| Can you make a fist? |
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10/27/2012 09:03
Pat11 
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10/27/2012 09:03
Pat11
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Can you make a fist?
I've just today been diagnosed with DD but I wonder if my doc got it right. It will be days (weeks?) before I can see another doc and would like to clarify the symptoms.
(I just posted a long message about this but it seems to have been eaten by 'net gremlins so here goes again.)
I never heard of this condition before today. No one in my family has had it that I know of. Looked around for videos of it but most were about successful procedures with no shots of the hands moving before treatment.
One gentleman did post his hand pre-op, though, and he could definitely make a fist. I cannot.
The most severely affected finger is the middle one, and when I try to make a fist it stays proudly up - like I'm making an obscene gesture!
Middle, ring and pinkie do not lay flat. Middle joints of those three - especially the middle finger - are swollen and painful.
Lump is in middle of palm, about 1 inch/2.5 cm below the bottom joint of middle finger. No cords or dimples. No liver disease, diabetes, do not smoke or drink.
Would appreciate your opinion!
Thank you!
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10/27/2012 11:46
Seph 
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10/27/2012 11:46
Seph
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Pat11; I think you should get another opinion. Doesn't sound like dupuytrens to me. Could be carpal tunnel or something like that.
Dupuytrens normally result in your fingers curling not one staying straight. And there is no pain. Just deformation.
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10/27/2012 14:02
callie
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10/27/2012 14:02
callie
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Re: Can you make a fist?
I agree, it doesn't sound like Dupuytren's. What type of a "Doc" made this diagnosis? Get another opinion.
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10/28/2012 00:29
Pat11
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10/28/2012 00:29
Pat11
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Thank you so much for your answers! My fingers are curled somewhat. Don't know how to measure the % - maybe 5%? But the middle one is really stiff and won't bend forward.
I live in Japan and went to a local 'rehabilitation' clinic. It's my impression that the person I saw was a doctor (I had stiff shoulder before and got a few steroid shots at the same clinic, but it was different doctor.) Maybe they just don't see it very much. I know from searching this website that Dupuytren's is found in Japan and there is some research being done and that it does affect women (I'm female.)
The language adds a whole 'nother layer of complexity to finding the right doctor to make a diagnosis. Sigh. Onward and upwards.  I do speak and read Japanese fairly fluently - but a page full of medical jargon is a different story entirely. Also evaluating a physician is much harder here - there's a 'doctors as god' mentality - most Japanese do not ask questions or challenge their treatment.
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10/29/2012 21:11
yosh01 
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10/29/2012 21:11
yosh01
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Seph:
Pat11;
Dupuytrens normally result in your fingers curling not one staying straight. And there is no pain. Just deformation.
I've always had pain with my DC. Even gripping a steering wheel is painful. I feels badly bruised along the cord.
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10/30/2012 03:28
Pat11
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10/30/2012 03:28
Pat11
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Seph,
Well, that's part of the reason I'm confused. As I read more of the posts, pain is mentioned quite a bit!
In other news, I'm going to see an orthopedic surgeon at one of Tokyo's biggest hospitals tomorrow.
Pat
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10/30/2012 04:23
Seph
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10/30/2012 04:23
Seph
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Pat11:
Seph,
Well, that's part of the reason I'm confused. As I read more of the posts, pain is mentioned quite a bit!
In other news, I'm going to see an orthopedic surgeon at one of Tokyo's biggest hospitals tomorrow.
Pat
Pat; I can only account for my own experience and the experience of people that I know personally. In addition to a brother and a sister with DD I have 2 friends with DD and a number of acquaintances. I have not heard any issues of pain from the DD itself.
I see yosh01's comment but I wonder if this is pain from the DD or pain caused by the lump or cord pressing against against things. My left thumb has what might be called pain at the moment because there is a new lump under the joint and this rubs on anything I hold with that hand.
I am not aware of anyone with DD who has a problem making a fist. I am only aware of the reverse where the fingers can't be straightened.
I have an acquaintance who does have a condition that sounds similar to what you describe but he says he has Carpal tunnel syndrome. You might want to look into this.
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10/31/2012 19:40
lori
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10/31/2012 19:40
lori
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Re: Can you make a fist?
Pat and Seph,
When I had active DD I had quite a bit of pain. Not only was the nodule painful but the pain radiated up my entire arm. It ached and ached and I had sharp shooting pains. It felt cold, tingly, like I had some alien crawling around in my palm. The nodule and cord also hurt with pressure on them. If my fingers accidentially were bent backwards or someone shook my hand too hard or squeezed my hand, it was extremely painful.
After I had RT all the pain went away. I will have pain if I bend my fingers backward or whack the nodule or cord. I believe all of us is different, but from what I have read in the past it seems to me that some of us that had a more "aggressive" case also seemed to have a tendency towards pain.
Lori
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10/31/2012 21:06
Seph
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10/31/2012 21:06
Seph
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Re: Can you make a fist?
lori; I guess that tells us that this is a complex disease. When the growth is active I get itching where the growth is occurring but that's it.
I do recall that there was a period 10-15 years ago where it hurt to shake hands but the pain was not where the DD growth was so I didn't associate it with DD. Maybe it was.
I also have ledderhose disease and this caused a lot of pain when it was growing but over the years it settled down and I haven't had any pain for 20-30 years.
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