Hi all
I have not been on holiday since diagnosis of secondaries in lymph, liver and bones ( all multiple)( sept 2008) but going to palma next week - and hopefully paris in july… and maybe Dublin in august… I have a portocath fitted - does it activate any sirens at the airport security? I know it sounds a bit daft but my daughter asked what it is made of … and I haven’t a clue … also we are a family of 9 travelling and have our euro health cards - I am on a chemo break and only getting herceptain and bone stuff at the moment ( although I have scan results this tuesday so all could change) and I haven’t arranged any insurance sine a) I am reasonably well and B) only away a week to a place you could easily get a flight back from should anythoing go pear shaped … do you think this is OK ??? thabks Jayne
Yes do go and have a lovely time Jayne…I wouldn’t worry about insurance either and a week will go so quickly…not sure about the portocath…but I wouldn’t have thought it would be a problem.
Have a lovely time in Palma :-)…grey skies here…hurrah! 
Hi Jayne
I have been through lots of airports with my portacath and never had a problem. I do have a little card to show if there was a problem. I think it’s made of titanium so doesn’t activate the security alarms.
I don’t usually take out any other insurance as I think that as we are in Europe it shouldn’t be a problem. Hope you have a great holiday, I went to Italy over Easter and it was so lovely to get away and forget albeit temporarily all the rubbish of treatment and scans. Hope you get good news about yours,I am due to hear about mine on Tuesday
Love Kathryn
Don’t know anything about Portcath and airports,as my chemo is tablets. Like you I only have general travel insurance (does not include anything to do with breast cancer) and European health Card.
I went to Spain for my son’s wedding last week-end and am off to Corfu for a week next month, and just have to hope all is Ok and will fly home if it all goes pear-shaped.
I think that is what we have to do. Enjoy and live life to the full as best we are able in the circumstances and hope for the best.
Marmite
Hi Jayne,
I have traveled to Spain and France in the last two years and have not bothered with insurance only the European health card which should cover you without any problem. Only do insurance when we go to America it never covers bc related illness it is in case of them suing me.
My portacath wasn’t in long enough to know if it triggered the alarm!
Have a good holiday.
Love Debsxxx
The last few times I’ve gone to Europe I’ve travelled wsithout cover for bc and have made sure I had my euro card with me. I know this wouldn’t cover costs such as being flown back to UK in emergency but have become confident about taking the risk. I’m also planning somewhere warm soon and might ring miaonline.
I would never go to States without insurance though. The emergency situations I dread (anywhere) are collapsing with brain tumour or breaking a limb through bone mets.
On the subject of travel has anyone taken Oramorph through in their hand baggage? I’m thinking of getting my GP to write a letter as I’ll be taking oramorph and zomorph through??
Jane
Hi Jane
I went to Gran Canaria at Easter, flying with Thomson from Bournemouth Airport. I knew that I would need to take my medicines abord, particularly the Oramorph. This, as you know, is in liquid form.
I looked under Health Issues (or somehting similar) on ThomsonFly’s website and read that as long as I had the Repeat Prescription part of the prescription (I take it that you know what that is - for anyone who doesn’t, each time my GP writes a prescription it has a detachable part which I keep and next time I need the medication I take it to the GP practice. 2 days later I can collect it in the form of a normal prescription with a new detachable part. Actually I think this is such a long-winded method of obtaining repeat prescriptions - does anyone have a sleeker service at their GP practice?) listing Oramorph , or whatever your drug is, then you can take the medicine in your hand luggage.
I had a 600ml bottle of oramorph with me when I turned up at the airport. One check-in person did query the fact I could take the liquid abord but I said had looked at website and I also rang the airline to double-check and was told it would be ok to take in hand luggage.
I also had various tablets but no concern over those as not liquid.
On the way back I was expecting problems at Las Palmas airport as I returned back to England - namely that the prescription was written in english. In the end I did nothing but as my bag went through XRAY the security guard looked me up and down and I just waved prescription in her face. went through, no problems.
On the question of insurance - I had to travel without cover for any cancer related problems. I took my E111 card though. You have to take the risk really - or at least I felt ok taking that risk. And we did go to the States last Easter, about 9 months after treatment for primary breast cancer had finished and about one month, as it turned out, before the secondary diagnosis. Again, I was without insurance cover for the cancer as was still fresh from primary diagnosis. It is worrying, travelling without insurance.
Hope this helps
Ena
Hi Jane
I travelled to Netherlands,France, Spain and the US last year with Oramorph in my hand luggage. I got my GP to write a letter as I was also carrying liquid methadone. All he did was write what my cancer was and list of all the medicines that I needed.Both bottles were in a clear plastic wash bag
No one asked to look at the medicines…despite me waving them every time i went through security. No one asked to look at the letter either
The only time I had travel insurance was when I went to the States. The rest of the time we used our european health card
Jools
In response to a question Ena asked re repeat prescription practice at GPs surgery.
Our GP practice is opposite a chemist (alliance/Boots) I can just call the chemist and ask for a repeat of whichever drugs I need and these are ready for collection 2-3 days later.
Dawn
Hi Dawn and Ena…I get Bondronat and Adcal from my GP…the surgery has an adjoining Boots but I can get the tablets from an even close chemist…a 4 minute walk from my home 
usually 2 days after phoning the chemist.
many, many thanks for your replies - has really put my mind at rest - just hope scan results four days before i go doesn’t put a dampener on things - but really looking forward to some sun! Kathyn - we have scan results same day - wishing you luck, jaynex
Good luck Jayne, and Kathryn with the results. Also have a fab time in Palma Jayne. It’s a lovely city and OH and I went there a few years ago. The old part is so different for the ‘typical’ Majorca holiday place, lots of lovely streets and shops, plus the tapas bars. On the bit about medical insurance I’ve also travelled the last 2 mini breaks I’ve had without specific health insurance for bc, just used the EHIC and we get general delay, lost luggage ins etc through our bank account anyway. It is nice to get away from all the hospital stuff and do something different, have a good time.
Nicky x
thanks , Nicky - have bucket and spade - will travel!