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Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: 12 hours ago | Replies (2203)Comment receiving replies
@56pan The VA has been very helpful with assistive devices like cane, shower chair, walker with seat 🙂 and a power chair (light weight and fits in back of our Blazer). Does not hurt to ask your provider if you need something. I use all of the above at differing times. The last few showers I could actually stand again 🙂 Oh how the little things can mean so much 🙂 Lidocaine cream is helpful for the neuropathy. So is Hempvana nerve pain relief. I found using a massager can help the neuropathy but had to stop when I developed blood clots in my right leg. Elevating the legs on a pillow (like "Gerd" pillow) helped some on the night I had chemo.
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@199 Nothing here but praise for my local VA med. center. I was in a clinical trial at the NIH and taking Olaparib since my DNA test showed I had the BRCA2 gene mutation and pancreatic acinar cell cancer, not ductal cell which was a requirement for the trial. The Olaparib didn't shrink the cancer areas at all. After release from the trial, I started at the VA and the oncologist there could not figure out why the Olaparib was ineffictive as it should have been with my BRCA2 mutation. He wanted another DNA test but Medicare wouldn't pay for it so he had the VA pay. He found that I'd had a reverse BRCA2 mutation (very rare thing apparently) which explained the lack progress on Olaparib and put me on Gemcitabine/Abraxane and it shrunk the 2 PET scan observable tumors down to where I was able to get radiation therapy. That doc is one sharp individual. All in the past now, as my recent PET scan showed more metastasization. I expected that, but that doc extended my life some. Thanks for the info on the Hempvana. I'll look it up and good luck, sir.