New member introduction from Graham 00

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 11:29

Hi All

just a brief introduction from myself.

My name is Graham, I'm from Yorkshire, and I am a 56 year old Control & Instrumentation Engineer in the Power Generation Industry.

I thought I was reasonably healthy, apart from the frequency & urgency of the need to urinate.

I guess this is a similar path to many others on here . .

A GP consultation led to a blood test, which revealed a high PSA (58), which led to DRE, MRI Scan, Biopsy & Bone Scan, resulting in a confirmed diagnosis (14/01/16) as having prostate cancer.

After mental turmoil and having initially feared the very worst, I now have a much better understanding of the disease and I am better aware of my staging, and the potential treatment plans, and I am very much more optimistic about my outlook.

I just wanted to say hello.

I am a very strong believer that it helps to talk to and learn from real people who are experiencing or are familiar with circumstances similar to mine.

I have recently started a course of hormone therapy, and my initial objective from the forum is to learn about Holiday Insurance as I plan to bring forward my summer holiday as my original planned dates are now likely to clash with a potential course of radiotherapy. (I only had a window of opportunity planned, I hadn't booked a holiday).

I'll go do a lot of reading of previous posts, and then if any of my questions remain un-answered I'll post for advice.

Good luck to all, in your own personal circumstances.

Graham.

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 12:00

Just wanted to say hi Graham. I haven't actually got the time now but I do know there are good pointers on here about insurance and even the name of some companies. Someone will be along to help you. Welcome
Chris

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 12:27

Hello Graham and welcome to the site.

If you post your Gleason scores and MRI results etc members will have a better understanding if you want advice in the future.

You can download the Toolkit from this site, under publications. It might give you some ideas re: future treatment if you haven't decided yet.
There is also a leaflet on holiday insurance I think.

We used The Explorer group and it wasn't unreasonable but then my husband's cancer treatment was seed brachytherapy and was finished, just ongoing checkups now so that would have made a difference.

There have been conversations on here about holiday insurance so I am sure that you will get replies

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 12:43

Hi Graham
Welcome to the site.
I too am from Yorkshire and am currently on Ht and Enzalutamide sine jan 2015.
I travel abroad a lot but have holiday insurance through our Banks. I advised one of them of my condition, no problem said they.
My other bank HSBC give insurance I believe up to 70 yrs old (which I achieved 3 days ago) so I need to double check with them.
We tend to go abroad for 2-4 month stints with me flying home for consultations (which have just been increased to 12 weekly)
Apart from that I can't help you much but hope this little bit is of use.

Cheers

Paul

Edited by member 27 Jan 2016 at 12:44 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 13:28

Thanks to all replies and welcome greetings.

as per Johsan's suggestion I will post my scores and results so other members can better understand my circumstances.

PSA = 58

Gleeson = 5 & 4 (9) classified as aggressive.

Bone scan = all clear.

TNM Staging = T3b, N0, M0

I'm not 100% sure if I'm classified as Local or Local Advanced, as it has spread to Semi Vesicles, but not to any nodes, or bones.

I have done a fantastic amount of reading and studying, across various internet sites, but I have found this Prostate Cancer UK site to be far better than most, for a good balanced viewpoint, without frightening the @rse out of you.

after referral from a Urologist I've had my first (pretty lengthy) consultation with my Oncologist, who was exceptionally good, and he is preparing a plan, which I believe may include :-

(a) Hormone therapy - started

(b) H D Brachytherapy - if my circumstances are confirmed to be suitable

It's been a very difficult last few weeks, but I am entirely happy with this treatment plan if it does include HD Brachytherapy, and I am now in a comfortable place having commenced Hormone therapy.

It's been a hard time for both me and my wife (who lost her father to Cancer), so I just looking to get a holiday in before my next phase of treatment commences, hence the earlier indication that I am looking for any guidance that's on offer regarding travel insurance for persons having been diagnosed with PCa.

Graham

User

Posted 27 Jan 2016 at 22:02

Hi Graham
Sorry about your diagnosis its hard to take in, you sound like your getting your head round it. I had H/Th + R/Th and I now have a PSA of 0.13 its taken about 18months to this polnt and am feeling ok.
I am 73 and have just made tentative enquiries about holiday insurance , I don't take any meds for anything and found an increase of about £12.00 on top of the quoted price on a 1 trip policy ,this was telling them I had P.Ca . Hope this is of some help.
Good luck
Regards
Alan (sorry a Lancastrian )

KEEP POSITIVE and CARRY ON

User

Posted 28 Jan 2016 at 04:30

Hi graham
Hello from me to
I was diagnosed last year
Is it europe or america for the hols
We went to canada last year
Butvwith having treatment planned it didnt matter that it wasnt till I returned and bone mets
We got insurance but they wouldnt cover the cancer tried loads of companies
Went with LV
They want to know the rear end of a nags arse
Talk with your onco about travel thats what we did
Regrds
Nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User

Posted 28 Jan 2016 at 08:55

Hello and welcome to a site you probably never expected to be a member of.

I wish you all the very best for the whatever comes your way in the future and remember there is much support and guidance to be found amongst us all.

A PC friend of mine rang around 6 travel insurers for a trip to Mauritius . Costs ranged from £375 to £2080 for 2 people.

He used Mia and also had a favourable quote from expert travel.

Some banks which provide travel insurance may honour cancer at no extra charge.

I hope that all goes well for you.

John

User

Posted 28 Jan 2016 at 16:27

Afternoon

If you have a "packaged" bank account, it's worth checking, mine charged me an additional £72 for 12 months worldwide cover, and they said it would be cheaper next year as the surcharge drops 12 months after surgery..

Duncan

User

Posted 29 Jan 2016 at 15:53

update.

I have a policy & I can go on holiday, but without PCa cover, so I'm still looking for the full cover solution at the right price.

Over recent years we have utilized the "free" travel insurance that is provided through my wife's 'packaged' bank account, which did cover me previously, even if I was travelling independently.

I have declared my PCa diagnosis, and I was informed that there would be a premium increase - as I expected.

They are prepared to maintain the current policy, for no increased fee, but they will exclude covering my PCa. - which is an option that I can fall back to, if I can't find an acceptable alternative.

They are not prepared to quote for an annual policy, which is what I was hoping to get (as we do usually go abroad 3 or 4 times per year).

They say they are prepared to quote for a single trip policy, but after several calls over the last couple of days & being passed from pillar to post, they haven't been forthcoming.

I am also getting seriously fed up with internet sites that want every detail going, and then finally they decline to quote !

Time to spend some soul destroying time on the telephone ! (probably speaking to somebody who lives in a tourist destination, and has a limited grasp of the English language).

I'll get there in the end :)

(maybe somewhere in the Caribbean)

Graham

User

Posted 29 Jan 2016 at 16:06

hi graham
have been told insurewith or mia is a good place to start hunting

regards
nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User

Posted 29 Jan 2016 at 18:23

Hello again
Purely by chance I have just found the below text on the Prostate Cancer UK Facebook page. I hope my copying and pasting works. This couple seem to work tirelessly for PCUK. I Bought one of their badges and it's lovely. I told you people would be along to help. That's what we all try to do here.

""Hi every body Holiday insurance for people with medical problems. We used this company HOLIDAY SAFE CO UK. Better to phone rather than go on the Internet have all your medical notes and prescriptions at hand and we found it was cheaper for 12 months rather than a few weeks. Dannytracy ProstateCancerfundraiser ""

Dadaaaaaa. It worked

User

Posted 29 Jan 2016 at 19:08

hi
looked at holiday safe if you need it with medical condition it has a link to insurewith so it is a satellite company

regards
nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User

Posted 29 Jan 2016 at 21:59

Graham the problem at the moment is probably that you don't know what your treatment plan is and therefore they cannot categorise you as curable or incurable. What are you putting down for the question "are you currently having treatment" and /or any questions about staging?

We have had annual cover from insurewith since John was diagnosed. They were superb when he decided to climb Kilimanjaro in between his op and his salvage radiotherapy, full worldwide (not USA) cover including PCa for both of us costs £120. So it is possible which is why I think it may be down to one or two of the responses you are giving.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 15:57

Travel update

My oncologist had no concerns about me taking a holiday, whilst on hormone therapy, so it,s booked.

Costa Rica in April, something to look forward to 😊 and a feel good boost, before I start my next phase of treatment around May time.

Only got a standard travel insurance (with PCa excluded) at present, which I am prepared to live with if I don't manage to find a deal to include PCa cover.

Treatment update

I'm Expecting to have a PSA check, when I go see my GP for my second Hormone therapy injection (approx 19th Feb), after which I'm hoping another meeting with my Oncologist will finalise my treatment plan, which I do hope will include HD Brachytherapy.

For me, I just want confirmation of what the plan will include !

Once treatment plan is finalised I might search out some additional travel insurance that does includes PCa cover, if it's obtainable at a fair price, but I am happy to go without PCa cover included if I have to, as I see it as a very minimal risk.

Thanks to all contributors for the welcome comments and the advice comments.

Good luck to you all in your own personal circumstances.

Graham

User

Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 21:21

Whoever you arrange insurance with, I think it is sensible to disclose you have PCa, even if you intend to have this excluded from your policy. Insurance companies are notorious for looking for ways of rejecting claims even when the connection is seemingly quite unrelated. I have always carried my own risk by excluding PCa and will continue to do so until it becomes quite advanced and may require treating at short notice. Before this forum was 'upgraded', it used to be possible to type in 'Holiday Insurance' and this would show some helpful threads with names of recommended companies who provided cover with PCa as well as for those who wished to carry their own PCa risk. But a waste of time using the search facility now because this useful information has been replaced with a load of useless bumph, so it's like looking for a needle in a haystack!

Barry

User

Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 22:18

I think the main travel risks would be going into urinary retention, UTI, falling over (and the insurer saying it might be due to HT weakening your muscles / ligament - but then I am a very cynical person) or having to cancel / change dates to fit in with treatment timetables / appointments

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 22:26

Hi Graham

Just a note to welcome to the forum but sorry about the circumstances that brought you here.

I cannot help you with the insurance question, but just really wanted to say hello. My profile briefly explains my PCa journey so far.

It sounds like you have a positive attitude, which I am sure will help you travel this rocky path.

Wishing you all the best.

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