Can I go on holiday straight after having treatment?
Usually, yes. It can be very beneficial to get away and rest in order to build yourself up again. However, you may find you still have some side effects and so you may want to wait a little longer before taking a break.
This will depend on when you finished your treatment and what the treatment was. It is a good idea to check with your oncologist or breast care nurse before making plans. If you are planning to go to a hot climate, or on a winter sports holiday, do take notice of the points mentioned above about the sun.
Can I get holiday insurance if I have had breast cancer?
Yes, there is holiday and travel insurance available for people who have had cancer. If you are booking a holiday through a travel agent be sure to check the small print in any insurance cover offered to you because you may find you are excluded from some of the cover.
You must always declare your breast cancer otherwise any claims could be invalidated even if you are claiming for something unrelated to breast cancer or its treatment. Sometimes holiday insurance can be more expensive after treatment for breast cancer, so you may need to shop around to get a reasonable deal.
I have finished my treatment now. Is it safe for me to have a vaccination before I go on holiday?
Before you plan to go to any country that would require you to have any sort of vaccination or medication, you should check with the oncologist to see if it is safe to proceed. If you have recently had treatment, particularly chemotherapy, your body’s defense (immune) system is quite likely to be weakened. Some vaccinations (such as for yellow fever) introduce a small amount of the virus into your body.
This stimulates your body’s own defense system to develop protection against the disease. If your defense system is not fully recovered from the effects of the treatment then it won’t be able to react to the vaccination in the normal way, and it is likely that you will be ill. This might still apply a few months after treatment has finished.
If I need regular medication, can I take it abroad with me?
Yes, generally speaking you can, providing that you take with you a letter of explanation from your doctor. The letter should be written on headed notepaper from the hospital or practice. Make sure that you have more than enough medication in case of unforeseen delays.
Before booking a holiday, you should check with the doctor just in case the country you are going to would impose restrictions because of the type of medication you are having.
What happens if I’m taken ill while I’m away?
It is difficult to give a precise answer. It will largely depend on what the illness is and where you are. As a general guide any condition that requires hospitalization or prolonged treatment would probably best be treated at home if you can travel.
If you have doubts about any treatment offered to you while away, insist that contact is made with your doctor. If you do come back because of an illness, ensure that your family doctor and hospital doctor are informed. This is because even if the illness is not related to the cancer, there may be some treatments that are more suitable than others.
If I need to have treatment abroad, do I have to pay for it?
Yes, usually you do but there are some countries where you can receive treatment in the public health system. There are also a number of countries that have a reciprocal agreement with the
