paisleylass Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Hi, anyone had their medical assessment done in Brisbane City recently? Am curious as to what others' experiences have been like, how long it takes, how intrusive?! Decent people skills, or frosty clinical disposition?! I have a pre-existing condition - I am hypothyroid after having thyroid cancer removed nearly 20 years ago. I don't have any reports on this to take with me, though I do have a letter from my consultant that was written to take to my Aus GP, it's not very detailed. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I did it like 18 months ago. Everyone was pretty nice I remember - not intrusive at all. Felt like I was in an asian country as everyone else there seemed to be chinese. I was waiting around for quite a while which was annoying. Probably took a couple of hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleylass Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Thanks! I was just on phone to hubby saying it might not be an hour-out-of-the-office type thing. Think we'll just book half a day to sick leave (well, it IS a medical!) I'll take a book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
family of five Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Had ours done March, took for ever as family ones and you all go in together!!!! I was told by the lady to book early as possible we had the 8am appointments and were first and they were already running behind??? Never seemed too concerned with old medical conditions. Bedside manner well doctors do medicals for DIAC at the end of their career so no. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleylass Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 Hi all we had the medical yesterday and I thought I'd give a detailed account so others know what to expect! I had booked us in together and the booking system threw out hubby's appointment at 1.15pm and mine at 1.30pm - first thing in the morning would have been less painful time-wise as family of five suggests but hubs was unavailable then. We went in at 1.10, arrived at reception and took a ticket and waited maybe half an hour to go to the first desk. This is where we handed over our referral letters, passports and had a photo taken. We were given wristbands with an ID number and information to read about the HIV test. Then onto the main waiting room. Everything else happened at about 15-20 minute intervals. Next we were taken for chest X rays. We each went into one of two booths where we had to strip to the waist - ladies get a thin gown to cover up. Then we were individually taken through a door straight from the booth to the x ray room. As I waited I could hear the radiologist chatting to hubby about where he's from, world cup etc. Then I went through and radiologist barely spoke a word to me, maybe he doesn't like women?! Or just me, ha. Anyway, got positioned for the x ray, which was a bit uncomfortable the way he placed my arms, big breath in for the lung mug shot, then back to the booth to get dressed and away we went to wait again. Next up HIV test, easy peasy. Both went into the room, sat on the big chair one at a time and got the tourniquet, needle, small vial of blood taken, cotton ball and tape. No probs. Then a few things - I was taken to a toilet with a plastic cup (relief, I'd been drinking plenty of water to avoid stage fright and hadn't dared pee in over 3 hours) which, when half full, I was to open a little hatch behind the loo and leave the cup. Then I went to do the rest for this session which hubby had done while I peed - height and weight measured, blood pressure and pulse taken (low and slow, not bad under the circumstances) and a quick sight test - read second to last line with one eye at a time, struggled with the right whereas I could see the entire chart perfectly with both eyes. No bother though. then after the final 15 minute wait, the biggie - doctor exam. Once again we both went in together. Hubs had all his stuff done first, then me. Doctor was nice - professional but friendly. For each he confirmed our passport info against what we'd uploaded to immi, noted hubs had changed passport but no bother as he found the uploaded scan of new passport. Then went through the health declarations we'd already done online. Only I had said yes to something - surgery due to thyroid cancer. I'd been dreading this, thought I'd have to give details of the surgeon from nearly 20 years ago and it'd all be followed up and cause delay but nope! His only concern was he thought I was taking too much thyroxine and suggested I see my GP for review, but absolutely no impact on the medical exam. But then came the kicker - my chest X ray. He asked if I'd ever had TB. I felt sick as something was clearly wrong. No, I never had. Pneumonia? Not to my knowledge. There was old scarring to one of my lungs. News to me!! Then had my physical exam while I panicked that I'd fail the medical. Just had to strip to undies and put a gown on. Reflexes tested, he did some stuff where you press your arms together and he pushes and pulls them and you resist, checked eyes, ears and mouth with a light and felt neck and belly. Listened to chest while breathing in and out slowly and deeply. For me this took what felt like aaages, as I panicked further. He kept going back to the same spot, argh! While dressing I recalled a previous bad flu and an awful chest infection (bronchitis? GP never said, just sent me home with amoxicillin), and mentioned this to the doctor as we had a final chat. He said yes, the scarring on the X ray could be down to one of these. Further, my breathing sounded normal from the area where the scarring showed - that was why he kept going back. Further still, he wouldn't expect to see scarring from TB in that spot - possible but rare. Finally, whatever it was, it certainly wasn't active now. I didn't do a sputum sample. Regardless, the X ray has been referred to a TB expert and could delay my medical for an extra week. Doctor showed us out, we left at about 3.45 so in all took over 2.5 hours. We are quite worried, not about the delay but whether we'll get a grant! All along I'd worried about my old thyroid cancer but the lung scarring was a big surprise. Fingers crossed the TB expert will clear me!! Oh, and against my expectations it was all very modest, not a boob or a genital sighted I will of course report back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleylass Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 Hubby's medical cleared within 2 working days of the medical, mine took another 2 days. No biggie. I got my chest X ray on a CD in the post, with some information about latent TB infections just in case I ever do show symptoms of active TB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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