Depression

[JimE2013]

My wife suffers from depression, and is on medication for it. When she went for her immigration medical in Mexico earlier in the month, the doctor asked her if she is on any medication, and she mentioned the antidepressant she is on. Her medical went well, but the doctor asked her to send a medical psychiatric evaluation to the clinic, so the clinic would then forward it to CIC. She mistakenly got a medical certificate and all it said was that she has a problem with depression and it is controlled through the use of medication. So, of course, Health Canada rejected it because it wasn't a medical psychiatric evaluation.

She has (hopefully) the right document now, and, in addition, the psychiatrist suggested she also get blood work done for liver function, thyroid profile, blood chemistry and blood count. Wouldn't they have checked these things during her medical blood tests earlier this month? Also, pertaining to the medical psychiatric evaluation, it states that her prognosis is good with continued use of the medication. It also states she is not in any way a harm to herself or others. I guess I'm worried CIC may reject us. Is that a valid concern?

 

[amikety]

Hi Jim.... I'm going to let you know what I think based on some of my experiences?

Some anti-depressants have come to light as causing damage to the liver and other internal organs - the liver being the most common and problematic. Many of these drugs are recommended to NOT take for more than 2 years (24 months) for that exact reason. Some of them (Effexor is one I know) have caused people serious health problems. My friend almost died from taking it. The drug pretty much ruined her life. (I have asked her to try to immigrate to Canada, because she has two master's degrees so I can help her, but she refuses.) Wellbutrin can cause serious problems and make depression worse in some people as well as sexual side effects. Zoloft can make a person very apathetic, to the point you stop going to work and even cleaning yourself.

(These are side effect some people have experienced - many others have a good success with these medications. We are all different, right? )

If you are sponsoring your wife for PR under the Family Class, then no, they cannot reject her because of this.

 

[JimE2013]

I appreciate the reply, amikety.

 

[Isometry]

No, they shouldn't reject your wife because of her depression. They only reject a spouse for a medical issue if the spouse is a danger to others--TB is the big one, but even then I think they just make the spouse go through treatment and then re-do the medical.

 

[JimE2013]

Thanks!

 

[osdamour]

Don't worry bro' you're fine. They won't deny her

 

[JimE2013]

Thank you. I feel better now.

 

[scylla]

She can only be rejected from a medical perspective if she has a communicable disease (i.e. something someone else can catch). A good example would be tuberculosis. Depression is not a communicable disease. So as others have said, nothing to be concerned about from an immigration standpoint.

 

[Rob_TO]

It also states she is not in any way a harm to herself or others. I guess I'm worried CIC may reject us. Is that a valid concern?

The note you mentioned above, that she is not a danger to others... is the key point CIC is looking for.

Technically an applicant can be deemed medically inadmissible under family class due to a psychiatric condition. However this would be due to a serious condition that would cause outbursts of violence or something like that, and pose a real danger or causing harm to other Canadians.

CIC is just doing their due diligence and ensuring their checklist on your wife's medical report is clean. They may make you guys jump through a few more hoops due to a mental/psychiatric condition... but in your case there is no chance they would refuse her.