rickcuzza

Hi Rick how's mandurah treating you we eventually settled in shoulwater just up the road but down that neck of the wood all the time oh n how's the medication going I've still not managed to see a specialist yet I'm still waiting n I've been here 12 months on the first of July :-)

Hi Peter,

i love over mandurah even though the commute to the city is a bit longer than most but I think it's worth it. Shoalwater a nice place too. Not used up the injections I brought with me. But the warm weather during the long summer definitely helps my arthritis. How about you?

Hi rickuzza,

 

did you finally got the 190 visa despite taking Humira?

hi topshe,

yes i I was successful on a PR visa with state sponsorship. Been in Perth (Mandurah)8 months now and love it. I stopped treatment briefly during medical run up and managed with alternative treatments. Then when asked what medication I was CURRENTLY on, I wasn't lying. Not as stressful as I thought in the end.

Any questions, please feel free to ask

Hi Somail,

Sorry about the delayed response. We have had problems getting our internet sorted in Australia. That should help answer the question. We successfully got granted our 190 PR visas. I came off Humira during the process. I had to tell our medical doctor who assessed me that i had Ankylosing Spondylitis (strangely he specialized in AS when he was a practicing doctor - now does this as a part time thing as a retired doctor), but he didn't seem too concerned. He took a copy of the letter i had taken from my specilistist who was supportive of the move (she said the warm weather would really help my arthritis). He was mainly checking for serious illnesses such as HIV TB and skin conditions. He made me do some extra tests to my wife like flexibility and was fine with everything. He takes weight measurement and basic fitness tests. Nothing to be worried about. I hope this post helps overcome anyones fears who are on humira or other expensive drugs. I am now looking to continue my humira treatment out here once i settle in and find a rheumotologist. We have only been here 3 weeks and absolutely love Perth and Mandurah where we are living. If anyone at all has any questions, please do not hesitate to ask as these forums helped us hugely through our whole process and we would be happy to help anyone else if we can.

Thanks

Rick

Hi Pete,

any news? We had our medicals and submitted all other additional information today. Not sure how long the next bit takes. Hope it's gone well for you.

regards

​Rick

Hi Rick

 

No pal not heard a dicky bird 4 weeks today fingers crossed, i thought waiting for a case officer and doing the rest of it was hard but this part is worse knowing that after 12 months of hard work and a lot of cash it could all end in tears, but hey eather way i would have still wanted to give it ago just to know that we tried :biggrin:

 

 

ill keep you posted

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

Sorry to hear that you have not heard anything yet. It must be such a chew to wait after each hurdle. I have just started my VISA application and only a week into it so i presume i have it all to come. My specialist has written a brief letter that i can take which sounds very positive in my management of things and not missing a day of work in the UK through AS. However, i am sure she will give me a more in depth one when it comes to it (hopefully with the same glossy pen she wrote the last one with )

I am confident you will be ok though pete. I have done so much research on this topic and it certainly cheers me up the more i read rather than the opposite. ALl you can do is give it a try. Its the only way to find out. Best of luck pete and keep us all updated on your progress.

Rick

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for sharing the info. You are right, topics on this subject are hard to come by. Can you kindly detail what the medical entails and what happens? My specialist is very supportive and understanding of the situation and would give me a good report I am sure but i want to know if me switching to a cheaper drug alternative like methotrexate, or coming off Humira will benefit me. What medication notes do they take during medical? Do they see what you have been on previously?

 

Many thanks

 

Rick[/quote

 

Hi Rick

 

The medical is quite basic really, first of its height, weight and basic eye test, as I told him I'd lost nearly a stone since last visiting my specialist he did coment on me keeping it up as weight plays a big bearing on my condition but don't think he was to concurned with me I'm only slightly over weight. Then it was down to underwear and checks you all over for skin condition make sure you can move freely by moving you from left to right touch you toes, listens to you chest checks for hernias then wee sample, blood tests & x rays regarding past conditions then I had a letter from my specialist but it was more than 6 months old so he requested a more up to date copy which he acquired by phoing the hospital whilst I was there so in my case they didn't look at any past history so if your specialist gives you an up to date letter stating your current medication then as long as that medication seems to be Woking for you then all should be ok. This was just my experiance so could be different for your self, if you can show your fit enough to do your job for the foreseeable future and the meds won't cost the earth you should be ok, fingers crossed for us both and anyone else out there trying to get past the last hurdle

 

Good Luck

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

When taking the medical. Did they specifically ask for a letter from your specialist or were you being pro-active? Trying to get hold of my specialist is like trying to speak to the queen.

Thanks

Rick

Hi

 

Ill let you know if i pass the medical:biggrin:

 

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

Any news back regarding your medical yet? Hope it is good news for you.

Rick

Hi Jules,

I completely agree, I would never want to risk my health for a visa but I feel hopeful that if I can secure a visa, there is the chance that i can progress towards Humira (biologics) in Australia. I feel I have the added bonus of my specialist knowing a specialist in WA and she has offered to talk with him once/if I get out there. How long have have you been in oz and tried on other drugs before you qualify for biologics? thanks for your post.

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the info on medicals. I wish you luck with it all and hope we both manage this last hurdle as you say. Please do keep us updated and hope that we can help others reading these posts, who may be going through a similar situation .

Rick

Hi Pete,

Thanks for sharing the info. You are right, topics on this subject are hard to come by. Can you kindly detail what the medical entails and what happens? My specialist is very supportive and understanding of the situation and would give me a good report I am sure but i want to know if me switching to a cheaper drug alternative like methotrexate, or coming off Humira will benefit me. What medication notes do they take during medical? Do they see what you have been on previously?

Many thanks

Rick

Hi Rick

 

The information regarding the $35,000 is that per annum or over a number of years ?

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

I believe it is $35,000 over a 5 yr period of which i think humira is more expensive than this, however you are not currently on this right? It is your choice to go on anti tnf and if you show early syptoms, then i dont think this would cuase too much of a problem. The threshold has been increased recently i think though from $21,000 - $35,000 and their aim is to create a fairer approach. If you google Chris Bowen MP media release October 31st 2012, there is an article on it. It seem positive, and looks like they will also assess everyone on their own individual merits and what they will bring to the table for australia and if the benefits of them working in oz will outweigh the potential treatment costs.

From doing research on this topic, and speaking with various people, it seems that AS or arthritis is not particulary the stumbling block, it very much seems it is the cost of treatments and future potential treatments. I've heard a last resort to getting into oz if you fail the medical is on a company sponsorship visa and to sign a health medical waiver.

I am currently on Humira but want to ask my rhumy if i can be put on cheaper drugs for the time being. Then hopefully if it allows me to pass a medical then i would look to progress back onto anti tnf in oz. I know its a long process to obtain anti tnf in oz but i do recall having to try other treatments in the uk also before going onto it. Good advice from MamaPesa i feel to get the ball rolling as soon as you get out there and thanks for the info Jules 2409. I hope that you are managing well in WA and hope i can soon be there too.

I am

Hi prajay,

I would be interested to see how you got on. I too have Ankylosing Spondylitis and looking to apply for a state sponsored PR 190 visa to WA (Perth). I take humira injections fortnightly and i worry that i may fail medical, a) because of AS and b) because Humira is an expensive treatment drug. Can anyone shed any light on experiences.

Hi Stephane,

I also take Humira for Ankylosing Spondylitis and looking to move to Australia on a PR Visa 190. However, after doing a little research i noticed that if your drugs cost greather than $35,000 as of 1st July 2013, then you are likely to fail the medical. You can however, go on a temporary sponsored visa from an employer and sign a health waiver. What i would like to know however, (before my State sponsorship visa application timeframe runs out) is, if i chose not to take Humira for the foreseeable future, and manage without (have done previously for a period of a yr for certain reasons as directed by my consultant with minimal effect to my health), would this allow me to pass the medical. I undertstand that it is the medication and not the condition which would cause me to fail the medical. My specialist consultant for my condition has ben very supportive and will write a letter should i need any back up. Hopefully the skills i possess will outweight the negatives of putting up with me in australia. Fingers crossed. Has anyone else had any similar scenarios with Ankylosing Spondylitis or Humira or Enbrel or any other Anti TNF drugs?