chemo and holiday?

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belindahill
belindahill Member Posts: 144
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Morning, my husband has been receiving chemo for nearly 2 years, just started his 3rd line. We would love to go away to Spain for a week but it will mean altering his cycles of chemo, the chemo he is receiving is palliative only, the cancer is not curable, he is still working and coping not too bad, was wondering if this would cause problems with his treatment, with him doing well.

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  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
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    Dear Belinda
    I don't think even a doctor can give you an absolute answer one way or the other, but his medical team should be able to give you the best advice based on his current status.

    Some folks have had to skip one or two treatments due to other issues like low platelets and it seems to be ok.

    As a person with no medical degree, I would say that a week should not make any big difference and go for it particularly since he is doing well enough to enjoy it.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #3
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    Marie Gave a Very Good Answer...
    I would run it by his doctors and see what they say.
    Maybe cancer doesn't take a holiday but we should...
  • JayhawkDan
    JayhawkDan Member Posts: 205
    #4
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    I took a holiday...
    I was 3 treatments in and the family had a planned cruise coming up. It was an extended family deal and we had planned it long before I was diagnosed. I was having a major problem with hemmoroids, and combined with diahrea from the chemo, I was miserable. So I asked my doc if there was anything we could do because there was no way I could fly, or enjoy this trip in my situation. He just said "no problem, we'll just skip a treatment." The diahrea stopped, the hemmoroids improved greatly, and we had a wonderful trip. And at my next treatment my CEA dropped. We're leaving for a long weekend tomorrow, and the doc let me skip a treatment again, only giving me vectibix yesterday. It seems to me that you can skip a treatment now and then and it's ok.
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #5
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    Go!
    I would say to go and enjoy!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    #6
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    one week
    I would think missing a week to enjoy a vacation should be okay. I guess your oncologist will give his opinion hopefully its a go. Jeff
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #7
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    Skipping a week
    In March, I skipped a week of treatment so that I could go back to Arizona to visit my daughter and see some friends. My CEA when I came back and gone up from 201.8 to 206.2, no big deal. On April 3, I requested a lower dose of chemo so that I could take my parents out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary and not spend the evening losing a wonderful; my CEA then had plunged to 162.4. On my next visit, the CEA jumped up to 308.6, but my onc and I agreed that it was probably a result of skipping a week and then having a lower dose. While I was keeping optimistic, I was still pretty scared and was very happy on my next treatment when it dropped again to 143.4.

    So, with all of that in mind, I should think you should enjoy your trip to Spain and if there is a rise in his CEA afterwards, just look at it as a false high.
  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #8
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    chemo/holiday
    My oncology nurse always said, "Be good to yourself." I'd say Live life to the fullest and go. The best of luck to you. EnJoy!!!
  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    #9
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    Talk to the Dr
    I am sure the Onc can work it out. The vacation also counts as great medicine!
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #10
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    marbleotis said:

    Talk to the Dr
    I am sure the Onc can work it out. The vacation also counts as great medicine!

    Taking a Chemo Holiday
    Hi: I, too, have been on chemo for 2 years and am on my 3rd round of folfirinox. I am also palliative. I took a 6 month break from Nov 4 until April - the masses on my peritoneum didn't do much but the one on the liver grew by 70% (but still only 1 inch). It gave me a chance to get my health back as it is a tough chemo. I just took a one week break to go birdwatching. I agree - you have to be good to yourself first.

    The one thing I'd check though is your medical insurance. Mine will cover me if I have any cancer-related incidences in Canada but not elsewhere. I was advised to jump on the first plane home even if I had to go first class!

    Have a good trip - Spain is wonderful!

    Cheryl

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