mission impossible

My husband has just been diagnosed with Scheuermanns disease. It is a medical condition affecting the spine. There is no cure, just pain management and he's been told to join the gym to build up his ab's. My question to anyone out there who has a back prob, or has heard of this condition, will he get through a Medical? I am thinking this is the end of the road for our proposed move to Canada. Any info or old threads would be useful. Thanks, Shelly.

live to ski

Sorry to hear about your husband.

Do a search for the Medical Practioners handbook - both on Google and on here. From what the doctor who did our meds told us, is that they are only really bothered about medical issues that are going to be a threat to others in Canada, or that are going to cost the health service a lot. He said, even if you have HIV, it isn't an automatic fail. And with the med costs, I think (but check on this) that might decide to let you on so long as you pay for any medication assosiated with that condition.

As for pain management check with your doctor but Pilates is great for strengthening the core, Yoga for keeping the movement, and a TENs machine is great for managing pain. If you want more info on the TENs then PM me. I'm rather anti-drugs for just masking pain, so think this is a great pain management technique.

bazzz

Although if this TENS machine thing costs a lot of money, you might not want to bother:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/...ct/322/23/1627

Very_Optimistic

Link below for the DMP handbook

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...book/index.asp

Quite long and boring but section 6 provides a breakdown of what DMPs are supposed to check. Also the appendices have copies of the forms they are supposed to complete which might be worth a glance through.

Although easier said than done try not to panic just yet. Whilst I do not know about Scheuermanns disease in particular, I do know of people who have successfully made the move despite having existing long term medical problems that can be 'managed'. This seems to tie in with the comments from livetoski.

Keep positive and Good Luck.

live to ski

You always used to be able to get them on the NHS so long as you were eligable and seeing a specialist who believes in alternatives to just pumping you with drugs. Also, last I heard, you get buy them for about 100 GBP from Boots.

Pain is there for a reason. To tell you there is something wrong with your body and hence to stop doing what you are doing because you are going to damage your body by continuing.

When something goes wrong with your body, in certain cases you get pain, which stops you exercising etc. when actually continuing to exercise is in many cases the best thing you can do. Back pain is a classic example (although not in all cases).

If you pump yourself full of pain killers then you run all the risks of the side effects of having all these drugs being pumped round your body. My mother has had more health problems from the side effects of drugs that she was put on, and then the side effects of the drugs that she was put on to counter the first set of side effects - these include premenopausal osteoporosis, skin cancer, fibroids and a hysterectomy. The latest one that I am just waiting for is that she was put on calcuim tablets, and now they are saying that calcium tablets can cause heart diesase and heart attacks.

lace

Hi Shelly, my son who is 14 was diagnosed with it about a year and a half ago, we had our medicals last August and I must admit I was worried too, but i'm glad to tell you we got our visa's last November so you can stop worrying, all will be fine

Beastie

Hi there,

You do not mention whether the condition is degenerative in nature and this I feel could have an impact in relation to the medical.

If the condition is stable and is not degenerative then your GP could provide copies of the test results, any consultant's reports and a covering letter stating your husband is otherwise fit and healthy in support of your application. If the disease is degenerative in nature then that could create difficulties as at some point in the future there may be a 'burden' on the Canadian health service that the Medical Officer or Immigration Officer assessing your application deems an unacceptable.

I do not have a back problem but I was retired from my former employment due to a neck injury that is now stable but requires pain management. When we went for our medicals I provided copies of an MRI scan report, X-ray results and a letter from my GP indicating that the only treatment I have needed for the past couple of years is pain medication. This was all accepted and we received our visas last October. Your situation is obviously more complicated in so much as the diagnosis is a recent one and the condition is a disease rather than damage due to injury.

Depending on where you are in the PR application process (ie how long it has been since you applied, if you have in fact submitted the application at this point) you may have the time between diagnosis and medical request to demonstrate that your husband's condition is stable and therefore not prohibitively costly to manage.

My advice would be to speak to your GP prior to attending the medical to find out more about the prognosis and ask him to provide the documentary evidence I have mentioned in support of the application.

It's a bit early to write yourselves off just yet but preparation is the key to overcoming obstacles like this. Good luck, I hope things work out for your husband and your application.

John.

Beastie

Reminder to one's self, do not bugger off and do other things half way through writing a reply as someone may post advice more relevent during this time.

Lace has given you a very positive response based on first hand experience, just what you needed. I still think the preparation advice is valid though.

John