chaleyscott

Help!

I have just had a letter back from the panel doctors to say my chest xray shows a 'radiological abnormality' and i have to go for more tests. It says this -
"An opacity is noted in the right midzone together with possible nodular infiltration above the left hilum on a current PA chest x-ray film.
Please include results of the following investigations:
- lung function tests (including FEV1, FVC and appropriate predicted values)
- sputum cytology
- CT scan of thorax.
Please note that a definitive diagnosis is required for the radiological abnormality described above.
If a biopsy has been performed previously, please forward the result."

Having no medical knowledge my husband and I are pretty worried - does anyone have any knowledge about this and is it anything to worry about? I am a 30 year old healthy woman (or so I thought) with no history of chest problems so this is all come as a shock.

If anyone could give us the benefit of their knowledge i would be grateful.
Chaley

swissfabs

Chaley,

Sorry to hear about this worry on your xray. That seems , however, like a standard, default answer from your panel doctor. It is just the DIMIA requirements if they see a spot on your x-ray.

Have you tried calling the panel doctor? If you do a search on this forum there are many people who had a spot discovered as well and it happened to be minor for all of the ones I remember reading.

I hope this cheered you up a bit

all the best,

fabie

Geordie George

I had to have a second x-ray done (a side in addition to a front shot) and the hospital wouldn't tell me why. By the time I had the meds done a week later ... I wasn't a happy bunny. If you've got any concerns (no matter how trivial you think they are) make an appointment with your GP to get things explained. The doctor I saw was furious that I'd been left to worry so long. 'Specially when it turned out my 'pectus excavatum' didn't mean I was missing a vital organ at all, just that I have a very slight shallowness to my chest. Bloody bra woman in M&S used to tell me that! I digress. Moral of the story is don't panic. Get informed and try not to worry. Easier said than done, I know.

GG

Un-Co

Me too. They told me I might have tuberculousis!!! My first case officer was a nasty nasty man and wasn't at all delicate about it. I thought Mr Un-Co was going to hit him!
In the end I went back to the hospital and the doctor tutted and said they scare the life out of a lot of immigrants. I have been back each year for an x-ray and this year they had a flash new imaging x-ray thing. Couldn't find the spot or whatever it was at all.
Of course it's always best to get things checked out but please don't worry too much.

Un-Co

Just told my story now realised how bloody angry it makes me. Thinking back to the sleepless nights - I didn't think I actually had tuberculousis but had all kinds of other terrible scenarios in my mind.
The B@$%stard looked at me when I first walked in for the spouse visa interview and said "Sign this form, you have a health issue" When I asked what it was his first response was "It doesn't matter - you need to go for further tests" It was only when My other half got riled the guy went "It might be tuberculosis" That medical included an HIV test for God's sake - would they deliver that news in the same way?
And when came to this forum well over a year later (again how much agony would it have saved if I'd been here earlier ) I found out just how many people they treat like this. Of course they have to follow up abnormalities - it would be terrible not to, but they leave people in the dark, or partially in the dark and scare the living hell out of them. It's just wrong.
Sorry for the outburst but I can see how upset it makes people and it's just so unneccesary.

worzel

This story is nothing to do with migration but shows you how hit and miss xrays are. A friend of mine who has asthma had a regular xray and they called her in to tell her there was a shadow on the xray and she must come back in a week for extra tests. She went through hell for about 2 weeks until they got the results and an all clear. The consultant at the last appointment told her that the scare was because the second xray had been given a slightly longer exposure that the first xray thus making it darker all over and the junior who compared them mis-interpreted that as a shadow.

annn

I don't have time now but I will PM you later

chaleyscott

Thanks everyone for putting my mind at rest. I have just dashed to the GP who said it basically means I have a shadow and haziness on the xray which he said is '99% likely to be something of little or no significance'. However, he sent me for an Xray at the local hospital and he will get the results in two weeks and we'll take it from there.

Obviously the visa is a separate issue as I have to go through the rather obnoxious panel doctor for that. My GP told me all the tests they are asking for will cost up to £1,000!!! He said that if the Xray is clear I really shouldn't need all the other tests (which also have risks). Does anyone know - are you obliged to do whatever the immigration health bods say or is it worth arguing with them about it? I imagine the former.
Chaley.

willkerr

Hi Chaleyscott

Can I ask where you got your x-rays and medical done. We live in Fareham but had ours done by the panel doctor in Southampton, he was great, very reassuring and helpful, he was even an Australian himself. I'm not sure if you can challenge the panel doctors decision but I'm sure you must be entitled to a second opinion by another panel doctor with a second x-ray.

Just a thought.

Cheers

Will

AliMay

[QUOTE=chaleyscott]Help!

I can offer no medical advice but good luck and karma to you

varsani

hi,
just like to comment,that i am also currently awaiting sputum test results ,because they found two tiny calcified spots in my lungson the xray.

i had to provide 3 samples of sputum on 3 different days last week.

they results take 6-8 weeks to come back ,so am waiting very patiently and very worried,as the doc said it may or may not be t.b. but not to worry as it is dimia requirments to treat all abnormalities as t.b. until it is proven otherwise.(easier said then done)

it has been a long and expensive process (15months so far),not knowing if we are in or out,but staying positive and hoping its all nothing and head for sunny brisbane in september

please wish me luck as i think i need it right now.

best of luck to all.

regards
varsani

annn

Sent PM

claire edwards

This must be distressing for you, my parents have just gone through exactly the same...I do feel for you.

My mum was diagnosed with COPD and the second x-ray also showed that she had TB some years ago which left scaring on the lung. My parents are going through the retirement visa route, which means there is no health waiver.

Firstly, don't presume the worst.

What visa are you apply for and does this mean there is a health waiver?

I have lots of ideas and advice for you if you want to pm me after you get the results of your second x-ray.

What I would also like to add is that my parents have sucessfully go to the next stage of their visa, my mum has to visit a TB clinic on her arrival in Australia.

Best of luck and thinking of you.

Claire

chaleyscott

Yesterday I saw my panel doctor and the chest specialist. All is well thank god- I have old scaring on my lung from a past infection (that I didn't even know about!). I still had to have all the tests because the powers that be have demanded it. They all go off this week so, apart from 4 days of panic, we are now back on track (although are pockets are somewhat lighter!).

PS- i didn't receive a PM from you anne.

jond

Hi you have got me worried now, the Radiologist also spotted some old scarring from when I had Pnumonia as a child, but I cannot for the life of me remember if I put this down on the Medical forms if I did not I am sure they will come back for further tests and they have already had the X rays 2 months.

John