Rheumatoid Arthritis
Apr 14th 2004, 2:16 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: East London/Essex UK
Posts: 56
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Has anyone suffering with the above had a medical,or know what the general opinion is.Agent advises,
"If your HIV free you're in"but somehow Im having trouble convincing myself thats the truth,especially when I see comments on here re weight etc.
"If your HIV free you're in"but somehow Im having trouble convincing myself thats the truth,especially when I see comments on here re weight etc.
Apr 14th 2004, 8:19 am
#2
She's a bird, you know
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 7,655
The guidelines on medical conditions etc are pretty vague and I've spent months trying to sort it all out....
Basically, TB and HIV aside, what the Oz Govt are keen to avoid is conditions that will cost more than $20,000 a year to treat. This might be in actual, physical medication and treatment, but it also includes other less obvious forms of care, such as braille, guide dogs, other forms of theraputic treatment etc etc.
If it looks like your condition is going to be expensive to treat, then you may hit problems. Likewise, if it looks like it might stop you working, claiming stacks of benefits etc it might cause you problems.
But if you currently live a relatively normal life without operations every second week or endless rounds of expensive treatments, you *should* be fine.
When you go for your medical, you'll be put in Category B. Don't panic about this - Cat A is for those with no ongoing medical conditions and not on any treatment. If you are undertaking treatment for anything, even very minor things, or if you have to have an annual check up for a condition or similar, then you'll be put in Cat B. This just means that your medical will have to be passed to a DIMIA medical officer (a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth in some cases) for assessment. If the med officer agrees that your condition will cost less than $20k to treat etc, he or she should pass it and your application can continue
Basically, TB and HIV aside, what the Oz Govt are keen to avoid is conditions that will cost more than $20,000 a year to treat. This might be in actual, physical medication and treatment, but it also includes other less obvious forms of care, such as braille, guide dogs, other forms of theraputic treatment etc etc.
If it looks like your condition is going to be expensive to treat, then you may hit problems. Likewise, if it looks like it might stop you working, claiming stacks of benefits etc it might cause you problems.
But if you currently live a relatively normal life without operations every second week or endless rounds of expensive treatments, you *should* be fine.
When you go for your medical, you'll be put in Category B. Don't panic about this - Cat A is for those with no ongoing medical conditions and not on any treatment. If you are undertaking treatment for anything, even very minor things, or if you have to have an annual check up for a condition or similar, then you'll be put in Cat B. This just means that your medical will have to be passed to a DIMIA medical officer (a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth in some cases) for assessment. If the med officer agrees that your condition will cost less than $20k to treat etc, he or she should pass it and your application can continue
Apr 14th 2004, 9:43 am
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 987
Get your self a letter from your consultant, stating diagnosis, prognosis, medication prescribed and how she thinks it will be effected by a different climate.
Apr 14th 2004, 9:50 am
#4
She's a bird, you know
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 7,655
Good point Sandra. Forgot to mention that bit. Yep, letters from GPs/consultants, copies of any reports, test results etc. Take the most up-to-date info you can lay your hands on, esp if you have to have blood tests etc, otherwise the DIMIA panel doctor may want to repeat the tests and you'll pay through the nose for it!
Apr 14th 2004, 9:07 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Newbury, Berkshire
Posts: 41
I suffer from R Arthritis and passed and got visa a couple of weeks ago. Fly out on 12th May to Brisbane.
Advice above seems pretty much there. I had medical, had to get specialist and doctors letter showing Diagnosis, Prognosis, medication etc. My medical included a very simple assessment of joints etc.
Use PM if you wish to know more.
Advice above seems pretty much there. I had medical, had to get specialist and doctors letter showing Diagnosis, Prognosis, medication etc. My medical included a very simple assessment of joints etc.
Use PM if you wish to know more.
Apr 15th 2004, 12:12 am
#6
She's Diddy, He's Not
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: Gold Coast - just like Felixstowe
Posts: 2,454
Just wanted to say that this info is really useful as have been really confused by the whole medical thing. Thanks for putting it into comprehendable terms.
Diddy
Diddy
May 1st 2005, 7:07 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Hillarys, Perth
Posts: 283
Re: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Originally Posted by Dilly's
I suffer from R Arthritis and passed and got visa a couple of weeks ago. Fly out on 12th May to Brisbane.
Advice above seems pretty much there. I had medical, had to get specialist and doctors letter showing Diagnosis, Prognosis, medication etc. My medical included a very simple assessment of joints etc.
Use PM if you wish to know more.
Advice above seems pretty much there. I had medical, had to get specialist and doctors letter showing Diagnosis, Prognosis, medication etc. My medical included a very simple assessment of joints etc.
Use PM if you wish to know more.
Did you take reports from your consultant and gp ect with you to the initial medical or did they request them after the initial medical.
Best wishes
Becky
