As you know I am having my lumpectomy on Friday, and will know within two weeks if I have the dreaded C word. I am due to go to Turkey about two weeks after I get the results. Even if I do get bad news, would I still be able to travel? I so need this holiday with everything going on with mum, daughter and myself, and would still want to go with hubby if possible. I am totally in the dark so thought I would ask others opinions.
Hi Jules
I think there are several issues here. If the news is bad, and I do hope it is not, would you actually want to be going away and worrying about surgery, treatment etc.? You would have trouble with your travel insurance. You would be obliged to decalre the diagnosis and they would probably not insure you for any BC related condition, which means , should there be a problem whilst you are away, you would need to fund any treatment privately. From a medical point of view however, your consultant would probably let you travel before any treatment, as 2 weeks will probably not make much difference either way.
You say that you really need this break, so why don’t you just leave the booking for the time being, have your surgery, see the consultant to discuss the outcome and then decide. You might feel completely different about it all once you are home from hospital.
Very best of luck and hope the op goes without any problems.
Birgit
Jules,
When I was dx, I was at the breast clinic on a Tuesday. The biopsy showed that there was something wrong, but they couldn’t tell there and then whether it was invasive or just DCIS. I was told to come back a week later for the full result. We were due to be on holiday that week - again a much needed holiday as my mum had died three weeks earlier. The consultant was quite happy for us to go away, and delay the return visit by a week. He said it would make no difference.
No-one ever mentioned that my travel insurance may be a problem, and it never occured to me. I assumed that as the insurance was taken out long before dx, I would be covered.
Jules,
I went to Cyprus after dx,but just before surgery.My husband is a Financial Advisor and we have yealy insurance.I simply advised the insurance company of the diagnosis.I knew that I was covered for anything except BC related problems. However, as you are having surgery you won;t know how fit you are until afterwards.I was uncomfortable after lumpectomy and lymph node removal but think I would have been fit enough to travel,My scars though were a bit raw looking. Anyone who currently has travel insurance should advise their insurance company as failure to disclose any condition can invalidate a claim even for something completely diferent.
Good Luck on Friday.I hope the results are good and you get to enjoy your holiday.
Tricia
xxx
Thank you ladies, I hope that I will be clear and will be on holiday celebrating, but I did start to think today whether I would be still be able to go if the dx was bad news. I guess it also depends on what type of dx. If it turned out to be a small tumour and no more treatment was needed after surgery I guess I would be fine to go. Thanks for all your replies. xxx
After I was dx I went away for 4 days to Amsterdam. No one said not to. It did me the world of good. To stay or go alters nothing. The constant worrying is as you know terrible and a change of scene helps to put things into perspective I found and face what may be ahead.
Also I was told a delay makes no difference. I have recently been told I have probably have the C for at least 5 or 6 years! I was dx on 10/2 and have only just have second op. With chemo, rads and herceptin and i dont know what else to come.
I find there is at least a gap of 4/5 weeks between each treatment.
If you were undergoing treatment ie chemo i could see it might make a difference to travel insurance. Myself I have felt well all along. Only tired and stiff for a few weeks after ops and then fine again.
Enjoy a holiday while you can. Should it be bad news and chemo were needed you are definitely not able to go abroad from all I hear.
Starfish x
Hi Jules,
I was dx Dec 2006 (3 days before Christmas) had scans, mammo and core biopsy. We had booked to go skiing in Europe over New Year and the consultant said to go as delaying treatment would make no difference.
Being told it was cancer we thought about it but for the sake of our children (who were looking forward to the hol) we decided to go. We had no regrets, we enjoyed it (good food, good wine etc) and at times I actually forgot about it. I had surgery a week after I got back.
I would say have your hol and enjoy it! We have annual travel insurance but didn’t think much would go wrong, after all it had been there for some time and a couple of weeks would not make any difference.
If you decide to go I hope you have a good time and I hope your results are good too.
Take care
Shorty x
Thank you shorty. I have decided that no matter what my results are I want to go on this holiday. (unless the docs say no) I was just unsure whether it would be feasible, thank you for your advice. My hubby and I are also supposed to be going to Mexico in August. If only I had known about all of this, I would not have booked any holidays and waited. But as people say all the time, you can’t not do stuff incase this or that happens!
xxx
Hey sweetie…I was due to go away a week after i had diagnosis and my consultant refused to let me, saying he wanted to give me every possible chance of clearing this cancer as quick as poss…So, i had to cancel 2 holidays!!! As will still be having treatment in January too 
But ur gonna be ok so ul be able to go!!xxx
I wa offered the 29th may for op. we were due to go to crete on the 30th. Surgeon also on holiday same time so i would them have to wait til 19th june for his return. So we opted for early op to get treatment started. i will have results of lumpectomy before surgeon gets back off holiday. Crete will be there later its not going anywhere is it?? got all but 30o/o back off hols and travel insurance assure me that they will process paperwork for claim as soonas hospital fill in. As to getting further cover I will ask before considering booking Hubby with heart bypass pays lump sum on top of yearly premium so i rekon I’l be same. good luck for friday.
luv
Bridie
Hi Jules
I had a lumpectomy and SNB nearly two weeks ago and am doing very well and cant believe how well I feel - just a bit sore but I am healing very well and am very impressed with my surgery.
I asked the question you are asking when I was diagnosed as I have a holiday booked with friends in July to Kefalonia. The cons said that it would possibly be fine to go as I would just of finished my rads by then but if I had to have chemo then I should cancel it and he would give me a letter for my insurance company so that I could claim the money back. Also the breast nurse highlighted that in that pack that is given out from the Breast Cancer Care there is a sheet in there about travel insurance. I found it very useful and it even lists companies that will give insurance to breast cancer patients. Can you phone your breast nurse and ask her for advice?
I hope you can go on holiday, Jules. Seeing the sun and the lovey blue sea is what we all need.
Claire x