This weekend i went to a health spa, booked up & was really looking forward to trying reflexology. I went for my appointment, filled out the questionnaire i was then told that i couldn’t have the treatment due to being diagonised with cancer! I finished chemo in may, radio in june and started on heceptin in July.
I was a little gutted, fancied trying something different ended up with a mini facial not the same when your looking forward to something. The therpist said i couldn’t have it cause massaging stimulated my cells! I was just wondering if anyone else has been told they couldn’t have reflexolgy or massages before? She also said i should wait for 5 years after i was diagonised.
We have published a booklet called ‘Complementary therapies and breast cancer’ and you will find advice and information in here relating to reflexology and other commonly used therapies, you can read it via the following link:
I too have had reflexology often and have read on here so do others, perhaps they don’t want to take responsibilty, I think a lot of people are concerned about the suing culture …
I too have been having reflexology since dx through my local cancer support place. Think some people without experience are just too frightened. Shame you had to miss out tho
hi
i haven’t tried having reflexology but have been turned away from a spa when i wanted a massage! the guy was afraid it would stimulate cancer cell growth. like you Kaz I was really gutted. i got really angry when the spa tried to argue that i would have to pay anyway because of their 24 hour cancellation rule. i was ready to really give them an earful but they backed down very quickly - almost disappointing as i think i needed to ‘share’ my feelings with them.
i have since found other therapists who ahve happily given massages and facials…
try somewhere else Kaz, as others have said reflexology seems very accepted.
jo
x
i had reflexology before and during my chemo, my onc., was quite happy for me to do so, my onc., unit also offers free reflexology sessions whilst your waiting for treatment.
check with your onc., and/or BCN.
Hello
I am a massage therapist and reflexologist. On my first course for basic massage I was taught that cancer was a total contraindication as massage would spread it around the body! Sadly this is still taught, I would say, to MOST therapists. Being aware that this didn’t seem right, and, as you have all pointed out, not wanting to turn away clients at their greatest time of need of relaxation etc I looked into it and was lucky enough to take a short course in oncology massage which completely dispelled this myth but also taught us how to massage safely to avoid the risk of lymphodema. I do hope that you find therapists that will help you, it must be awful to be rejected by the very person who is supposed to make you feel fab! If you are turned away rudely then I would say find a better therapist, however, if a therapist is unsure but interested in helping then maybe you can help by recommending they do a little research into it, and maybe reassure them that you can provide a note from your doctor / nurse? I think the majority of therapists are probably turning you away through ignorance and poor teaching on their basic courses and it’s up to us all to teach that cancer is not spread by massage. (If they thought about it they would realise that if movement spread cancer then no one would be allowed to walk about!!!) . Am on this site as my best friend has just been diagnosed and I am looking for (and receiving ) ideas for how to support her. Am really impressed with how you all seem to be helping each other with shared info and wish all of you the very best with your various experiences with cancer.
I had reflexology throughout my chemo the first time round and found it helped a lot.
I now have secondaries and have been told that it wouldn’t be wise for me to have a full body massage although I’m trying to find out if I can have a head and neck massage (have the opportunity of having a free one next month). My oncologist isn’t sure and I don’t really know who to ask!
I have lymphoedema in my arm (moderate) but my lymphoedema nurse has said it’s not wise for me to have simple lymphatic massage because of the risk of spreading the cancer.
Hello
If you let me know which city you live closest to I can see if I can find someone to help you if you would like. I am in Edinburgh and part of a register of therapists experienced in and happy to treat people living with cancer. i can try to find out if they have contacts in other parts of the country. The arm with the lymphodema would be best avoided as massage stimulates the flow of lymph which can add to the problem in that area, but massage won’t spread cancer - you just need a therapist who knows how to massage you safely and in a way that you feel safe. I hope you don’t think I am trying to advertise myself here, I am not. Purely here because my best friend just got diagnosed and so I have found myself on a site looking for help I didn’t know I would need a 4 days ago. :-(This discussion seems to be a place I can offer help which is nice to do in return for all the info I have got from you all.
I live in Cambridgeshire - about 20 miles from Cambridge.
I wonder why my lymphoedema nurse wasn’t happy for me to have SLD on my arm having read your post. She said she couldn’t be sure that I didn’t still have rogue cancer cells floating in other parts of my body.
The biggest problem that I can see is finding someone who has a knowledge of how a diagnosis of cancer can impact on the treatment that you are considering.
I have acupuncture (privately) and this is through my ex-physiotherapist at the hospital who had training in cancer and physio. Since she left none of the other physios are qualified to treat me with my spine involvement and that was due to the lack of money in the NHS! I wrote to them expressing my concern (along with quite a few other people) and was told that it wouldn’t affect patient care?!
yes, this site is incredible. A week ago I knew nothing about it and never thought I would need it but already it has been a huge help to me and I hope it will help me support my friend in the best way I can. I will see if I can find any links for you in Cambridgeshire. Would it be ok if I turned this into a private chat as I am nervous of people thinking I may be trying to advertise here - probably oversensitive but, as I have already said, the site is so supportive I don’t want to risk any misunderstandings
Cazzah
Have no problems in turning it into a private chat although I don’t know how you go about doing that! I’ve tended to always just use this but if you know how to do it let me know and we’ll try it!
I don’t think people will think you’re trying to advertise - especially as you’re in Scotland! I used to live in Morayshire many years ago but it’s a bit further up than Edinburgh!
hi
sorry to barge in but do you know of cancer/lymphoedema aware therapists in london cazzah? or where i could find that info? you might be swamped with requests like this cazzah!!
jo
x
This is all new to me but if I find myself swamped then I’m happy that having to come to this site will have had a useful benefit! Will look into it for you all x
Weird thing this morning - I got a phone call from a lady I don’t know who has just finished her training for lymphoedema and wanting to know if she could included on our support group’s website (private appointments) which I’ve said yes. Just read Jo’s post about it - pity this lady I was talking to this morning isn’t in London!
I asked her about my situation and she wasn’t really sure whether it was a good idea or not to have SLD or MLD.
That’s a weird coincidence! I am a strong believer in putting your thoughts out there about what you need - so seems to have worked. I wonder if we could ask the moderator whether it would be possible to start a discussion that advertises therapists willing to work in this field? I think the best soloution for you and Jo is for me to give you a link to the website of the directory I am part of which is linked to Maggies here in Edinburgh. I think that through that and contacting your local Maggie’s you may be able to find therapists. I will still try and ask around too but not sure where to start.
I hope it is ok to put a website here, and trust that the moderator will take it off if not. therapiesunited.com/
Thanks for this information. I’m also going to put your links into our website so thank you hugely for that! I’ve heard of Maggie Centres but not sure we have one round here - will need to do a bit of surfing!
I’m waiting for the lady to give me a short summary of her background and what she offers so once she’s done that I’ll ask her about my situation - good idea that as I must admit I hadn’t thought to ask her and until she contacts me via email I have no way of contacting her.
We have a small group of reputable complementary therapists in our area and one of the Macmillan Nurses has set up a website so that people know who to go to for different therapies plus they’ve all been vetted by the NHS which I think is a really good idea. We haven’t got anyone on lymphoedema yet but if this lady comes on board I think it would be good and maybe that’s my link in.