I have limited access to a hand doctor and it takes ages to see them. At the initial appointment they said wait 6 months and come back and that if it was still a problem they could cut the nodule out or try a steroid injection. When I went back 6 months later they said surgery was not a good idea as it would just come back and I didn't have a contracture yet. They also mentioned the steroid could actually stimulate/aggravate the fibroblasts and make things worse and seemed to shy away from it but still offered.

I have tried unsuccessfully so far to reach Dr. Seegenschmiedt's office to ask about RT and if this would preclude it...there is a very small chance I might relocate to the region next year (only way I could manage is if I was near due to costs) and am interested in the treatment...but don't want to do anything to make things worse right now.

The nodule is in the right 5th digit PIP and sometimes hurts when hit or pressed but often not. It's grown slightly in the last 9 months. I don't THINK I have any others or cords but I have seen the reports from people who visited Dr. Seegenschmiedt saying he found several they did not so I don't want to ignore that possibility and not get to them in time. Of course I obsess and feel every bump and stretch and am terribly afraid of having issues with my hands now as I have enough disability. I have read about people getting "activated" by injections/surgeries and fear making things worse.

Should I try a steroid injection now? Would that harm the chance of RT if I can manage to get it in say 4-6 months?

Edited 11/25/16 22:04

My hope was to reduce/soften it as well as slow it down to give me more time to potentially get to RT somehow. I see info that sometimes the steroid can do those things...but with the doctor warning me off like its a big risk of making it worse I don't know what to think. I don't want to exacerbate it or ruin the chance of RT working in the future. So stressed and frustrated. Thanks for the PM.

Edited 11/26/16 01:22