I have been recently diagnosed with DC...and the medical types at Kaiser here are quite useless...talking only about surgery "when it gets bad". Well, my fingers are not affected yet, just bands and knots in the palm of my hand, and I want to be proactive. My PT is advising stretching and massage. I am using heat as well.

Has anyone been successful with radiation?

Experiences using SSKI/DMSO?

Xiaflex? I read one thread where the user was happy... still happy?

I am 70, in great health, very active, a painter and gardening on 12 acres. I can't see rolling over and playing dead waiting to be crippled.

Am begging for any information, interesting links, ideas .... and thanking you all in advance.

Carol

I also had radiation on both hands and it has been over 1 year since i had my treatments. I'm very pleased with what it has done for my hands and i would do it again and again if i had to. I told myself i would never have surgery on my hands from the beginning. I would tell everyone to do radiation. Good luck

CarolNoel,

Keep in mind that many people your age never have any problems with Dupuytren's more than what you now have. Contraction is not always the end result. My father at 93 years old has had nothing but the bumps/nodules for the last 50 years. The stretching advice you were given is quite controversial. Many feel the stretching can create more activity of the Dupuytren's.

Lori, you got very bad advice and certainly not typical advice. You said, "My hand specialist/surgeon said the same thing about waiting until I could not use it anymore and then getting surgery". I can't imagine any qualified "hand specialist/surgeon" giving that advice.

Seems like Lori and Cindy got the same bad advice. The contraction in my finger was over 90 degrees, but I could still "use my hand". The usual comment from surgeons is that you might find surgery necessary when the contracture becomes bothersome. That varies for each individual. My surgeon recommended surgery before contraction reached 60 degrees because the surgery becomes more difficult as contraction increases. The reasoning for this is that for many people the contraction does not continue much past 30-40 degrees.

Very good information. Thank you!! Can anyone recommend how to find a Radiologist qualified to do this work?

Has anyone had any experience with...or know anything about...SSKI/DMSO treatment?

Much obliged...good to find folks who know what I am talking about....

Carol