Going on Holiday

Theglobetrotter, I’m no doctor but my personal thoughts are…. If your heart & bladder are both healed enough to do the long travel then go for it.! Maybe worth checking with your Dr’s for both, and make sure you’re fully covered with travel insurance ( inc health updates )

best wishes 

Julia x

Thanks for your reply, I have not had any more issues with my heart condition since June last year and is well controlled with medication, been living with my heart condition for over 18 years now without any issues whilst away on holiday, I am totally in the dark in relation to the cancer diagnosis and all the if buts and maybe's, as I had said in my earlier post I feel fit and healthy right now which I know will probably change when treatment starts which is still a good number of weeks away yet.

Thanks

Tricky one. In principle, good to have a break before embarking on BC follow up. I think unlikely that 2 weeks delay will be significant in the long term, but could give you less time to weigh up treatment options if given a choice. The bigger issue is travel insurance, which probably won't cover the BC. Did they give you any indication if they thought it superficial or not? Hopefully you'll get the results before your trip & that will give you a boost before next steps.

If you took travel insurance out when you booked and still have this in force, it should still cover you provided when you took it out you didn't know about the BC.

Hi, good luck with the results and fingers crossed you get to the States. yes as mentioned by Tortoise, if you were unaware at time of booking and you had insurance in place you should be eligble to cancel and claim back whatever your cover includes. I was in a similar situation last year when I had to cancel a trip to Australia and got most of my flight costs back. If you did travel you would however have to have a fit to travel OK from your surgeon / GP to make use of any other cover your policy includes. Almost certainly anything you are having treatment for now will not be covered unless you opt for a specialist policy which will set you back a few bob!  I would recommend speaking to both parties before you make your choice.

Don't want to put you off but another concern is the timings of any procedures you have had or may be having in the future, in my situation I have to refrain from flying for 5 weeks after a rigid cystoscopy and sometimes, depending who I speak to, several weeks before a procedure. Flexis dont seem to have the same concern so if you are having them you may be OK. My consultant has been good in helping me fit some holidays in amongst my treament but as I mentioned I had to cancel a big one late last year.

I think you should get your results by 2 weeks at the latest, I pester them for mine after 10 days, it may take another day or two to get the letter / call from the consultant but never had to wait 3 weeks.

Best of luck with everything

Regards

Nick

Nick the results from histology for ,y 1st TURBT took 37 days! I agree it should not take this long, but it’s a lottery.

Thank you very much for your reply, I just feel stuck between a rock and hard place and what to do for the best, I am actually feeling good health wise at the moment and over the next 3 weeks i would continue to improve more, my main concern is that any treatment that I begin to receive begins to have an overall detrimental effect on my health and stops me from travelling.

That's an awful long time Leo, I'm quite patient when awaiting the results but 'higher management' and my girls are anything but so I'm on the blower after the target 10 days and as I say, 2 weeks as been the most I have waited, but, as you say, it's a bit of a lottery!

Hi globetrotter, I'm not a medic either but because you've had the TURBT with sufficient time to recover before your hols, I'd be inclined to phone your Urology Dept and explain the circumstances ref your booked holiday. I'd be amazed if they said don't go. I'd expect that the biopsy results should be through before you go and the next steps of treatment is unlikely to be before your return. For example if it's to be another TURBT in my experience they like to leave about 6 weeks for previous one to be healed. Equally if it's BCG or chemo for example, once again they like to allow the post TURBT healing time before treatment starts. You will need to keep your Insurers informed if you plan on having health cover. My fingers are crossed for the best possible biopsy result and a marvellous holiday. Hx

Hi, Obviously don't know your circumstances but I think for a lot of us the starting point after TURBT and diagnosis was BCG Induction followed by a maintenance programme.

Looking at your timing and based on my experience it could be an ideal window of opportunity for you to get some time away as you are probably right about you being back home before the treatment would start. Have a chat with your consultant or specialist nurse, they will let you know if it's achievable.

Good Luck!