[Duncan74]

Can you confirm my vague memories pulled from a few threads.

Under 30, fine.
30-35 additional blood tests, but fine (make sure you're fasted on the day to save going back).
35-40 dodgy, will need more evidence showing progress towards under 35
Over 40 - Forget it.

For reference then I'm at BMI 31 at the moment, I'm carrying a bit as I've had a bad leg injury which has stopped me competing this year, but I'm back running again and am still relatively fit (as in did a 50min 10km treadmill run this morning).

[victoria24]

under 35 is all good :) but it has to fit the waist measurement too for no tests

[Duncan74]

Grand (and for ref that's 102cm - approx 40").

So not to too much to worry about then.

Mind you, I do find the flat 102cm a bit harsh on those of us with a larger frame. I'm 6'4", so of course my waist is likely to be bigger than someone 5'5". Must admit it's been a few years since I fitted into those 30" suit trousers ;)

[victoria24]

the worst of it is, they dont measure what you think is your waist but between the bottom of your ribs and your navel! top tip... put your arms in the air like a ballerina to shrink your shape ;)

[Duncan74]

Ahh, so that means I'll have to make sure I relax my abs then ;)

[adacakes]

my meds are tomorrow and I am bricking it my waist has gone down from 94 cm down to 85 cm and BMI went from 37 to 32.4 so hopefully should be ok tomorrow, can I just ask though why does it help to fast on the day of your meds?

[JandM]

If you go in fasting, and they decide any further blood tests are needed, they can be done immediately, rather than you having to make another appointment and go back specially.

[Mamee & Co]

And as a benefit if your waist measurement is borderline..sometimes you get to miss the blood tests!

:yes:nice1:clap


Good luck Ada, I'm sure that it will be a lot easier than you think! DH managed!

[IanW99]

And as a benefit if your waist measurement is borderline..sometimes you get to miss the blood tests!
...


Just to note that even if your weight is good and your waist measurement is under size, you may still be requested to have a fasting blood test.

My advice would be that if you are going to have the blood tests done at the same time/day as the medical then schedule it for first thing in the morning and skip breakfast - this way if you do need the fasting blood test you don't have to go back again later.

Ian

[mgbridges]

I had to go back for Fasting Blood tests and IIRC I had to fast from around 9pm the previous evening (even with an early morning appointment). You also have to be careful about what you drink, e.g. I couldn't have my usual morning cuppa and seem to remember I was only allowed water. If you think you might need to have additional blood tests done and want to avoid having to go back just ring and check what the requirements are and then you'll be sure to be OK.

HTH & good luck to all those going through medicals at the moment.
Anneliese

[Duncan74]

Cheers, tests are at 8:30, so fasting not too much of a problem. However, I tend to go to the gym in a morning (ie pre tests), would that throw the bloods out of whack? Anyone know enough about bloods to comment?

[Silverwing86]

This is what the Handbook for Medical Examiners (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/26FA9CF0-982A-4B9A-A0C5-5835F7D0E398/0/MedicalExaminerHandbookweb.pdf) (page 19) has to say on the matter:

The medical examiner is expected to calculate the BMI for all applicants aged 18 years and older.

Measure the waist circumference of all applicants 18 years of age. With a tape measure, comfortably measure the shortest circumference that is below the rib cage and above the umbilicus.

The medical examiner is to request fasting glucose and fasting lipids where BMI >35 or when the waist circumference in applicants 18 years or over is greater than the following limits1:

men: ≥ 102cm, except Asian/Indian men: ≥ 90cm

women: ≥ 88cm, except Asian/Indian women: ≥ 80cm.

Where a patient may be in a higher risk category, with fasting bloods having been requested, the applicant’s attitude to their condition should be explored. Please note whether they recognise a problem exists, whether they are planning any changes to improve the situation, have they made

any changes, what success, if any, have they had etc, is all relevant information.

1 i The IDF consensus worldwide definition of the metabolic syndrome” http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/IDF_Metasyndrome_definition.pdf (http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/IDF_Metasyndrome_definition.pdf),

ii “Mainstreaming the metabolic syndrome: a definitive definition” MJA, Vol 183 No 4, 15 August 2005.



Cheers,

Silver

[adacakes]

Had my meds this morning and BMI was 29 so under (phew!!) and my waist was 86 cm but we fasted like you guys said and apart from a copy of a letter from my hubbys consultant from 3 years ago it looks as though everything is ok, (just so boring sitting around for 2 hours whilst we had them done.)

our meds cost £510 (2 adults & 7 and 9 year old)

x rays cost £150 2 adults kids did not need xrays

[72andsunny]

Had my meds this morning and BMI was 29 so under (phew!!)

Good on you, mate!

[adacakes]

Good on you, mate!


Thanks gonna celebrate with a giant chocolate bar and a bottle of Shiraz:nice1

[akp713b]

What about being slightly too low? My BMI was 19.5 on the most recent medical with a waiste circumfrence of 74cm. When I was tested in March for the work visa I was a 20 so just inside normal, now I'm just below. Has anyone run into problems for this?

[victoria24]

What about being slightly too low? My BMI was 19.5 on the most recent medical with a waiste circumfrence of 74cm. When I was tested in March for the work visa I was a 20 so just inside normal, now I'm just below. Has anyone run into problems for this?

I dont know your ethnic background but i'm sure I read somewhere that there are differing expectations for different races for BMI?

[akp713b]

I am American male of European ethnicity (Italian/French/English/Irish mix). I'm still below average for my racial group I think. I've heard that they only worry about health problems if you have a BMI below 17.5, but don't know what NZIS thinks of that. My steady diet of pasta, pizza and lollies would make most people horribly overweight but I never put on a pound. I always thought of it as a good thing but I hope it doesn't delay my application.

[Duncan74]

It's waist circumference that vaires - lower limit for asian/indian origin (90cm and 80cm?)

[Trendynana]

My waist measurement was 1cms too big and that was with the doctor not pulling the tape measure tight. My BMI was 29.

I had to have the extra blood tests!!:uhoh

[adacakes]

My waist measurement was 1cms too big and that was with the doctor not pulling the tape measure tight. My BMI was 29.

I had to have the extra blood tests!!:uhoh


Well he was just being horrid and picky:roll

but for some men 1 cm can mean a lot I guess:laugh

[tea drinker]

:laugh :laugh :laugh

[5kings]

Had my meds this morning and BMI was 29 so under (phew!!) and my waist was 86 cm but we fasted like you guys said and apart from a copy of a letter from my hubbys consultant from 3 years ago it looks as though everything is ok, (just so boring sitting around for 2 hours whilst we had them done.)

our meds cost £510 (2 adults & 7 and 9 year old)

x rays cost £150 2 adults kids did not need xrays

Where did you go for your medicals? We are loooking into starting our application soon and see you live near us so wondered if you had found somewhere local?
Thanks
Helen

[72andsunny]

My steady diet of pasta, pizza and lollies would make most people horribly overweight but I never put on a pound.

Just give yourself a few years...

[Susan2502]

My BMI is under 35 and so I had extra tests, my GP said all was normal but London Immigration said its abnormal and had to be assessed by the MA. Stalling tactic or what?

[JandM]

The instructions to doctors say they have to do the extra bloods if the BMI is over the given limit, OR the waist measurement is - maybe that's where you got caught?

The NZIS COs don't have any discretion on this. Nor do doctors doing the medicals. Whereas your own GP knows you, and that a certain state is normal for your metabolism, the person doing your medical and the person in the office are just looking at a set of tick-boxes and instructions (based on averages) which they have to apply to each one of the hundreds of strangers passing in front of them every year.

[Suniel]

Can anyone help to answer, what is the highest accepted BMI till date?

Cheers,
Suniel

[Duncan74]

Another quick one. Planning on giving blood today, tests not until next Friday, so that shouldn't cause any problems should it?

(and emergency waist loss programme in full flow - gym treadmill doesn't know what's hit it ;) )

[Suniel]

What a bloody day. :laugh

As long as the results are sent across to the CO before the deadline, it must be fine.:nice1

[Duncan74]

Ah sorry, to clarify, then I mean blood doning for storage and giving to others today, my blood tests for the medical will be done next Friday. Just want to be sure that the tests won't be thrown by donating today.

[Suniel]

I guess (though not too sure), generally body feels a bit weaker after blood donation (but 1 week is a good time to recuperate) unless any composition of White Blood Cells (WBC) changes, might be good idea for some expert to pitch in at this point to answer it.

But one thing is for sure, you will definitely have good wishes and blessings from the person who receives it.

I've been procrastinating for a long time but this definitely is a good reminder for me to join in.

Cheers mate

[Duncan74]

I give regularly, and I normally feel tired (sleepy) the next day, but then am fine. Never even noticed it effect my running either, even at my peak. Everything I've seen suggests that most things are back to normal after a week, so unless there are any other posts in the next 11 minutes then please don't punch me on the arm this afternoon ;)

[unar]

And for the small asian types, like me...if your BMI is under 18, you might be asked to get a psych evaluation to make sure you don't have an eating disorder. At least I was asked to, maybe I just appeared to be a bit bunkers. ;)

[sophiedb]

I give regularly, and I normally feel tired (sleepy) the next day, but then am fine. Never even noticed it effect my running either, even at my peak. Everything I've seen suggests that most things are back to normal after a week, so unless there are any other posts in the next 11 minutes then please don't punch me on the arm this afternoon ;)

Interesting question! Obviously your body's total blood volume will be lower after donating, but even with all the tests required I don't think your NZIS approved doc will take enough to send your body into a tailspin.

That said, I've just done a quick Medline search that shows research into the effects of blood donation. Iron and vitamin deficiencies may show up, though if you're not normally tired etc after donation it may not effect you! Nothing else obvious that I could see, but then I'm limited to reading abstracts :) Possibly worth postponing the donation until just after the medical, if that's possible? I know around here they do lots of different dates at assorted venues in the same area.

Good on you for donating either way - I've been permanently excluded on two counts: having a transfusion and cancer. Doh! But I am going to donate my body to medical science when I no longer need it, because organ donations are also out of the question now.

[Duncan74]

Err, bit late, but I could ask for it back I suppose! Mild panic as when they did the iron test then it didn't sink, wheras it normally drops like a stone. Why one week before the meds does my body start to throw up an iron deficiency. However, a full test later on the whizzy machine, and it turned out the solution was wrong, my iron was at 145 micrograms / l which is well over the 135 limit they have.

I actually had another thought which is that donating immediately before the medicals is actually optimal as then all you've done is lost 750g. In the time between now and next week my volume will go back up, but be mainly water, so all the values will be more dilute.

In the end then I reckoned that priority #1 was to donate before flu season (and I get the imunisation in a couple of weeks as I have asthma), if anything comes up odd on the bloods then it jsut needs a retest in a few months after the MA has assessed the form, and that actually may be useful as house sales mean that we aren't probably wanting to move until early 2011.



I've been permanently excluded on two counts: having a transfusion and cancer.

Some people will use any excuse to avoid needles :D :exit

[girlwithanewf]

My medicals are tomorrow and I hadn't really given it too much thought, now I know I definitely should not have read this thread!

[Duncan74]

GWAF - Just whatever you do don't get worried by it.


























Or else the stress will effect the readings......

[sophiedb]

Err, bit late, but I could ask for it back I suppose!

Never mind - and you're right, if they need more info they'll just ask. You certainly have a good reason for not being summarily told you have weird blood and can't go to NZ :cheers


Some people will use any excuse to avoid needles :D :exit

LOL, because having blood tests every few months to check that my meds are still working doesn't involve needles at all! :D

[PonyGirl]

I'm sure you will be okay...hope all goes well. I do agree that the waist measurement is a bit off for taller people. I am carrying a few extra pounds and am trying to lose them, but I am under the BMI by a few points, but my waist is a bit bigger than the 88cm. My waist is 37 inches (about 94cm), so not too far over, but it is over. I'm 5'10" so my waist is always going to be a bit bigger. I am trying to lose the weight so hopefully I can get under the requirements, but I still worry about it. It is tough for me to lose weight right now, but I am really trying. Good luck with the medicals!!

[Duncan74]

My theory is that at worst then I need to have the blood tests, but as I'll be going fasted then that's no agro anyway. If they do find anything, then in some ways that's good anyway, as it means I can address that in this country with my private health policies and so we're treating it as a pre departure MOT as opposed to a hurdle. Given that we're leaving all our friends and family here, then the reality is that shoud the medicals turn up something serious for either one of us then I don't think we'd want to go anyway.

[PonyGirl]

Good point!! That is a good attitude. Positive thinking can go a long way. I just had a full blood work panel done in June and everything was perfectly normal then. If I do have to have the extra blood tests, I should be good to go. But, it certainly doesn't hurt for me to try and lose a little weight anyway!

[jeffanar]

I actually had another thought which is that donating immediately before the medicals is actually optimal as then all you've done is lost 750g. In the time between now and next week my volume will go back up, but be mainly water, so all the values will be more dilute.


Maybe giving blood could be a good thing if you're borderline on the BMI - quick way to lose a bit of weight :exit

Good on you for giving blood, something which you likely won't be able to do in NZ if you were in the UK between 1980-1996

[Duncan74]

I know about that, althought there are ways.... A journo friend in NZ was doing an article about the issue a few months ago.