CT results and vacation

[Inguc_is]

Hey! I am regarding news on 10.08 my mom had CT scan and results is good, some points left and some are smaller, so chemo is working! And ca 125 goes from 220 to 72, after 3 chemo. There is one question we want to go to Crete for beach holiday after 5th chemo, she will have 1.09chemo and flight is on 11.09, what do you think about beach holiday between chemotherapy? After 1st week she feels ok and going to work and so on, she likes sea so much and always stay in shadow and like to swim in sea, it is a lot of good emotions for her, cant know do doctors accept such trips? Have u travel? Thank u

[Lyndy]

Great that your Mum is doing well. I think she should ask her oncologist if she can go on holiday though… see what they say. With most chemo there is a risk of sepsis when the immune system is at its lowest. You would need to have a plan in case this happened while you were away xx

[Inguc_is in reply to Lyndy]

It will ne 10th day after, normaly she feels ok after aprox 7…

[SopSinger in reply to Inguc_is]

She may feel OK, but blood counts reach their lowest point on day 14, so that's when the highest risk is. Discuss it with her doctor, but I wouldn't risk it. A few more weeks and she'll be done with chemo, so plan a holiday then and she'll still have it to look forward to.

[SASSY196]

Hi

I am so pleased to read that your Mum's chemo is working and hope the remaining chemo's blast the remaining cancer, also its wonderful that she doesn't feel too unwell.

Everyone is different and must make their own decisions and choices re going abroad etc but I wouldn't do this when on active chemo for a number of reasons -

- chemo is cumulative so you may find that your Mum starts to get more and more unwell as she has more chemo, after another cycle she may feel much worse that she does now.

- although she appears well her immune system /platelets may be low - she may be at risk of sudden and serious infection ( last month I had to cancel a short break on Isle of Wight after sudden significant drop in my platelets, although in the end I did not need treatment ); your Mum needs to be able to access good quality medical treatment quickly at all times

- she is unlikely to get holiday insurance whilst on chemo or at best will only get limited insurance

- COVID remains a risk when travelling and she is at increased risk of infection

It's of course completely your mum's decision and I am quite risk averse so lots of people may take a different view .

Having a holiday will bring many benefits for her and I would take the break but stay in the UK (or home country if you are not UK based).

I completely agree with Lyndy's advice, your Mum should have a discussion with her oncologist to see what they think and if you do go have a really clear plan in case she becomes unwell.

I hope whatever she decides she does get a break of some kind,

Sending love & best wishes,

Sara xxx

[Inguc_is in reply to SASSY196]

Thank you for ur answer! We Live in Latvia and it is already autumn, for momHoliday is only beach and warm see, that give her power, that why we still have desision to go to warmer country, as we hope it will help for treatment yes we will ask chemotherpaist what is her answer for vacation, this is her 2nd line chemo 2017 she has her first , and she was normal all 6 cyrcles that why i hope this time will be the same…

[Lovedogs41]

Hi there,

I’m sure a holiday would do your mum the world of good,but I would agree with Lyndy that although your Mum may be feeling well enough to travel,her immune system is very suppressed at the moment due to the chemo so you will need to find a hospital close to where you will be staying before you go and check with them that they would be happy to treat your Mum if she developed a high temperature or became unwell.

Also take a letter from your oncologist detailing your mum’s diagnosis and current situation with treatment etc…

I think if you put the right plans in place before you travel you should be ok.

[Morini]

It sounds like the holiday is also really important to your Mum's wellbeing. Maybe she could have a word with her oncologist? They can evaluate the risks and may even suggest she postpone her 5th chemo until after holiday so that she and her immune system is in top form to enjoy the break? Hope she has a lovely time x

[Cropcrop]

Firstly congratulations on the excellent progress, long may it continue this way.

Ask her medical team about holidays, I, personally wouldn’t chance it because our immune system is greatly reduced by the chemo and you’d be sat in a plane full of people and possibly Covid so the risk of infection is markedly increased. I really understand the desire to get away from the whole chemo rigmarole but you have to be fully informed of any potential long term risks. It would be such a shame to undo any good work but if her onc says it’s ok then go for it fully armed with all the necessary information.

Lastly, if you do go away sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen , even in the shade, our skin is quite dramatically affected by the chemo and we become way more sensitive to the suns rays, I still wear factor 50 in summer and 30 in the winter months 7 years on from finishing my treatment.

Take care and stay safe ❤️Xx Jane

[Inguc_is in reply to Cropcrop]

Thank You! i am more than sure ocologist will say travel if you will good enough to travel she has covid vaccine and i will buy het FFP mask and privat transfer, i hope everything will be OK ,,,, i think that holiday will only help her to recover

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team]

Hi there Inguc_is

Thank you for your post. I can see you have had lots of helpful and informative replies from our forum community but just wanted to share our information on travelling abroad which may be of interest to you and your mum: ovacome.org.uk/travelling-a...

Please do speak with your mum's oncologist or clinical team about this, as they will be able to provide personalised information about any unique risks presented to your mum by travelling at this time, as well as advice about how to stay safe.

Best wishes

Annie

Ovacome support

[Cumbrianlass5]

Your mum's immune system will be poor for many weeks after chemo, even though she feels well. Also she may not recover as quickly after each round of chemo so might be unwell even 10 days after the 5th chemo. If she becomes unwell or catches anything on holiday it will hold up her 6th chemo, which could mean she doesn't get the full treatment for her cancer.

If you do decide to go, she should not swim in the sea as it contains so many germs and bacteria, and must be very, very careful at the airport and especially on the aircraft as she will very easily catch any virus or infection in the air, not just covid.

Can you get insurance and what is the standard and cost of hospital care in Crete? I would wait until at least a couple of months after her last chemo session before you take her away for a break. At least she will have the holiday to look forward to. x

[Inguc_is in reply to Cumbrianlass5]

Sure i understand it, but she stay at home 1 week and that 2 weeks she go to office , there is big possibility to get something also, our ocologist said if she feels ok and want to go she need to go for vacation, we will ask chemotherapist, if she will accept that we will travel and i will let u know all how it was

[Cumbrianlass5 in reply to Inguc_is]

Stay safe and enjoy x

[Ruebacelle]

Go. Enjoy.

[Inguc_is in reply to Ruebacelle]

Did u travel during chemo ?

[mlbronk]

Yes they do in fact if you're doing well they encourage it they do for me I as well got a good report yesterday on my CT and after being in cancer for 10 and a half years off and on my ca-125 it's not working in my favor anymore so I got a big letdown thinking everything went South we had a CAT scan and I know God is my healer it shrunk more praise God and have a great vacation as long as you're doing good they'll put Okemo back and they'll tell you it will not hurt you one bit just take precautions with your mask and hope you have your shots I think it would help that is totally up to you

[Ruebacelle]

Yes 2 times to new York once to Washington DC twice to italy