Hi hellsbells66

We have an interesting discussion on travel insurance here which you may find helpful.

Why not give our nurses a call about the health implications of flying after chemotherapy? You can contact the team on: 0808 800 4040 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Please let us know how you are getting on.

I hope everything goes well with your treatment,

Best wishes

Jane

Hi, hellsbells, have you spoken to your oncologist about this?  Personally I would not travel to USA without insurance.  There are insurance companies that may help with permission from your doctor (MIA being one of them).  As an example a friend was hospitalised in the US last year with suspected Bell's Palsy, and after 5 days in hospital and all the tests was presented with a bill for $75, 000.  She was insured, thank God.

I do hope you get your holiday.  Good luck.

Try a different insurance company.
I flew to India with full insurance 7 days after finishing chemo - it was tiring but well worth the trip to be somewhere warm and sunny!

Enjoy your holiday!

Dave

Hi

Like others have said think you should take the advice of your medical team as to whether this would  be okay healthwise but as far as the USA is concerned my husband could not get insurance to cover him (it would have cost three times the cost of the holiday and not viable!). Three months later (after chemo was withdrawn) he had the chance to go to China on (though we did not know it at the time) his last business trip  and again the insurance quote was too high.  This time he took the decision to take a chance and went anyway and spent 10 days away with no ill effects (his wonderful boss not only agreed to cover any costs should they arise but also as a surprise flew him to see the Chinese Formula 1 GP  whilst they also completed the business side of the trip)  My husband never had a bucket list and once home did not wish to go away again but I am forever grateful to his company for giving him this last opportunity.

Wishing you all the very best with your treatment and hope you get a holiday break wherever it may be.

Jules x

Thanks jules54

For your reply I know it's not ideal to fly 14 days after chemo but this was booked last yr with a trip to florid a then new York,  my health is my priority but if I'm healthy enough then do I just say sod it I'm going ? I will see what onc advises I maybe able to postpone it but I'm thinking until I have got through 3 treatments half way through then nobody will say ? 

Really davek

This really gives me hope, I'm wanting to go and if I'm OK to fly then I ask why not, my health is my priority would you know where you got your insurance from and was it expensive thanks for your reply

Really  hope you can get to go and that you find affordable insurance to make it possible. Sounds as though dave could help you out with details. Let us know how it goes and all the very best.Jules xx

Just a thought, but did you take out travel insurance when you booked your holiday? If you did, and if you hadn't been diagnosed at the time, you might be covered as it wasn't then a pre-existing condition.   

Here are some tips which may help. My advice isn't very diplomatically put - but the wording used needs to be precise.

1) try to choose a site which gives quotes based on assessments made via online forms. These are less stressful to use than talking to someone and you have more control over what is recorded.

2) whilst being scrupulously truthful, don't paint things too black. e.g. if no-one has used the word "terminal" or has said that "death is expected within six months" do not tick the box that says "have you had a terminal diagnosis". 

3) don't arrange insurance for longer than you need, if you plan a second holiday and your situation has changed you will need to declare that or the insurance could be null and void.

4) declare all your ailments whether cancer-related or not. If you fail to do so, your insurance could be null and void.

Moderator Jane has pointed to some useful information. Since my diagnosis I have used www.allcleartravel.co.uk/ with no problem but try to get at least two quotes from different companies. It WILL be expensive - in my case it was the same cost as my flight to India and back. The USA is notoriously expensive for travel insurance if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

I hope this helps!
Good luck.
Dave

Yes we have insurance and they will not cover the cancer if we go on trip, we can cancel and maybe get as much as we can back, like I say my health is the most important factor I was just wondering if many people have flown 14 days after chemo, I could postpone if needed  but I think if I'm OK to fly then go for it, but that answer is not what I have as I start chemo this Thurs then have 6 treatments so half way I may know how I'm feeling,  but thanks for your reply and I wish you well Daventry

Helen