When to go on a long holiday?

fairydust

After a year I have finally finished all treatment.  However I want to finally go on a holiday. How soon after finishing treatment have others gone on a long holiday. I am okay but find I fatigue easily . I have neuropathy in my feet which makes walking after a while difficult. Things I took for granted I can no longer do. If I wait a couple of months will I be stronger .I finally finished radiation 2 weeks ago.I have been on short trips but looking to travel interstate or even overseas.

Afraser

Hi
Well done and what a good idea. I went to New Zealand a couple of times after I was finished being hooked up to a tube but didn't go overseas proper until about 10 months after I had finished treatment. I got an arrhythmia as a side effect (also neuropathy affecting my feet) and was nervous about a long trip. But I was absolutely fine. Walking actually helps my feet (standing still for a long time is the main problem). Best to wait a bit till you feel comfortable and confident, but by the sounds of it that won't be too long. Enjoy your holiday!

InkPetal

Hello @fairydust

That's so individual! You know how you feel in yourself.
Will it be worth it, will you feel safe, will you benefit?
If the answer to all of that is yes then do it! You deserve it!

Just remember to consider the medical aspect and talk to your oncologist before you go for recommendations (they may want you to stop something or start taking something to reduce clotting risk on a long flight for example)

I'd expected to be good-to-go for a holiday a month after radiotherapy had finished. No, past me, you will either be asleep or dealing with chronic back pain. I was still so sleepy that if I had gone on holiday I'd have just slept through it! So, I'm not going on holiday until December this year instead when *hopefully* I'll be over my hormone therapy hurdles and feel up to actually enjoying myself! Wahoo! So my personal answer to how long I waited to go on holiday will be just over a year.  

primek

Within a few weeks I felt stronger but it also depends on what type of holiday. I'm going on one in a few months but it will be more of just resting,  mibfulness and gentle walking. So not too much energy needed for that. Enjoy the recovery time, celebrate life and being a survivor. Kath x

Jane-Altona

I'm going OS in September 2017 which will make it just over 12 months from finishing chemo & radiation. I wanted to make sure I was strong enough to do things & not worry. I probably could have gone now but I just didn't know how long it was going to take me to grow hair and feel 'normalish'.

socoda

And I just wanted to say

On finishing treatment. How exciting to be at the planning stage of your holiday. Gotta love the anticipation. Xx

melclarity

Hey Fairydust, Radiation is cumulative and so it keeps going well after you finish, bit different to Chemo, having said that within a month you should start to pick up and the fatigue get a little easier. I went to the Cook Islands 10 months after chemo and I struggled a little with the fatigue, so I couldnt do alot, it wasnt a restful holiday LOL which I wished to lay by the pool, as my partner comes from there, so it was very busy catching up with family and sorting business out. Its tough when you need to plan ahead, best thing you can do is listen to your body. I know my limitations even 15 months post chemo now and prior to this recovering surgery right now, was working with an exercise physiologist to get me back on track just a slow process...and my Oncologist put in a report to my Insurer of income protection that as long as I am on Arimidex or the like it is going to hinder/impact my work due to the debilitating side effects!!! Huh??? shocked me! and so I strive forward bit by bit....you will recover and you will enjoy the holiday! Hugs Melinda xo 

Jane-Altona

I to went to an excercise physiologist post treatment as I felt I needed a 'whole of body' plan. I had lost all muscle strength and was feeling like I was as stiff as a board with some muscle spasms. The excercises (strength & balance) have really really worked. I feel quite confident about trip now.

Harlee

I finished my treatment (surgery, chemo and rad) in March 2014 and spent the month of July that year in Thailand. I originally had booked the holiday for February and had to delay it due to my diagnosis and treatment. When I rebooked for July I just optimistically assumed I would be ok by then. I figured I could just relax by a pool if nothing else.
As it turned out I was much better than ok. The only issue I had was the heat - as I had just started Tamoxifen and was thrown into menopause due the chemo so hot flushes were a big thing. I spent a week scuba diving with my hubby and kids which was fabulous but anytime I was out of the water I really wished we had gone to the snow instead!
I had spent the three months after finishing my treatment concentrating on losing my chemo weight gain and getting fitter. I wish I had stayed fitter during my treatment but somedays crawling from my bed to the bathroom to the couch was all I could manage. I was either lucky or my hard work paid off but I regained my fitness and lost the extra kilos quite easily. 
Fairydust I suggest you stay flexible with the type of activities you plan. Or else book a relaxing break and if you feel great then go for it. I only decided to go diving a few weeks before we left. My husband was very worried about me but it was a great trip. Part of the reason for diving was to prove to him and my kids that I was ok.