@A MyBCTeam Member
I too am Stage III ILC. Got the same treatment you describe above back in 2012. So far the screenings are via blood work and PET scan once a year. I try to combine a little eastern with western in terms of followup. Living life completely one day at a time, getting plenty of exercise, relaxation techniques, herbal supplements, teas, meditation and plenty of prayer.

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A MyBCTea...

It all sucks but you'll get thru it and the majority of the side effects will go away. Trick is, exercise daily, eat healthy and find a doctor who practices functional medicine.
Functional medicine goes after the root cause of issues not just treating symptoms. Most of the treatment is done with supliments. It stands to reason because chemo screws up your digestive system resulting in vitamin deficiencies among other things.
My sister insisted I go see a doctor she worked for. Reluctantly after 3 month of her telling me to go, I went and OMG it was the best thing ever. Doc did lots of blood work and then began treating everything from insomnia to severe vit D deficiency and I felt like a whole new me in just a couple weeks. I do rake thyroid med. chemo made it ot work right and no other doctor ever checked it.
Replenishing what your body needs does not disrupt the effectiveness of the treatment.
Another note, put 6 green tea bags in a cup of water over night and then put it in a spray bottle so that you can mist any radiated skin 3 or 4 times a day. My radiation oncologist actually recommended I do this. She said there is proof that it reduces the amout of skin damage durring treatment.
FYI I cut my treatment short because I had had enough and I paid for it. Best to just muscle thru. Tell yourself every day that you are stronger then the "C" villan and it can not live inside you! Attitude is everything!!!
Stay positive

I was diagnosed w stage 3a id March, 2013. I completed a double mastrct0my and the same treatment as you. My taxol was every other week. 4 times. I took tamoxifen just under a year a I'm now on aromasin. I have some joint pain, but I'm finally feeling a bit like myself. You can do it.

I was diagnosed with Stage IIIA, ILC, 1 node positive on my left side and Stage I, IDC, clean nodes on my right. I've been prescribed AC chemo every two weeks for 4 times, then Taxol chemo every two weeks for 4 times, 33 treatments of radiation, followed by 10 years of Taximofen because I am pre-menopausal.

My oncologist told me that the combination of chemo and radiation is recommended because it has a greater cure rate. Taximofen is a drug that he considers to have saved hundreds of 1000s of women's lives. My diagnosis came in July 2014, so I'm learning a lot from women who have gone before me in this process. It does seem like a lot, especially for anyone who hasn't taken a lot of medication in their life, but I think the cure rate continues to improve because they've figured out a protocol that works.

I was not a candidate to take the Oncotype testing, but from what I understand, that type of testing helps identify women whose survival rate is close to the same whether they undergo chemo or not - so they can safely skip chemo.

@A MyBCTeam Member I have the same questions in my head. I completed the same Chemo you are undergoing, completed 10-1. I say I am 42 going on 82 now. The muscle damage for me is terrible, and I worked out for years so I was always in good shape :( I am having BMX 11/6 with reconst. I am PRAYING I dont need radaition too. THEN they plan on Tamaxifen for TEN years, up from 5 since HER2+ was in my one node. I am with you and while I LOVE my medical team all the way around, I question if "cancer is just a big money maker" Hope you are having a good day! ~ Danielle

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A MyBCTea...