Medical Exam (did not take prescription)

M

moz

Registered Users (C)
Hello,
During my wife's INS medical exam, the Dr. prescribed some medication
since she had some reaction for the TB test, although everything was
negative.
Now we've got an RFE for my wife asking the proof for completion of
dosage and current test results.
Unfortunately my wife did not take the dosage since she was -ve anyway.

Qn: Any experiences like these would be really helpful , if u can share ?
Whats the best response to send. Just the latest med. exam results
and probably a reason as to why the dosage was not completed/taken ?

Thanks,
moz
 
Actually I talked to the doctor just today. Here's how TB thing goes:

1. They do the test.
2. If the red spot is big (test positive), go to 4
3. If the red spot is small or doesn't show, go to 7
4. You go to chest x ray.
5. If you're healthy, spot was showing because of prior immunization (normal in e.g.
Croatia). X ray negative, go to 7
6. If you're sick (x ray positive), doctor puts X on I 693 next to "abnormal" and you get to drink pills six months. Go to 1.
7. Doctor puts X on I 693 next to "normal" and you're done.

Having this in mind, go to another doctor and ask for TB test. Follow the steps above. It's unlikely that your wife is really sick. So what you submit is the mentioned form in a sealed envelope and make sure the doc puts an X next to "normal". If not, try another doctor or ... drink pills.
 
If one looks at the medical forms and instructions..., skin test is not mandatory.., one can go for x-ray directly. If one has taken BCG as an infant, they should tell the physicians office and get x-ray done.
 
ruxrux said:
Actually I talked to the doctor just today. Here's how TB thing goes:

1. They do the test.
2. If the red spot is big (test positive), go to 4
3. If the red spot is small or doesn't show, go to 7
4. You go to chest x ray.
5. If you're healthy, spot was showing because of prior immunization (normal in e.g.
Croatia). X ray negative, go to 7
6. If you're sick (x ray positive), doctor puts X on I 693 next to "abnormal" and you get to drink pills six months. Go to 1.
7. Doctor puts X on I 693 next to "normal" and you're done.

Having this in mind, go to another doctor and ask for TB test. Follow the steps above. It's unlikely that your wife is really sick. So what you submit is the mentioned form in a sealed envelope and make sure the doc puts an X next to "normal". If not, try another doctor or ... drink pills.
Click to expand...

I spoke with my family doctor and a friend who is a doctor too and they explained to me that the +ve reaction to the TB test is not because of the prior immunizations. The amount of the protein in the vaccine is very small to produce a +ve test. When you test +ve you actually HAVE the TB in your lungs, you are infected because sometime in the past you have been exposed to TB. If the x-rays are -ve, means that the amount of infection is very very low. The virus is dormant and is kept in check by your immune system. For this reason you are not considered ill and it doesn't represent a threat. However, if sometime in the future your immune system is weaken considerably (due to some other illness for example), then there is a possibility that this dormant TB virus will take over and actually you get sick of TB!! That on top of the situation that weaken your immune system will most likely become fatal.
It is recommended to take the medication if you are TB test +ve and x-ray -ve. That medicine will eradicate completely the dormant TB virus in your body.
 
According to INS guidelines as said earlier you can go with chest Xray or Mantoux test. If you are asian and had BCG before it is always safe to go for XRAY and send the results . Cause if you had BCG there is no way of knowing if your +ve skin test is due to BCG or actual TB. I have always done XRAY for my family evry where for school recrods , INS . Because chances of +ve skin tests are very high if you had BCG that does't mean you have TB virus. Rest is you choice to take medication or not cause this medication have side affects too. Go to another doctor get your Xray done and send the results.
 
Thank you everyone for posting your valuable experiences.
Although my lawyer is yet to send me a decision, I've decided to do
the foll.

1. Take a X ray again and send it over.
2. Probably attach a letter from my wife stating that she opted not to take
the medication due to side effects (which is the real reason anyway that
she did not take the medication).
3. If possible a letter from the doctor probably stating the side effects and
probably that its not really needed since the X ray is -ve.

I'll post the responses once I've sent.

Thanks
moz
 
Yes, she did take a X ray and it turned out -ve.
Although the doc. went ahead and gave the prescription anyway.
I guess she was trying to go by the book or something.

--moz
 
If a patient has a very strong reaction, it cannot be caused by the BCG vaccine. It is a sign of infection with TB.
The next step is a chest x-ray. If the x-ray is negative, it makes 'active' tb rather unlikely.

But, the guidelines in the US, recommend a limited course of treatment to cover for the possibility of a low-grade infection or the possibility of TB outside of the lungs (kidneys or small bowel for example).

If her CXR is still negative she could lie that she actually took the meds. But lying to them is never a good idea.

Maybe, if she brings a doctors letter that due to a liver problem she wasn't able to take the initial course and that she is on an alternate regimen right now, she can get an additional 6 month period to complete her treatment course for latent infection.

The problem in your case is that the immigration doc documented on the form that your wife was supposed to take the meds. Getting out of this now might be difficult.

btw. if the cxr had been positive, she would have gotten a much more intense treatment regimen with 3-4 different drugs over a 4-6month period.
 
Before I went to the immigration doctor, I went to my doctor and he told me I may have TB problem when dealing with the immigration doctor. Then he give me a prescription for TB X-ray test. I took the x-ray test result with me when I went to see the immigration doctor and of course he mentioned the same thing and asked me to take dose. But I showed him the x-ray result and he let me pass without any more request.

Another thing is that it's much cheaper (for me it's free) to take the immunization shot with your doctor than doing it at the immigration doctor's office. They charge high because they may think you have not way to escape.
 
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