Hairball

I had my medical the day after and at the same place. It's really a doddle, and I had basically the same experience as the other reports I have read. In brief I did the following:

- showed up and handed in my passport, vaccination records, questionnaire

- waited about 15 mins

- went to Xray room,

• removed my shirt
• put on a lead belt for kidney-protection i guess
• stood against a frame that held the plate,
• got zapped
• waited a couple of minutes whilst the radiographer scanned the xray and put it on CD. She was very friendly and let me look over her shoulder at the image of the inside of my chest - quite cool

- I went back to the waiting room and was collected 10 minutes later by the physician

- went to her room and:

• answered a few questions and reviewed the questionnaire
• she took my weight and height from my form
• asked me about drug and tobacco use
• asked me about operations or medications

- Then I sat on a bed and:

• did and eye test
• had blood pressure taken
• she looked at my lower abdomen and was asked to cough - I still wonder why
• had a blood test and was asked if I would likely faint. I didn't think peopled fainted anymore but i appreciated the heads-up.
• explained a couple of scars and bruises - perhaps looking for symptoms of self-harm? or some condition of which bruising is a symptom?
• confirmed that the scars on my back were chicken-pox. I think that this helpfully side-steps the Varicella vaccine requirement
• checked my eyes
• listened to my chest as I breathed deeply

Other than that she asked a few gently searching questions about my medical history, why my heart-rate was high - stress was my answer. I got the sense that she was looking for hidden conditions that the brief medical would not unearth. There is a section on the form that the doctor fills in if they believe the patient is hiding something.


The only delay for me is that she suspects i have high cholesterol so ordered me to go to the GP for a test. That's more of a setback than i'd hoped for as i do not want to spend $$$$ on statins. She was reassured when i said how frequently i exercise and asked me about my diet. Apparently it does not affect the visa and it's a good test to do periodically.

So in summary, it's very easy but it's normal to feel nervous as for most it's a decision point for a very big and possibly life changing step. My advice for anyone doing it is:

• download and read the form and questionnaire carefully
• figure out what vaccines you need from that information and go to the GP to get them done. Most folks need MMR and Tetanus. MMR is in 2 steps and requires a few weeks between the two, so leave some time. GP will do them for free, US medics will not.
• relax
• drink water before you go. I didn't and it made my veins harder to find as they had shrunk.
• have a look at your chest xray - only because it's interesting
• continue to relax - there's very little they'll find that will prevent your entry into the US
• wear sleeves when you leave as you'll probably have a piece of masking tape and cotton wool over the bruise on your arm. I did not and looked a little weird
  

Like i say, it's easy but it's expensive and slightly inconvenient. However, if they find something like a heart issue, or high blood pressure then the medical could save you from a future illness, so you're getting something for your money. Just get your jabs done NHS style and spend the savings on duty-free.

fromthemanorborn

An excellent and concise summary Hairball.
Just a couple of points that differ from my experience. Your NHS doctor will only do your outstanding jabs for free at their discretion. I had the tetanus and MMR done at my GP surgery for free and the nurse who did them said "Doctor must have been in a good mood". Having said that, the charge will not be as much as having them done at the Embassy Doctors.
The other thing is that my MMR was a single shot administered at the same time as the tetanus (one in the left arm and one in the right)
The key point you make is for people to relax, and a tip I recommend to anyone driving from the north and not making an overnight stay is to park up at Luton Parkway and get the train/tube in from there. There is ample parking and frequent trains and eliminates the stresses of driving closer to London and paying its ridiculous parking fees.
Drinking water is another good point, I drank a large cup of strong coffee which did nothing for my BP and the heart problem the Doc subsequently found

helwardman

Why would you think that?

CAdreaming

really good concise info Hairball
i will be having my medical within the next few months so its good to gather hints and tips

I do find it really valuable to read other peoples experiences -
thanks for sharing

jeffreyhy

Hb,

Where were her hands when she asked you to cough?

Regards, JEff

Hairball

A couple of inches below my naval

Hairball

No worries. The over-arching point is that they're either proving you're healthy which is good to know, or they might help you find a problem that could worsen. You're unlikely to get excluded from the USA from what they find so you might as well just get on with it. They're very professional so there's no good reason to stress.

That's easier said than done of course

jeffreyhy

A little bit higher than I was expecting you to say, but I think that she was checking for a hernia.

Regards, JEff

meauxna

You've really never heard of this before?
(it's to check for hernias)

CAdreaming

thanks for the reassurance - all helps

Hairball

I'd heard of it, but I have never known what it's for. it's one of those things you hear joked about but I've never known the reason.

Thanks for sharing

meauxna

While we're on the subject then... my DH got one a couple of years ago. We though only old, fat men get them, but it turns out that once he started 'sharing' his 'shameful secret' () with some of his guy buddies (well, I may have blabbed it) it's pretty darn common. Even for fit fellas.
I still can't get him to go get it repaired, even though it's put a halt to any scuba diving.

Sweetscottishchick

Thanks for this info Hairball, it's very useful to hear about other BE members' experiences. Hope you don't have too long of a wait until your appointment at the embassy.