[Pagan]

Help please - O.H. has raised GGT levels, NZIS want more info and a report, we want to get ahead of the game and get an Ultrasound done, has anyone done this without having medical insurance please. Can you just contact a private hospital without GP referral - panic stations :uhoh

[Hejwitch_uk]

Hi Pagan,
have you tried a search? I know that I've read about ultrasounds somewhere on here, but not sure where. Good luck......

[Pagan]

Hi - yes I did a search but the ones I found had private health cover, so sadly that did not help me - thank you for your reply.

[jasonelsa56]

Hi i had some raised lft's so had a liver scan, but on private health care so can not help with that part of your question. However, diet and milk thistle tablets reduced the levels after 3 wks when i had a second blood test (got this free through by doctor on the NHS). My MA wanted a diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for my condition. Armed with the almost normal blood test and clear liver scan i went back to my GP who wrote me a letter saying "Diagnosis nothing wrong, treatment- nothing required, prognosis very good" this was accepted by the MA and 1wk later we got our blue stickers in the post.

Hope this helps

J

[Pagan]

Hi - have been pumping Milk Thistle daily since first reading - now apple juice too.....

[NZ Hopeful]

A friend of mine has recently had a scan (not for immigration purposes) and she just asked her GP to refer her to someone, she had her scan the very next day and just paid with her card, but as far as I know you do need a referral from your GP.

Good luck!

[clairelouise]

Hi, I also had raise LFT results, and needed several extra tests. I had the Hep C one done with the original doctor who did the medical, and then I was asked for a liver scan. We were on quite a tight deadline and so I used 'same day doctors' in London. They act as your GP, often get you an appointment within a day, and you get the scan done in Harley Street. It is expensive as it is London prices,(£330) but I thought worth it, especially as the results were given to me on the day along with a specialists report stating I was fine and healthy. I needed further tests as the scan showed nothing wrong and the MA was seemingly convinced that something MUST be up! So I had a repeat LFT, anti nuclear, mirtochondrial and smmoth muscle antibodie tests too, with the same doctors in London, at £140 I think, and this took 2 days for the results to come back, again with a different specialist report sating no problems and no cost to NZ. I also had to give my own GP's notes in confirming that the specialists were right and that I did not pose any finacial burden to the NZ system.

Hope this helps,
Claire

[tyhapus]

Hi

Definately go the milk thistle route - it worked for me.

I also read that dandelion coffee helps and cutting out red meat.

I did all this and lost 2 stone in weight (10 mins jogging every night) and the scores returned to normal.

Good luck

tyhapus

[coopers]

yes has a scan, all ok, raised levels were natural. Its a pain and a worry. Our GP wrote letters for immigration stating the raised levels were nothing to worry about, but the Immigration are very inflexible it seems. We were referred by our GP, seen really quickley, forked out x hundreds of pounds, can't remember how much now, but we went to a private hospital to get it done quickley as the NHS would have been a really long wait and I had a job here. After the scan, a letter was sent by consultant, and the blue stickers followed really quickley. Good luck...there were some threads in the medical part of this forum.

[Pagan]

We have now tracked down a private Ultrasound - appointment tomorrow, fingers crossed. Thanks for all your advise.

[Pagan]

Ok - so OH has gone for the hat trick, the scan showed a gallstone and a kidney stone..... Hence high GGT's - as neither have given any indication they are there - no pain or problems, apparently the treatment is to leave and wait. Just hope NZIS have the same opinion. Has anyone else had this issue.