I have 2 cords restricting my thumb in two plains. This restriction causes painful cramps in and around thumb. For me grasping and pinching causes the cramps. When I 1st found this website & forum I felt like my symptoms were not explained which made me doubt that I had this disease. My cords just appear and then start tightening. I've had a biopsy confirming that the diseased cord is dupuytren's.
The 2 months that I was cord free were fanatic!!
If you find a solution to the cramps I'd love to hear them!!! Massaging helps but them I just get another cramp in the other hand.

My thumb on the right hand is pulling in toward the palm. There is a very thick and very prominent cord in the webbing between that thumb and the index finger. There are already pits in that cord on the web. And where the pits/dimpling are, it is very painful. Of course, that is where a pen sits when I write or the fork or knife when eating. I haven't experienced cramps but I must have weakness because I easily drop items when I'm using my thumb.

Right now I still have my teenager around to help with tasks I can't do. Since both of my hands are in bad shape, there's a lot I can't do. I did buy an electric can opener since a manual was out of the question. I have rubber grip pads that work on jar lids sometimes. Most of the time I ask someone else to open them for me. I struggle to use some cleaning tools like a toilet brush or the sponge that has a handle on it (use it to clean tubs and showers), so my husband does those bathroom chores for me.

We have a large and deep garden tub and I love using it. But I was having a real time getting out because I couldn't lay my hands on the side of the tub to pull myself out. Last weekend my husband install a nice grip bar on the wall and it has made a huge difference. It feels much safer getting in and out.

~ dawn

Hi Jolene,

All my cords are running on the inside of my palm. From the description Dawn gives I'd think hers are in roughly the same place, though I'm sure she'll confirm that one way or the other!

Cheers,

potter

Here is a picture I just took. The two circles (kinda messy because I was drawing with my left hand) are the original nodules. The line going from those nodules is one cord. The other two lines are also cords. So a total of 3 cords are forming between my index finger and thumb. Does that help?

I'm having hand surgery next Wednesday (see my thread titled "Saw hand surgeon today") on the pinky and middle finger. Because the thumb cords are very active right now, he cannot work on those during this surgery. So we're going to wait and watch those for now.



~ dawn

Hi Dawn,

Thanks for the picture. That is my trouble spot also.