Hello, I am EM, a long-time DC sufferer now with the Ledderhose foot thing too.

I am going for my 8th (maybe 10th) surgery on Wednesday next week. I have been prompted to join this group by a natural inquisitiveness about alternatives to surgery.

I am 54, have the Viking gene (via Ireland and UK) and had my first 'release' surgery in 1997 at age 40 or so (I apologise if the math is not precise, I'm a journalist/academic, so numbers are OK, but I tend to guesstimate).

I have DC in both hands, 5th and 4th fingers in particular, but also thumb of L hand. I have had five skin grafts on my hands over the last 15 years or so and tend to recover well each time.

I hate the splints and find it almost impossible to stay on the rehab regime for the whole time, but I recover well from surgery and usually go back to full mobility.

The key test will be the next surgery in a few days on the 'original' site of the disease. This is the fifth surgery on the 5th finger of my R hand and I've had all the warnings about possibly losing the finger, etc - nerve and blood supply being the key issues.

I will let you know how this goes, but I am sure that after this I am going to try some non-surgical treatments, particularly on my feet.

The nodules on the arches of my feet are growing (it seems daily) and if I can reduce them with a combination of non-surgical therapies I will be a happy man.

Thanks to whomever for setting up this forum.

I will try to be a regular contributor as I learn more and test things out.

best to all of you
EM

To EM....

Can't comment on surgery for hands...have no experience with the subject of surgery..

But for your nodules on your feet...consider radiation therapy. Look at the information on this site and elsewhere. Many on this forum including myself have very positive experience with RT. You can do a search here on the subject.