Hi Kelik

I also saw your hand photo's posted on the other thread. Just to answer your question about costs in Germany it is roughly €500 (that's Euro's) per hand or foot. You'd have to add travel expenses to that.

RT is deemed to be effective when the disease is active. Your photo's of the right hand where the pinkie contracted in three months would indicate it is. The only thing I'm not certain of is whether they can do RT while there is some contraction and you can't flatten the hand - you'd have to ask.

Yes by comparison to your hands my hands are good, but I really would like to keep them the way they are, I'm sure you understand.

Best wishes

I was hoping to get NA to lessen contractures to the point of allowing RT, except that little finger which has been locked for a few years now and Im sure the PIP is toast (amputation?) . Anyone had open hand surgery followed up by RT. I gotta stop this progression or I will be totally disabled soon. I also have LD beginning in both feet so I want my feet done regardless. And yes my progression is VERY active.

Carol Noel:

We were in contact back in June. I did RT and just looked into my Blue Cross account on line to find our how much were my treatments then. So far there are 3 days posted, each one billed to Blue Cross:

first consulation with radiologist and and physiologist

From-To-Date of Service Description of Service Amount Billed Amount Allowed Amount Paid Deductible Amount Copayment Amount Coinsurance Amount Remarks*
05/26/2011 RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING $335.00 $152.31 $121.85 $0.00 $0.00 $30.46
05/26/2011 SET RADIATION THERAPY FIELD $1,037.00 $308.32 $246.66 $0.00 $0.00 $61.66
05/26/2011 RADIATION TREATMENT AID(S) $400.00 $175.77 $140.62 $0.00 $0.00 $35.15

Totals:
$1,772.00
$636.40
$509.13
$0.00
$0.00
$127.27*****that is what I have to pay the doctor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Below is the second day:

Description of Service Amount Billed Amount Allowed Amount Paid Deductible Amount Copayment Amount Coinsurance Amount Remarks*
06/07/2011 RADIATION TREATMENT DELIVERY $485.00 $84.32 $67.46 $0.00 $0.00 $16.86

Totals:
$485.00
$84.32
$67.46
$0.00
$0.00
$16.80*****that is what I have to pay the doctor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below is third day:

6/08/2011 SPECIAL RADIATION DOSIMETRY $135.00 $60.00 $48.00 $0.00 $0.00 $12.00
06/08/2011 RADIATION TREATMENT DELIVERY $485.00 $84.32 $67.46 $0.00 $0.00 $16.86
06/08/2011 RADIATION PHYSICS CONSULT $250.00 $107.11 $85.69 $0.00 $0.00 $21.42

Totals:
$870.00
$251.43
$201.15
$0.00
$0.00
$50.28******that is what I have to pay to the doctor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and so on.... for each individual day to the end of the week. I found a local Radiologist Oncologist very close to my home. Blue Cross paid and I have to pay some small amounts, but nothing that comes to what you had been quoted. Though, if add what my guy is charging each day that I saw him and the next set coming up in 2 weeks, it probably adds up to your numbers. Though my insurance covers it, not entirely. But, its not too bad.

Hope that this help you out. Especially all these people flying out to Germany, you could do it locally in the comfort of your home.

Betty

Hi jocond: I am not in New York anymore. I moved to Florida and kept my email address . I am now in Florida. I searched in this website to see who does the procedure, and found a doctor at the University of Miami. I called and was told that this particular doctor does not do RT, the girl that answer the phone said to me that she does not understand why he is listed under Dupuytrens... I asked if there is anybody that does RT, and they recommended another doctor that used to be with The University of Miami, had gone out on her own. I called and asked to speak with her to see if she knew anything about Dupuytrens. She did, and my husband and I then proceeded to drive to see her. Our drive took us 2 1/2 hours. Traffic in the Miami area is like being in the middle of Manhattan. It just did not move.

She was excited to see us eventhough, I was late for our appointment. They showed us her facility, which was beautiful, new. She was willing to do RT, and explained that they use it safely, and also its used on people that have keloids and arthritic patients, etc. When I asked how many procedures she had done, her answer was NONE. She did explain that she know the Doctor in Germany very well, she even wrote to him and told him about me. She also had asked whether I wanted to do my hands by him, since he was going to be in Miami in October.

We then drove home, another 2 hours. We came home exhausted. Since we need to do this 5 days in a row, we both looked at one another and said, we can not do this. Came home, looked to find a "RADIOLOGIST ONCOLOGIST". I called two very close to home.... One, a receptionist never heard of Duputren's, I asked her to find out if they were able to do it. Never heard from her. The second facility, same scenario with receptionist. I again, asked her to find out. Within 35 minutes the doctor himself called me. He knew about Dupuytrens. I mentioned that I had gone down to Miami, and mentioned the doctor there, he knew of her. He knew how much dosage my hands needed to get each time. The Radiologist's office is actually 10 minutes from my house. He has very good credentials. I also asked him, if he ever did anybody with Dupuytrens, his answer was also NO.... He made me feel comfortable that its not difficult, which it isn't. If you are a radiologist, you know what you have to do.

You do not have to go to a large facility any local center that has one RADIOLOGIST ONCOLOGIST can do it.

Good Luck!!!!

Betty

All these costs in the USA seem very high to me ... its much cheaper and well combined with a touristic travel to Germany; there is really no "NO EXPERIENCE", as they have seen all sorts of patients and they know their own long-term results over many years quite well !" I have paid only about 500 Euro which is about 700 USD for 5 treatments for one hand, i.e. 1.400 USD for the whole RT-series of 10 treatments ... including ALL DOCTOR's FEES !

I am always amazed how expensive MEDICINE is in the most free country and economy of the world ! LARRY

Edited 07/06/11 20:51