Any one else with Dupuytren's Contracture??

[fl_deb]

Well, Jim, I am gonna stay in denial awhile longer.

You said that the condition didn't hurt much in the begining, but when my pinkie doesn't get the message to open and then it does in that delayed moment, boy does it smart, esp., right at the joints, so maybe I just have arthredic (sp sic) joints. I'll add it to my list of stuff to ask the doctor about in Dec.

Though, to be honest with the irish, english and german influences, I really have the deck stacked against me here.

ETA: Also, I found it interesting that it is a calcification of the tendon, because if I remember correctly, I think one of my doctors said that portions of my right pec muscle were/had calcifications that show up on Mammogram and/or chest X-rays, which required additional tests the first year I had gotten it.

 

[woodmort]

There are a lot of pros and con about the surgeries. After checking them out I've kinda opted out, especially at my age. (I never did a lot of repairs on a car I was going to trade in shortly either.) There are other, nonsurgical, procedures that can be done as well but, unfortunately, those doctors that do them are so far out of the area that I haven't pursued them. Beside, I'm not exactly a fan of doctors "practicing" on me unless it's absolutely necessary--I've had a couple of their "standard" procedures that went wrong or didn't help to be leery. Mostly it seems that their biggest business is to get you to come back so they can make their BMW payments.

BTW, PineappleMama the thing about this is that with the number of people in my family with Scandinavian ancestors you'd think someone else would have the combination of genes to have inherited this but, thus far, they all seem to have escaped.

 

[catherine79]

Hi my father has been diagnosed aswell has blue eyes our last name is comer just wanting to no about our family history living in aus our ancestors came from couny gallaway ireland

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
A lot of Scandinavian ancestry in the Irish--Vikings ruled the island for a long time--so not surprising. Also this is found in Scottish ancestry as well and sometimes called Scottish fisherman's disease.

 

[Carols Clucks]

My danish mom has a little finger that "gets stuck" with some regularity, she can usually help it to get unstuck. I am sure she has never seen a doc about it, wonder if this is the reason.



(she came to the US in the 50's so VERY Danish)

 

[dewey]

There's an online support group for it at MDJunction. My friend deals with some similar issues but from a different cause. Wishing you all the best.

 

[33yardbirds]

I have it in the pinky of the right hand and the ring finger of the left. Both were brought on by injury. An old type car jack slipped and broke the bone in the heel of the right and a motorcycle accident brought it on in the left. After the accident the right pinky drew in all the way into the palm and the left ring developed. Surgery on the pinky was done with very limited relief. I won't be getting the ring finger of the left done. Irish, Scotch, English and other Northern European. My Aunt has it also which is rare in women, my brother shows no sign of it. No pain so I just deal with it. Also limited use of the right arm because of the accident. Years ago I found a Place in Texas called Perscription Labratories (sp) they were haveing some luck with a topical cream containing verapamil, zinc, and vitamin E, of course you could only get it from a holistic practitioner and insurance didn't cover holistic treatment so it must work. Woodmort, if you can function without the surgery I would. It looks like a grenade went off in your hand and results are disipointing, at least for me.

 

[schellie69]

I read this post due to my husbands family being of Norwegian descend most of his family still lives in MN he has been having problems with his hands. I will check out this and see if maybe this might be part of his problem. Both sides of his family is Norwegian with a Swedish thrown in.

 

[woodmort]

33yardbirds you're right, it is rarer in women than men although Margaret Thatcher supposedly had it as did Ronald Reagan. The only time I've ever had pain is when I fell and caught myself on my flat-handed-the fingers wouldn't straighten. I always thought mine started in my right hand where I dislocated the inner knuckle of my ring finger playing basketball in high school. That finger was the first to contract. But there were never any injuries to my left where the pinkie is the most contracted of the 4 fingers that are effected. It was also the last to start too.

 

[moonlyghtegirl]

There is an injectable medication just approved for this syndrome. I can't remember the name of it but i will subscribe to the post, and when I find it send you some more info. Basically, the medicine is injected in between the joint (s) in the fingers, then the next day, if the fibrous band has not weakened on it's own, the doctor will "pop" theband manually so it breaks.