Rock Ape

Hi,
We're due to have our medicals this Thursday in Bordeaux and just wondered if any of you with kids who have already trodden this path know what the general feeling is about asthma. Our 13 year old son gets it very mildly each year during the rape-seed season (we live in the country) and sometimes has to use his Ventolin inhaler. Because we live opposite a farm and this year he is helping with the harvest he had it more acutely and is using a corticosteroid inhaler as well.

I know that asthma is pretty widespread amongst UK children so feel sure that this must have come up before.

Thanks in advance.

chippy64

My 17 year old son also has very mild asthma. We have had a letter from our CO asking for an allergist report! We have decided to to go with an extensive GP's letter (they also wanted an orthopaedic review on his Osgood Schlatters, which is a posh name for growing pains!) as he doesn't attend asthma clinic, never seen a specialist or been hospitalized etc.
My feeling is that to see both specialists privately would cost an arm and a leg and neither condition warrants it! However, we are waiting to see if Medical Assessor agrees with me!
So, sorry for rambling there - the answer is just to be prepared for follow up reports etc being asked for!

Rock Ape

Well, we had our medicales yesterday and all appeared to go OK. We had to note down about our son's asthma but the doc didn't seem to make a big issue out of it so lets hope INZ don't either. Our BMIs were all below 24 so no real problems there either. Total costs were €370 for the exam, €130 for the x-rays and €230 for the blood tests. Interestingly I had to have additional blood tests because of an old tattoo! We are getting the certificates on Monday so thats pretty quick - but perhaps thats just a French thing.

j19fmm

Tattoo!! Do you know why or what they are/were looking for? I have a tat that was done in NZ in 2003 and OH has tats dating back to when he was 17.

(Are you named as such cos you were RAF reg??)

chippy64

My aunt has a tattoo which she had done in Australia. She applied for a visa to live in Australia (her daughter lives there) and had to have an extra blood test. After about a year, she decided to apply for a different category visa to Australia. She had to have new medical (fair enough) and also had to have the extra blood test for the same tattoo. Prob looking for some sort of hep virus or HIV?

Rock Ape

The main reason (says the doc) is that there is an increased risk of Hep C. Apparently older tattoos are more risky because they were less hygenic than they are now.

Yes, I was in RAF Reg: 1 Sqn Kuwait/Iraq 2003

j19fmm

Sorry for the random question but OH was looking over my shoulder and he is a former wearer of the "beefy bayonet" as it was known on 19Sqn.....

Guess he'll be in for more blood tests then when we finally get round to the medicals bit. Thanks for replying

Rock Ape

Med results received today. Apparently I have very slightly elevated levels of something called biloribin and require a second test & ecography. Anyone come across this before?

j19fmm

Could that be 'bilorubin'? Only know it's to do with the liver function..

Q: When you sent your quals to NZQA did you get an email telling you they had received the documents? Sent mine 11th July and really hope they got there!!

weejie

Bilirubin is an orange-yellow pigment found in bile.When bilirubin levels are high, a condition called jaundice ( a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes) occurs, and further testing is needed to determine the cause. Doctors may request bilirubin tests (along with other tests, especially when jaundice is present) to determine if liver damage exists. Bilirubin levels can be used to monitor the progression of jaundice and to determine if it is the result of red blood cell breakdown or liver disease.If the direct bilirubin is elevated there may be some kind of blockage of the liver or bile duct, perhaps due to gallstones, hepatitis, trauma, a drug reaction, or long-term alcohol abuse. Echography is an ultrasound of your liver.Hope this helps.

Phyllis

Water Lily

My husband (main applicant) has very high bilirubin levels, caused by a condition called Gilbert's syndrome. He was diagnosed when he was very young, it just means his liver produces too much pigment, but it's not harmful in any way, it just means he can go a bit yellow if he's sick.

We declared it on the form and the doctor added a comment saying it was a "harmless liver condition". In case this wasn't enough to satisfy our CO, I printed off some information on the condition and added it to our ITA, hopefully that'll be enough and they won't ask for extra tests, fingers crossed..... We haven't heard back from anyone yet so we have no idea if it worked!

Good luck with your extra tests, I hope the results come back showing it's nothing to worry about

Rock Ape

Hi,
Never got any email from NZQA. Checked online status to see if docs arrived.

Thanks for replies on bilirubin - the doc said that in the absence of any other physiological problems (gallstones etc) then it is no problem. Lets hope INZ agree.

ptbrophy

I called at 5:30 this morning and was told that my assessment had just been completed. I then checked my e-mail and found a message from an evaluator saying it had been completed and should be sent back soon!

It took 20 working days exactly. Now i just need to wait for it to arrive!

Rock Ape

Hi Water Lily and thanks for that - very reassuring. Out of interest do you know what you husband's total bilirubin count is? Perhaps you'll let me know if you get any feedback from NZIS on it.

Regards,
RA

rockape

Per Ardua, sounds like you are nearly there Rock Ape. Everthing crossed for you. By the sound of thing will be haveing a Rocks reunion over there soon.



Stan