Re: Liver function tests
 

Hi Bev,

So sorry to hear about your misfortunes. I hope all goes well for you tomorrow. Where are you looking to reside in NZ? I see you are in Merseyside. I am in Childwall, Liverpool. Small world hey?

Ste.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Oh wow, definitely a small world, I'm in St Helens so only a short ride away. Looking to move to Auckland because my partner is kiwi and his family all live there. Whereabouts are you hoping to live?

Bev

Re: Liver function tests
 

Wow, Auckland too! Very small world. I have applied for loads of jobs, got down to one of two for Carter, Holt Harvey but didn't get it. I guess for me (in Procurement) I will need to get my visa and just head over there. I have registered with a number of agencies who have all told me thiongs would be different if I was over there. The only hurdle now is this medical. I think we (the wife and I) are both getting a little paranoid about it now.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Thats a shame :(. Which visa are you applying for? If your doctor has said your levels are within the normal limits, then there shouldnt be any problem with it because as far as I know, once your bloods are processed, the assays used by the lab determine the reference ranges so they will either come back as high, low, or normal and thats what immigration will be looking at.

Keep us updated with your progress.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Thanks Bev,

That was the question I was asking on this forum, what the acceptable levels are. My Dr (sloping shoulders) said just because he views my levels as being normal, the NZ Panel Doctor may have different views! Looking at other threads too, I don't think my levels are too bad. Others have had higher and still passed!

Bev, if your hubby is a Kiwi, why do you need to go through the visa process? I'm a little ignorant with all this. I am applying for skilled working visa. My trade is on the Long Term Skilled Shortage list which helped me get 130 points in my Expression Of Interest.

Ste.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Completely off topic we are from Walton! ;)

Re: Liver function tests
 

You are still required to apply via the family category under partnership, and prove that you are in a stable, genuine relationship. I've done all that bit, but these damn LFTs are the bane of my life. Never mind, see what today brings when I see the consultant.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Hi Robdon, I see you are already settled in Rotorua. When did you leave lovely Liverpool? :D

Re: Liver function tests
 

Good luck for today Bev:fingerscrossed:
I hope my medical form is the special delivery that's waiting at the Post Office for me to collect.
After my gamma, ALT and ALP were too high (I think that's the right TLAs) the panel doc referred me to a specialist for ultrasound and more comprehensive blood tests, but fortunately they came to the conclusion that there's no visible damage and as long as I reduce my alcohol intake I should be ok. I think the doc is going to write something along the lines of, 'he drank a bit too much but now that he's changed his lifestyle and the readings are falling he should be fine'. He thinks that should be enough for the NZ med assessor -we'll see.
Bev, hopefully your consultant will be able to say that things are returning to normal and are just taking a while to settle.
John.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Hey RobDon,

Even smaller world I was born and raised in Walton. Winslade Road just off Queens Drive by the Hermy pub. Then I moved over the other side of the park by Dunlops.


John,

It looks like I am in the same boat as yourself. I postponed my medical until 14th December so I can try in advance and get these readings down. Hopefully the Dr will say the same about me and there should not be a problem.

Ste.

Re: Liver function tests
 

Well, I finally have the heart to provide an update after the anxious and turbulent past few weeks. After seeing my consultant, based on my LFTs and symtoms, he provisionally queried primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), which knowing nothing about, he described as an autoimmune disease that is benign, that people live with. He booked me in for an ultrasound scan, a gastroscopy and I had more bloods taken to rule out hepatitis A,B,C and a whole load of other blood tests. One of them being antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) which if positive, is a 95% accurate indicator of PBC. Went home, and as you do, looked it up on the internet to find that it affects the bile ducts in the liver which can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver which would require a liver transplant. :ohmy:.

As you can imagine, I was devastated because that would be something that NZIS would definitely reject my visa application for. Up to now, the results of the scan are negative-no stones visible, liver looked normal. Hepatitis screen is all clear and all the other bloods are negative, so there's a 95% chance that I havent got PBC (thank goodness). Had gastroscope done last Tuesday and go back for results on Friday. For the past three weeks I have been drinking tons of water, juicing fresh fruits and taking milk thistle to cleanse my liver (havent drank alcohol since May apart from a few ciders on a night out once). I got my LFTs repeated yesterday and to my absolute delight my LFTS have dropped considerably. GGT is now 67 from 106 (normal range 0-55), ALT is now 22 from 63 (normal is 0-40) and bilirubin is 19 from 35 (normal is 0-17).

I dont know whether to forward these results on now to the medical assessor, or to wait 2 weeks to see if they drop any further. I'm hoping with all the other tests and investigations being negative, they will accept that it is just taking time for my liver to adjust to the fact that my gallbladder has been removed, or maybe there was a stray gallstone that the scans didnt pick up and that has now passed. Who knows?

But I can see light at the end of the tunnel and :fingerscrossed: my dream of moving to NZ may still come true. Just had to share this as I've had myself tied up in knots over the past few weeks. Thanks for listening!! :D

Re: Liver function tests
 

Hi Bev, that's great news and yes defo fingers crossed. If I were you, I would wait these 2 weeks and have the new tests done.

I too have had some good news from my GP. I had my bloods tested again and every last trace of the fatty liver have gone :thumbup: All of the readings are bang in the middle of the ranges.

We have our medicals booked three weeks today and then we will submit our application pack. I also have an interview tonight with a NZ company so this could start falling in to place for me.:thumbsup:

I will of course update when I receive my medical results. Keep us posted on yours too.

Steve.

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Hi Steve, thats great news, I'm so pleased for you. :fingerscrossed: that all goes well with your interview. Being a nurse, I had to apply to register with the nursing council of New Zealand which in itself is a mindnumbing and expensive process, but I received an email this morning saying my application to register has been approved. :thumbsup: I just hope this darn liver behaves itself over the next two weeks. Let us know how your interview goes. Bev

Re: Liver function tests
 

Oh fantastic Bev! That looks so positive :thumbsup:

As I think I mentioned to you, the hubs had same high levels and after numerous tests, scans, bloods over and over, the MA asked for a specialist report.
We went to a private clinic in Liverpool (think it was Dingle) and after a physical examination and looking at the results the specialist wrote a letter stating all looked normal and that he was just one of the 10% of the population with high levels, maybe slightly fatty liver (too much junk food!).
MA happy with that and med signed off :)

Where theres a will theres a way!

Good look also Steve, sure you'll be fine. Oh and we are from Huyton! Been living on the North Shore, Auckland, since June and LOVE IT! :eek:

Re: Liver function tests
 

We moved over in Aug 09 and we used to live in Grey Road off Rice Lane!! :eek: