'd second Moorf's advice and suggest you come clean. I did, and on my ITA I was asked to supply specific information regarding the condition (a heart condition I had corrected as a child).

My NZ GP provided details on it, and it went to the Consultant Physician for OK. He did request further tests from a specialist cardiologist, unfortunately, which were expensive and time-consuming. However, once that was all cleared, my PR was through in a matter of weeks. I am glad though that I declared it all and kept myself right.

Good luck,

Evelynne

[wayne]

When I had my medical (a year ago) i didnt disclose that I had had the chop 17 yrs ago I thought it too trivial to mention, they some how flagged it up and i had to go back to the doctors to get him to witness the alteration to my medical statement , which he did of course and then charged me another £15 for his service.
Do you notice that when you start this visa malarkey there seems to be an endless queue of bods all with their hands out wanting a slice of your dosh :(

[Iain & Liz]

i have noticed that too you have to really committed to the move the amount of money you end up paying out its unreal if onlythe uk charged as much

[wayne]

Yes luckily I was the only one in our family to have to go through it as my wife Trudy is a NZer and our sons are dual nationality but start to finish for me just over a £1000.00 yet you can turn up in the UK and demand money free housing etc from day 1 strange that isnt

[Jo and Andy]

I would agree with everyone and be honest, otherwise you will just worry about it.

I am not totally familiar with your situation, but the implication of the operation is that you have to take thyroxine, right. I have an underactive one and have to take it, and am hoping it won't cause any problems with our forms. It would be better if you tell them, than it is pointed out to them. They may then decide to go over your whole application with a fine toothcomb, if you see what I mean, which could take longer.

Good luck and I am sure it will be ok.

[chips]

Guy's , i think you need to be totally up front with medical condititions.
If , like myself , have operation, the doctor ask for a copy of the discharge letter ( available from your G.P). The letter then was submitted along with the medicals and ITA. Whether or not it slows your P.R up, seems to be linked to what it is that you were treated for and when. For example, i had some "gyny" thing done 3 years ago, and they wanted a dishcarge letter, where as hubbie has had a heart op (hole) in 1990 ,and they require nothing for that. ( mind you the doctor said he could hear that it had worked.
So if you can arm yourself with copy of discharge letters ,you might save yourself the worry of doing it after you medical, and possible extra payouts :roll: .

Best of luck all chips

[lisa]

Hi Jinkee :P

I too have underactive thyroid and declared it on my medical form we had medicals done last friday and they said everyhting was okay. Blood tests were done as standard practice and they said everything is fine he just asked me when it was diagnosed. Everything has been sent back to us now so we are just waiting for a full birth certificate and then we will be popping the ITA in!!!!!
Good luck with your medicals I really don't think its worth covering up as I figure we will have to pay for regular blood tests and prescriptions when over there anyway so I can't see it being a problem and as they say honesty is the best policy!!!!!!!

Take care Lisa :P

[sweetpea]

I read over the medical form carefully the other day, and was frustrated by a few things, most especially the inability to distinguish minor from major problems.

For instance, it asks if you've had any back problems that have kept you from work. I have had back spasms that kept me home, but only for a few days -- I wasn't on disability or anything. On the same note, I have scoliosis that is so mild that it was just discovered last year. But if I answer Yes to the back problems question, they want a report from a specialist. I've never even seen a specialist for either the scoliosis or the back spasms (gotta love HMO's). Grrrr.... Add this to the couple other minor problems I have had (each requiring a specialist's note), plus the fasting glucose/lipids tests (high BMI), and I am going to be forking over a fortune to doctors. And I'm a healthy person.

Thanks for letting me vent :? Maybe my primary care physician will take pity on me and give me referrals to the specialists and the lab.

[Moorf]

I didn't declare anything that hadn't been treated by a doc or hospital. That way there is no paper trail for them to "find".

[chips]

Do you think it could also do with the particular person you see when it comes to the medical? I was really stressed about the stuff and info that i submitted. When i had a chat with the case officer , she put my mind at rest. she had hinted, although , would not fully committ, to the theroy of the price of medication. And seem to hint if it was "communicable", there might be a problem, but not necessarly something to kibosh the whole process. The defintions seem a bit wooly, but that could well be NZ's way of possibly taking each case on it's merits.
Chips

[jhsay]

Thanks guys for the replies.

I guess I have to declare all that I been treated for (as Helen did). It's now time for me to look at old files to validate my claim that I'm ok. Actually, it is not only my underactive thyroid that I am concerned of. I had rheumatic heart at age 11 but was ok when I was 16. I hope my 2D echo result will clear me. My most recent problem is the tiny stones in my kidneys. This was accidentally discovered when I had an abdominal ultrasound. Since I dont feel anything unusual, I defer seeing a specialist. I just take more fluid hoping to flush it out.

Jinkee

[Annierobrigado]

hi all

ric had an appendectomy 2 years ago, does that mean i have to ask the surgeon to give me a certificate, or do i have ric's medical records copied to submit to the physicians who will do our medicals?

thanks for the info

annie

[Moorf]

I took no reports to my medical, despite having some minor ops and treatment in previous years.

In fact, the doc didn't ask for any back up info at the time of the medical. I can only assume that these may be asked for once ITA submitted and they check things like meds...??

[veronica]

I've had several knee ops and nothing was asked for about them.

[jesselyn]

im scared of doing the medical. :oops:
its not as if im sick, :no i just keep on thinking about the what ifs... :roll:

[blue]

only just saw this thread. I also had a thyroidectomy which was followed by a sub total thyroidectomy a few years later then i had problems again and had radioactive iodeine treatment. I take 150mcg of thyroxine and am very well. Dont worry about the medical all they are interested in are things like cancer. I had my medical and there was no problem at all and when I submitted my Residency Application my case officer said that she may need to notify their medical officers and I may need to supply further information but I didnt have to and received my Residency about two weeks later. If you need any more info etc feel free to PM me. All the best.

[jhsay]

Hi Blue,
Thanks for the post. I hope I won't get any problems with my medicals. By the way, I'm on 100mcg Thyraxine. My right thyroid gland was removed after the cyst destroyed it.

Jinkee

[jhsay]

Doing medicals here in the Philippines is very different. Let me elaborate why

1. There are only 2 accredited clinics in the country - one in Manila and the other in Cebu. It's not a good idea to be there on a Saturday bec. it's a "toxic" day. We were there 9:30 and left at 1:30

2. It says in the form that children under 12 are exempted from X-Ray but the clinic still required it to my 5yr old son.

3. Hepa B vaccine is also required, and so with MMR and DPT. If you haven't had these 2 shots in the last 5 yrs, they'll ask you to get it.

4. A second stool test is required (so you have to go back on another day)

5. If you answered "yes" to any of the items in the form, be ready to support it with a cert. I had appendectomy in 1986 and I need a surgical record for that.

6. I think they won't give you a clearance until you are "clean". If you have high blood sugar or cholesterol, you need to have it normalized before they give you a green light.

-jinkee