I'm a 46 year old woman and fist noticed a small nodule in my palm when I was just 30! I knew right away what it was, however, because my grandfather had it (had multiple surgeries on both hands over the years) and my mother had it. My mother's started when she was in her early 50's as did my aunt's. They both had surgeries - I was horrified by the scarring and long recovery. My 44 year old brother just this year had surgery for a rapidly progressing form that only started perhaps 5 years ago. You could say my family has the super-gene!

When I first discovered my own and started researching treatments, I stumbled upon both the NA available in Europe (wasn't aware of anyone doing it in the US yet then) and the early clinical trials for collagenase. I tried to get into the trials myself but none were available in my area but did continue to track the progress for 15 years. Now that it is finally approved, I'm leery of it - i.e. long term effects, impacts to healthy tissues, etc. In the last few months, I was pretty much resigned to go for surgery as it has been progressing rapidly and significantly impacting my active lifestyle.

I recently consulted a hand surgeon who said I am a candidate for NA. She also said that because of how young I was when it showed up, it's an aggressive presentation of DD. She also cautioned me that surgery would not guarantee that the frequent pain I experience (and have experienced since day one with this DD - like knife-stabbing pain at times) would stop, and in fact, some patients who had no pain before end up with chronic pain afterward! So, now I'm leaning towards trying NA to buy some time before the inevitable surgery down the road. She said she would not do RT on my left hand (which is just starting to have some thickening in the palm starting) because if cancer risk. I'm also wondering whether to fly to Germany for the RT for my left hand as I can find no information about anyone doing it in Washington state. And I'm fairly certain my health insurance wouldn't cover it anyway.

As for vitamin D, I've been taking 2000-5000 iu/day for 5 or 6 years now on my naturpath's recommendation -not for DD. I don't think it has helped the DD at all.

spanishbuddha:

---

lpgrace, did you see the list of US clinics doing RT?
http://www.dupuytren-online.info/radiotherapy_clinics.html

Of course the Professor in Germany has the most experience, but there are reports on this forum of good experience with RT in the US.

You should seek out a hand specialist clinic, either a doctor at the clinic or an experienced therapist. They will help with the diagnosis. But, then, if it is Dupuytrens, as you may have read here, they may not be aware of or recommend the latest treatments.

An attempt to explain what a Dupuytren's nodule is like in the hand, but still take the above advice. It is a lump in the fascia of the skin so part of the deep skin. This means you can move it by pinching the skin. Anything deeper, such as a joint bursitis or ganglion will not move when you pinch and pull it with the skin.

Take heart, even though you have active symptoms of something, many cases of Dupuytren's settle down and do not progress. But then if it is and it does progress there are good treatment options.

Thanks for your replies! I will definitely try and locate a handclinic or try and get a consult with one of the doctors mentioned. I've been compairing hands with my dad yesterday and I'm starting to think it could be a ganglion rather then Dupuytren but I guess it will take a specialist to make a diagnosis. Thanks again for your help!

Sorry to hear that you are a member of our club that nobody really wants to qualify for membership. Gotta find humor in this.

Sounds like you have been researching this site. There is definitely a wealth of information here.

You will find support from people on this Forum, too. Keep checking in and ask questions.