hi girls iv had a lumpectomy in july last year followed by 6 lots of fec,chemo and im about to start 3 weeks of radiothephy.we are desperate for a holiday ,had to cancel last one due to all this.i asked my doctor if we could go away after the last chemo and before rads starts but she said not aboard as i was still prone to infection.how does it work with radiothephy,i know you have to be very carful in the sun so will be taking extra care of myself.i also need to find someone to cover me as my barclays travel insurance wont cover me for 2 years! i have been told they removed all my cancer and none was found in my lymph nodes but as it was a aggesive cancer i had to have chemo and rads just to be sure.how long after my last rad can i go away? anyone else experence this? dont get to see my doctor until the end of rads and really feel in need of having something to look forward to very soon.last rad is 9th feb my birthday so would 20th feb be realistic to beleive we might get away then? feel wev been waiting such a long time and been through so much. thanks hope your all having a good day regards Lynne x
From memory i think you have to keep radiated area covered in the sun for 6 months and then use factor 50 forever after that. I went away 2 months after my rads and wore a t shirt over my swimming costume all the time. I got my insurance cover from Tesco.
Have a good holiday.
Hi deleted
Hi
I am getting cover through insurepink.com which covers for bc related stuff. They provide cover 6 weeks after your last rads. I am paying 79.54(just for me, rest of family already have annual travel ins) for 16 nights in Flordia. I thought that was a good price considering where I am going and what it covers.
Hope you find something.
Amanda xx
Very similar query to mine WW. I finish rads 1st March and would like to go away 15th March. Keeping out of the sun is fine. I didn’t plan on sunbathing BUT 8 months of surgery, chemo and rads mean I need a hol before I go back to work.
What do people think? Is 2/3 weeks after rads too soon to go abroad?
Jo XX
Hi girls I went abroad in between chemo and rads (3 weeks after last chemo ) i got insured with insure pink for £50 for OH and me for a week it also covered BC. I was sensible and covered in factor 50 my chest area and arm but i did swim etc and do all other holiday things and it was a well needed break which we both really enjoyed.
Hi Girls
I have recently had chemo & radiotherapy, finished my radiotherapy on 22nd December then flew out to Fuerteventura on 1st January. Even though very warm I used a high factor sun cream and didn’t sit directly in the sun. I am pleased to say I had no problems and had a great tim Just what the doctor ordered lol…
Hope you have a fab time
Sal x
just remembered that i was told to wait 6 weeks after rads before swimming
Hi Girls
I had the full works too and needed a holiday before going back to work. I went on holiday a week after rads finished and the onc was fine with that. I was sensible though (more’s the pity) and covered up in the sun. I love the sun!
It’ll do you the world of good - go for it!
For insurance - I went with All Clear to Egypt and EHIC Plus for Europe.
Enjoy.
Mal x
Mmm, not meant to swim after chemo either. I finished chemo last week and have been swimming 3 times. It’s bliss.
Won’t do it abroad tho!
Right. Thanks ladies. I’m going to start planning. It won’t be warm enough to swim or lie in the sun in March anyway. But Italy in March will be a lot nicer than the north east of England!
Jo XX
i finished rads last feb and went for a few days to new york as a wee treat… took insurance which didnt cover breast cancer as i didnt think i would have any breast cancer emergencies… iv been away twice since then to turkey and just back from lanzrote again no insurance cover directly related to bc although they did cover me prior to my 2nd diagnosis for no extra charge so long as no treatment for 2 years through ‘getmy’ insurance… i just took my insurance card to europe but even if i had any problem breast cancer related here it would still be a week or two before id be seen at the local unit.
macmillan recommend using a minimum of factor 15 on areas affected by radiotherapy…
i have had rads to both breasts… once 11 months ago and the other was 4 1/2 yrs ago but in the sun both areas go more noticeably brown even with high factor sun cream… i went to gran canaria in 2006 which 4 months after rads too and used high factor but my rads square was still noticeable and hadnt faded after rads at that time.
thank you for all the replys,im looking at booking at end of feb that would give me nearly 3 weeks after last rads,only worry is i dont get to see doc until just before end of rads and want to get it booked now should i wait do you think or take a chance.what would you do? lynne
If you have existing insurance, ask them. They may say they will cover you for normal holiday sicknesses or accidents, but not for anything related to BC or treatment. If you don’t tell them, they could refuse to pay up for anything.
If you can go, do. Take the precautions that everyone has suggested and remember that chemo can leave your skin more sensitive as well.
I’ve been calling insurance companies and they all say (so far) that they’ll cover me but not if I have to cancel due to complications of rads.
What is everyone else’s experience? I want cancellation cover if poss but it WILL be only 2 weeks post rads when we go.
Jo XX