[Leccy-Lee]

Well following my terrifying ordeal of blood tests yada yada yada....

The results are in, thankfully i dont have any nasty illnesses (having not had any blood tests EVER in my life was worried i have a list of failing organs that could be read to me!).

BUT i have a mild rise (to quote) in my "ALT" of liver function test, and a high cholesterol of 6.2? Damn doctor of course has thrown the book at me on the form with lectures about BMI etc etc, obesity kills blah blah blah (like he thinks i dont know that!)

So pretty certain they be referring my report to a MA which is just dandy considering my current visas about to run out... :wah

My Immigration lawyers not too impressed with Docs form completion either! But they already on the case i hope..

Is 6.2 bad, bad? or just "needs improvement" bad? And if anyone understand the ALT bit of the liver function, enlighten me! The doctor was not available apparently to speak to me about it..

And if anyone wants to avoid where i got my medical done PM me..!! Grrrr

[Moorf]

Hmmm 6.2 isn't great, but it's not THAT bad - you should try and get it down a little - under 5 I think they prefer - can't remember. I suffer from hereditary hypocholesterolemia and I had a test done a month ago and was back up at 8 - now THAT's bad :wah Also had a bolloxing from Doc who pointed to chart showing that, with my smoking, I currently have a 25% chance of a heart attack - I avoided the bakery on the way home from that appt...:exit

Note: I think they measure it slightly differently here? Think I heard that somewhere that the scale is different - hopefully a medical bod can confirm...

There's loads of ways of dropping your cholesterol - drink trim milk, eat lots of wholegrains, get exercise, swap butter for a better spread and avoid overly fatty foods... I try but I'm afraid my love of lamb and butter isn't helping :uhoh

[peebles16]

Lee, I'll get OH to PM you later on tonight as blood is his thing and he can give you more info about broad ranges they use etc.. Mind you as have said before he's no doc but should be able to give you a bit of generalised advice :)

When we got cholestrol test in the UK we were both about 5.5-6 and doc indicated that below 5 was the range from what I can remember but just noted on medicals.

Best of luck
karenx

[Caroline and Dave]

Lee,
I very much doubt they will referr you for a medical advisor when your cholesterol is only slightly high.I don't think the liver function is too bad neither, not that warrants a referral to a MA. Cholesterol is fairly easy to control. The main thing is to cut down on fatty foods. My doctor gives me Lipex ,not that I need it as my cholesterol was 4.5 but they like Diabetics to be on it.But you can easily sort it without medication.Just to confirm, anything under 5 is fine.

Hope this helps

Dave

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Lee, if that is the only thing showing up I doubt very much it will cause any major issue.

As Moorf says, and from my distant memory banks, I don't think your reading is high enough for any major concern on it's own.

[victoria24]

if i remember rightly, there's some sort of chinese black tea that lowers cholestorol.
im giving it large on the treadmill at the mo, started playing squash and cutting out butter and cheese to be ahead of the game just in case as my bmi is/was 32 so playing safe

[Pollyanna]

Hi,

Brace yourselves, I bring a basket full of pessimism!

High ALT levels can be an indicator of fatty liver disease, which is associated with obesity.

Personally, I would be worried about your cholesterol. In someone of 'normal' BMI then it wouldn't be such an issue but if you're BMI is high then I think that the medical assessor probably consider it to be but that's only my opinion.

as far as I know the cut offs are 5mmol/l for toal cholesterol, I think it's 4 for triglycerides (not 100% sure of that), blood pressure is 140/80 if you're under 40, I think glucose is 6mmol/l but it may be lower, ther's also a cut off for waist measurement but I don't know what that is.

If you have values for 3 of these things that are above the cut off points then you are considered by immigration to be at high risk for metabolic syndrome, whcih automatically (I think) puts you at high risk for costing them lots of dosheroonie!

Did the doctor suggest that you should be taking a statin? I'd have a repeat blood test done if I were you, it will be worth the pain if it comes back lower.

Best wishes!

[Leccy-Lee]

Thanks Pollyanna, i have to agree.. (always been a pessimist sadly)

But i do have four different warning signs all pointing to same diagnosis, and i have exceeded the NZIS set levels for those, and the doc wrote a lecture on my certificate.
So much as i GREATLY appreciate others kind words and thoughts i cant help but think this wont go at all well at Immigration. I dont see they would have any choice BUT to refer it to an assessor, if i was honest.

Either way rest assured its a bit of a "warning shot" to me, and i struggled on and off with my diet etc and now i am more determined than ever to get myself in shape and healthy.

My immediate worry of course is what immigration will do and decide? Long term i am going to get back on the right road, short term they may say "go home until your healthy" :(

Heres hoping my Immigration Lawyers can earn there money! :)

EDIT: And no i dont have a doctor yet in NZ i will have to go join one, the doc that did the medical just gave me my form, took my money and bid me farewell, no advice or anything... hmm

[Pollyanna]

Hi,

What I should have said in my last post is that ALT can be slightly eleveated if you've been ill. Even something like a cold can affect it.

Also, while your cholesterol level as a one off isn't good, I'd find a GP and get a blood test redone as the levels may become slightly better and if they don't a doctor will be able to advise you on what to do. I'm not an expert but I think what the medical assessors are looking for is evidence that you don't have high levels heart disease risk factors and that the things that are measured in your blood test are under control. If you do get retested the doc may give you pills for e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol (I'm not saying that they will) which if they bring levels down to under the cut points should satisfy the medical examiner. I'm not suggesting that you do need medication, only your GP can tell you that but if you cna prove that your levels are stable and under control then that seems to count for a lot.

The trouble with this whole process is that the medical advisers are allowed to use their discretion, which is great if it goes your way, and not so good if it doesn't. The main thing that I have learned from this whole process is that a commitment to losing weight counts for a lot so if you can prove you're doing that then it's a good start!


Good luck!

:exit

[Leccy-Lee]

get a blood test redone

LOL LOL not likely...took a year to get the first one done!