holiday abroad
holiday abroad HI
after some advise, due to go to spain in June. Finished treatment Chemo Dec 05 Radio jan 06.
Worried about insect bites on my arm with mosies, and also the heat does this make your arm swell? I know to try and cover up and use a high factor cream but concerned about the flight and bites.
It’s funny the things I used to take for granted. !!!
Vodkasue
Hi Vodkasue - sorry I cannot give you any advice but am exactly the same as you. Booked holiday abroad in July - had to miss holiday of a liftime booked last year to America as was diagnosed a couple of months before - my eldest daughter was doing her A levels. I felt gutted for my kids and although we are not going to America this year (going to Cyprus) I am so looking forward to it but scared also. I am worried about the flight, the insects, the heat - so anybody who has been there and worn the T shirt so to speak - could you give us any advice. Sandra
I have Hi Sandra & Vodka sue
I just thought I would share my experience of this. I finished chemo in Feb 06 and Rads in March 06 and was so desperate for a break we booked a short 5 day break to spain for end of April.
I was worried too about all the things you said but I was fine. I just kept up the exercises, stayed out of the sun between 12 - 2pm - its a great time to go get lunch!, used a factor 15 on skin and total sunblock factor 50 (babies one) on my breast and kept a vest top on it to cover it up. Sprayed my bed and room each night with insect replellent and used an aftersun with insect repellent built into it ( boots own brand). My skin was very sensitive at first, i was a bit blotchy but it seemed to calm down after a few days.
I also found that you will probably need a hat as my scalp was very sensitive with losing the hair after chemo and there was the risk of burning it too as having very short hair.
Try not to worry and go and enjoy yourself, just be sensible and dont over do the sun. I would go a little higher now than a factor 15 though as its bound to be hotter than when i went.
Heres hoping you have as good a time as i did. My next trip is las Vegas in 2 weeks time!!
Take care
Jakki
x
Been There Done That Hi I have the T shirt !!!
Just got back from Cuba on monday the holiday was booked last year just one week before I found out I had Breast Cancer it was my sons wedding so of course I could not have gone But at times I wished I could have just cancelled it (Glad now that I did’nt) went with all the fears that you have Insect Bites (Boots Insect Repellent get the 50% DEET its in a grey bottle) very good did not get bite once. It was a 10 hour flight so I wore flight socks. My arm was fine no swelling.
And just keep you sun cream on even if its cloudy.
After all the worrying I did everone else got bite had dicky tums sunburn the lot and I had nothing so go and enjoy after all we have been through we deserve it.
Hope this helps to put your mind at rest if I can do a 10 hour flight to such a poor country you can do spain !!!
Enjoy your hoilday and let us know how you go on.
JanetS
Don’t worry - enjoy Went to Florida last year in between finishing chemo and starting radiotherapy. wore flight socks and also sleeve to prevent swelling of arm. Walked about quite a bit on the flight. Wore plenty of sun cream and always a hat. Had a great time. Also been to Lanzarote this year without any ill effects. Have a great time.
I returned from Spain yesterday. No bites and no swelling arm or sun burn. I used insect repellent on my arm and sun block, I even got a very good tan!! I was told by my physio to take get some mild antibiotics if I got a bite which turned nasty, you can probably buy them over the counter in Spain. Even my hair seems to have grown a bit in the sun!
I hope you have a great time, I feel 100% better for the holiday and it felt like Id left all my problems of the last year behind, so forget your worries for a while, sip a vodka and enjoy!!
spain Hola
I live in Spain Have had no prblems with bites, i cover myself in lavender cream, and lavender oil spray from body shop seems to do the trick, use factor 50 on breast, but have a nice tan on the rest of body
Dont worry Hi
I had my operation 6 and a half years ago now, i was just the same, i was worried about my arm.
Not to worry too much though, i use a good spray on my arm at night and use a light weight shirt with long sleeves, this has worked very well for me over the years. I even went to Barbados in the summer and everything was fine.
I hope this works for you and puts your mind at ease. All the best and Good Luck!
Anne