[paul arthur]

Another famil I know are seeking to emigrate from the UK and would like to know if "If a person is a well controlled type 2 Diabetic who takes Metformin" will they fail the medical that is required???.
Thanks for any comments.

[bliksembokkie]

I had no problem as the main applicant as a Type 2 diabetic on medications. What they are more concerned about is the weight of such a person.

[art]

Its good to know that NIDDM is not a major obstacle to emigrating. I'm also a Type 2 diabetic on oral medication only and I've just got my EOI selected.

What I'd like to know is - are there additional hoops to jump through for people like us? I read somewhere that a Medical Waiver is required.

[Baskey]

I've been in NZ for two years and am a Type 1 diabetic. Since I've been here I've had my medication upgraded and my control has increased considerably. Only thing to watch is the cost of getting your medication. You have to apply for government assistance. Doctor should help you with this.

When applying for residency, you have to do a few extra blood tests to prove that your health is ok

[Kim39]

Glad to see there are people here who are suffering with diabetes, sorry i should say have diabetes as its a condition and not an illness. Apologies if i have offended with my opening remark.
My wife has just been diagnosed with the condition and is slightly concerned that a spanner my have been put in the works, but after reading these posts all is well i think. Put a request on general chat site for a bit of guidance, have had a few replies which i am grateful, but your comments have now allayed our fears.

Thank you.

Kim

[Kim39]

Meant to ask in previous thread. Sorry, but i am going to be ignorant. What is a type 2 diabetic?

Kim

[wayne]

Iwas diagnosed type 2 at my medical as my BMI was too high 18.5 stone :oops: I had to have a glucose tolerance test which showed that I was type 2. Type two is also known as Mature onset diabetes usually age 40 +. but a change of diet I'm now nearly 2 stone lighter :cool and my blood sugar is back down in the normal range I still have to visit the diabetes clinic every 4 months to have my blood sugar level monitored.
But the good news is I have my PR no worries

[Hannah-NL]

I'm SO happy with this forum!
This was a question I was laying awake with last night.
I'm overweight and had a warning that my blood sugar level was too high a few years ago.
Since then I lost some weight, altho not all I want/need to lose, but the level has been perfect since,
I should have used the search function earlier!
Thanks to you all, most of my questions are always answered here :nice1 :clap :cheers

[craigmiya]

My father-inlaw is diabetic type 2 and got in no problem apart from letter from gp, also his mum has diabetes type 1 and got in.


liz

[wayne]

I was diagnosed type 2 at my medical(shock!!!!!) I am at present controlled by diet only and I got my PR no worries had to lose a stone or two though nearly put it back on now though :( :(

[Hannah-NL]

Thanks to all the above for these reassurances.
It was during a medical for an insurance company a few years ago they discovered mine too Wayne.
Was kind of a shock as well, and has me very conscious of my weight since then.
It's hard to lose it and keep it away, was much easier to quit smoking..
You can't just stop eating you know... :no

[wayne]

I find I can lose 1 kilo per week easy but I can only sustain it for a few weeks and then I have a relapse but i have my next appointment with the diabetic nurse in 2 weeks time so that will tell how good I have been :oops:

[Jennie & Rob]

I am a type I diabetic (on insulin) and was really worried about medicals. All I had to do was send the results of my last two clinic reports with the medical and all was fine. I am well controlled - with an HBA1C of usually around 6-7 - but I thought just the diabetes would fail the medical for me.
Don't worry....

[Simon & Emily]

Thanks everyone for sharing this - it's useful to know.

Wayne - can I ask, did you have to lose the weight to be granted PR? I ask because I know someone granted a few years ago who had to lose 2 stone to get the visa (she's since put it back on with interest!). Both Simon and I could do with losing a litttle :laugh bit of weight, and further tests are one of the things that is holding up our paperwork.

Thanks in advance,

Emily

[coastcat]

Type 1 Diabetes: Often diagnosed at an early age. The body cannot produce its own insulin, and the individual must take insulin injections.

Type 2 Diabetes: Usually diagnosed in adults, but becoming more common (at least here in the US) in children and teenagers. The body does not produce sufficient insulin. Treatment includes insulin injections or medications that increase insulin production or decrease glucose production. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with obesity, and losing weight can alleviate or eliminate the symptoms.

Losing weight for PR: NZ requires that your BMI be 35 or under. There are many BMI calculators on the net (like this one (http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/)).

Luckily my blood glucose readings have dropped, but I still need to work on the BMI... :uhoh

[Hannah-NL]

Coastcat, where does it say that
"Losing weight for PR: NZ requires that your BMI be 35 or under." ?
Having discussions about this with hubby now :?
Maybe someone else knows as well...
Is there a weight limit, or is it just that you then have to undergo more medical tests?

[coastcat]

Coastcat, where does it say that
"Losing weight for PR: NZ requires that your BMI be 35 or under." ?
Having discussions about this with hubby now :?
Maybe someone else knows as well...
Is there a weight limit, or is it just that you then have to undergo more medical tests?

It's been mentioned on ENZ several times, but I can't find a quoteable source on the Immigration website. The Medical Examiner's handbook (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/A945648B-4309-4845-93A3-22C95C1A65E6/0/NZISHandbookMedicalExaminers.pdf) indicates that the panel doctor must determine the applicant's BMI. If the BMI is higher than 30, then the waist circumference must be measured (if I'm reading this correctly, if the BMI is greater than 35 they don't bother with the waist circumference). If the BMI is greater than 30 and the circumference is greater than a certain number (ranging from 102cm in non-Asian men down to 78cm in Asian women), further tests are required by NZIS.

I don't think you'd be rejected automatically for having a BMI over 35, but you'll be required to undergo additional blood tests for lipids and glucose. I assume they're looking for signs of uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes, and that if diagnosed they'd want it under control before granting a visa.

Besides, with a healthier BMI, you're more likely to help the NZ economy by going skiing or biking or hanging out at Moorf's surf shop! :laugh

[jan]

Read in the paper this week that there has been a very successful transplant performed in Japan.

Cells (Islets) were taken from a girl's mother's pancreas, and inserted into the daughters. This transplant has been carried out twice before in America without success as they were NOT live donors.

The girl has stopped taking insulin 22 days after the op and has yet had no complications. She will be monitored for the next 5 years but they think she wil never need to inject insulin again!! :nice1

In another paper I read that insulin inhalers were to be introduced in the next coming year!!

Good news I say :nice1 :nice1

Jan xx

[Hannah-NL]

About the sugar level, about 3 years ago I only once, had a raised level of 8 mmol, since that time I have been under doctors control and lost weight, the level has never been that high since. I have a slight problem with my pelvis after the oldest was a tad too big at birth, the pelvis has become instable, so I can't run or ski, or jump up and down mountains anymore. I can walk and bike a bit and do our household, but being an overactive sportsperson (like I was) not any more. :no We used to walk lots when we went holidaying, had such fun in GB for instance, Eildon Hills, Snowdonia, also in Austria. No more for me, but I want my hubby and kids to be able to do that (in NZ), so that's why I'm working hard on getting us there also, trying to get under the 35 BMI is not that easy, if you're a "sitter". I wish I could run like I used to!