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Thread: Raised blood pressure a problem?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    Default Raised blood pressure a problem?

    We are going to start the application process any day now but I am worried that my history of raised blood pressure might be a barrier. It's controlled by medication but even so.... has anyone any experience of this?
    Thanks for any useful info!

  2. #2
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    Jun 2009
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    "High blood pressure (hypertension) affects nearly one in five New Zealanders. "

    "Around 75% of adult New Zealanders have blood pressure higher than the ideal level of 120/75 and would benefit by lowering their blood pressure."

    NZ isn't any different from other countries. High blood pressure is even more common in Asia.

    The immigration doctor gave me abnormal result due the high blood pressure although it's under control with medicines and all the other tests are fine. I also have a white coat syndrome which didn't help the medical check. He wished we have a great time in NZ so I think he didn't think we are ill enough.. ;-)

    I also asked my own doctor about his opinion and he didn't understand why a treated high blood pressure would be a problem in any western country, they all have it.. He also couldn't understand why NZ has such an extensive medical check in the first place.

    Our papers are in Wellington being processed.

    If it isn't something very special, I wouldn't worry too much.

  3. #3
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    Feb 2008
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    Hello and welcome.

    Existing 'ordinary' conditions controlled routinely by medication are no barrier.

  4. #4
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    Bristol, UK -> Nelson!
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    NZ has extensive medical checks because their health system cannot afford an influx of people requiring costly ongoing treatment - the tax revenues from
    a small population wouldn't be able to cover it. Most countries have these sorts of checks - resources are finite and rightly or wrongly they feel their citizens/residents take priority.

    That said, well controlled simple hypertension shouldn't be a bar to getting in although you may have to factor in a few extra months for MA referral / decision. Depending on the meds you're on you may have to bring a decent supply while your GP finds an NZ equivalent (not all meds are available here, my husband has just had his UK irbesartan changed to the approximate equivalent dosage of NZ candesartan).

    We managed PR with one of the "absolute no" conditions in appendix 10 so it can be done!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by KatieBen View Post
    NZ has extensive medical checks because their health system cannot afford an influx of people requiring costly ongoing treatment - the tax revenues from
    a small population wouldn't be able to cover it. Most countries have these sorts of checks - resources are finite and rightly or wrongly they feel their citizens/residents take priority.
    I know but this came from a doctor in a country with equivalent public medical care as NZ (and about the same size as a country), and I did tell him the reason.

    Personally I wish that we had similar checks for immigrants as well.

    PS. Not related to this topic but it's interesting that when people migrate to a small country (NZ) from a big country (UK, US, SA), being small is a good reason for many things. When you're migrating from a smaller country, you don't find it good enough because you may know it can be done.

  6. #6
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    Aug 2009
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    Being one of the N.Z. taxpayers who help pay for the public health system, I'm real pleased there is such health checks.

  7. #7

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    I can understand it too from a financial standpoint, but people usually can't help being sick so it would seem unfair in that regard.

  8. #8
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    But then there are so many things that seem to be unfair, I guess...- it would be a never-ending story.

  9. #9
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    I agree with newarrival. I bet everybody who ever has their medical referred has a little voice inside that says, 'But they ought to let ME in - just one more won't hurt.'

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    Auckland
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    I'm sure our circumstances are not identical, but I just got dinged by the MA (1st go around) due to cost of medicine. My BP (untreated) is about 140/90 so is not particularly high. The cost of my meds for BP though is NZ$1600 per year. Technically that will put you over the lifetime NZ$25,000 limit (assuming you live another 16 years).

    In fairness, I have a couple other meds (allergy and a couple other minor) that kick my annual total to NZ$6800. But the NZ$25K in theory would apply either way.

    I'm probably going to get a lawyer to help from here to try to get everything phrased just right and get all the right info. Won't be cheap (not sure how much), but might be worth it.

    For fans of socialised medicine, that is a key problem. NZ has to worry about costs. Unfortunately, the benefits (of allowing people like me in) financial and otherwise are not seen in advance, leading to rejection. In statistics, that would be a Type I error. If everyone paid for themselves, this would not be a problem.

    But in NZ case, I cannot even get through the MA by offering to pay it myself, as they could not force me to stay off public health system once I were admitted in.
    Last edited by SueDonim; 16th March 2010 at 05:41 AM.

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