What's the guidance on Cancer and spa days

Hi Willow,

Really sorry to hear you are feeling low. I am nearly 2 years post initial diagnosis now, things to do get better, these are the tough weeks. I am just posting because I finished my treatment just before Christmas 21, and was given a spa day as a Christmas present, I was well enough to  use the voucher at the beginning of the February, so I think you should be fine on your time scale. You deserve to be spoilt, Enjoy yourself and Happy Birthday, I hope you are feeling better by then

Have your spa day! If you are really concerned check with your team, but I can't think what would be wrong with it.

I'm betting the 'cancer hands' are about melanoma patients.

Anyone who made it through this regimen should treat themselves, and yeah, scanxiety alone requires something to calm the mind.

Have a wonderful time.

Suz

Willow63

I am so sorry you are feeling low, the recovery period can be quite hard, not to mention the new turmoil of going for regular scans, that is one thing that we can all empathise with.  It might be worth bearing in mind that sometimes the first scan doesn't show complete disappearance of the tumour, the radiotherapy keeps working for quite a few months.  And don't struggle on too long feeling so low; there is help out there, either from the contact number here on MacMillan or if you have a Maggie's nearby, they have a team of people trained in all aspects of cancer care.  My doctor prescribed anti-depressants as I was finding it difficult to function, I didn't have any adverse effects and it certainly blunted the extreme fear and anxiety I was going through at the time.

I can't see any reason why you can't go on a Spa Day, and it is a lovely gesture from your daughter.  I would go and enjoy it!  I went on a Spa overnighter with my daughters in June, it was just wonderful, and they went down for breakfast without me as I can't go very far in the morning.  There was a knock at the door, and I was served a complete cooked breakfast, and this was a hotel that didn't do breakfast room service.  My daughters had explained I was recovering from cancer treatment and all the staff swung into action.

I will be thinking of you when you have your scans and keeping everything crossed that things are clear and you can have a lovely Spa Day.

Irene xx

What a lovely gesture from the hotel staff. It was a lovely thing for daughters to do as well. Sounds like you are well loved x

Thank you Irene x I will go with the intent of chilling and clearing my mind and spending some quality time with friends and family.

Thanks Suz, I have become a worrier since all of this but have decided to go for it and enjoy 

• Hi Pita, it's good to hear that someone else has been to a spa at about the same time post treatment. I surely don't understand why there is this worry and feel sure it must be more about those with different types of cancer. Thanks for the positivity x

Hi Willow,

I went on a spa day prior to my treatment and the staff were very reluctant to allow me any treatments which at the time I found really upsetting. To be fair this was before I had any kind of treatment though as I said so it may be different in your case. I spoke to my specialist nurse and she confirmed that from their clinical point of view a spa day would be totally fine. I don’t want to make you nervous at all for the day and I absolutely think you should go and enjoy it after enduring such gruelling treatment. But is there a specialist nurse who could write you a letter/email confirming that you are fine to be there and have treatments etc?

Really hope you can go and enjoy yourself.

Kirsty x

Just read this back and realised I have written ‘treatment’ about 20 times and mean two different things! To be clear, I mean before treatment for cancer I went for the spa day and the spa staff weren’t keen to allow me spa treatments. Afterwards my hospital team said it would be fine from a clinical point of view. Hope it makes sense haha!

Thanks Kirsty

Your experience seems to mirror what we are finding. Unless I get a Dr's note to confirm the Dr is OK with me going they won't let me have any treatments.  So that is what I will do.  Facial and a gentle massage would be lovely.

For those considering this treat be aware of this need xxx