Typing awkwardly with my non-dominant right hand. Left hand in a plaster cast with thumb and forefinger free. My little finger was at 90 degrees and ring finger at 45 degrees. Nodules cut out of palm but didn't need a skin graft. Surgeon said it went well and got my fingers straight. Had a general anaesthetic but day surgery only.

I am coping at home alone and it is tricky!! But I made a lot of preparations beforehand and prefer to be alone. I have help readily available and transport whenever needed and of course I do need some help.

I do not have much pain at all - very little in fact. My guess is that when the cast comes off next Wed. there will be more pain and more again as I get into hand therapy. Stitches out 12 days post-op.

Would others who have had this surgery say the pain got worse in the way I predict?

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I am cheered to have some idea what to expect and how to cope. I will do what I have to with the hand therapy and any pain associated! To be honest I can't wait to get this cast off what with itching skin on wrist underneath!

It really is wise not to be alone from day 1, but I have coped partly from all sorts of tips I got off the internet beforehand on how to manage with one hand. My worst experience was having a shower and the preparation involved with plastic bags (x2) and parcel tape layers to hold the bags completely closed against water entry. So darned hard to shower and wash hair in shower with non dominant hand only.

My brother lives close by and is taking me to the supermarket shortly. I have some jobs lined up for him while he is here. He is only a phone call away at all times and I have 3 very close neighbours who are only too happy to help.

By and large I feel very lucky so far. Brilliant hospital experience also.

I also have Dupytrens in my right hand - middle finger at about 45 degrees - but will ask about Xiaflex for that. In New Zealand where I am, that is not available through the public health system - yet - so I'd have to pay for Xiaflex and have it done privately which I will if it is the best option.

All the best for your future treatments!

Hi, I had right surgery on my dominant right hand the June 26. I had no bent fingers. Just nodules and a beginning cord going to pinky. Palm and three fingers involved. Dr. recommended surgery saying the sooner, the better as nodules were active. We had watched them for a year. In hindsight, RT should have been the recommended treatment, but surgeon never mentioned it. Of course, I would have had to travel to another province to get treatment, but it would have been better than the surgery. Lesson learned!

Here are some tips I can give you. As for pain, I really havent had any. Took a pill when I first came home and that was that. Didn’t use the sling unless leaving the house. Kept it elevated a lot the first week. I flexed my fingers in the half cast as much as I could to make sure I could feel everything. Went back 17 days later and had 1/2 stitches removed. That hurt a bit, but nothing dreadful. The first view of the surgery stitches was rather shocking. Didn’t think it would look so terrible. Dr. refused to let me take a photo of it while it was uncovered. Hand was rewrapped without the half cast. The next day, the wrap lost the tape and started coming undone. My daughter, a nurse, came over to rewrap it and at that point we decided as long as it was loose, let’s take a photo. She agreed it looked dreadful, but said everything looked like it was healing well. We nicknamed it the Frankenhand. I can post a photo if you are interested. I was now able to drive myself. Husband was out of town. The next week I returned and had the other half of the stitches removed. Beware that he missed a couple of stitches and I went to duty dr a few days later and he got them out. I returned the next week for final look see and started physio. I did start moving my fingers a bit after the cast came off. This involved using my thumb across my palm to touch each of base of each finger. As soon as possible, I started soaking my hand to get the dead skin off. It felt so good! It took a while. I started touching the scars too. Physio said you need to get your brain back in touch with your hand. I went to occupational therapy for a splint and wear it at night still. Might get the Foxx glove.Your skin is so sensitive I wore a cotton glove on it for a little protection. The Michael Jackson look. For showers, you can buy a cast cover at the drugstore. It was a life saver! Covered hand to above elbow. No leakage. I was able to take it on and off by myself. Used it for several weeks. Get any meds with easy open top. Child proof was impossible to get off. I had no grip strength in my weaker left hand, so jars and things I needed to open were left looser. Had to wear elastic waist pants. Couldn’t do a zipper. No button anything. Learned to hook up bra and pull it over my head. Skipped makeup. I would have looked like the Joker! Slip on shoes. Fortunately it was summer! Learned to eat with other hand. Felt spastic. Can’t cut my meat as couldn’t hold the knife. Couldn’t use scissors. I learned to make do and my husband was back after a couple of weeks. I used the dictation feature on the iPhone and iPad. It’s the little microphone next to the space bar. Just hit it and the screen goes wiggly and start talking. You can tell it to put in Punctuation too. Just proofread before sending!
Research your physio therapist. My first private one was terrible. I think he had never seen this surgery. He told me to do some exercises. I came back the next week and he measured angles and said keep doing them. He never really touched my hand to check things. I returned to dr and he was unhappy with my hand. Sent me to hospital therapy and they were wonderful. I’m still seeing them once a week. It’s been four months! Fingers still a little swollen. Dr. put me on Celebrex for swelling and arthritis. My fingers are flexible, but stiff. I play clarinet and I can do so again. Can’t make a fist yet which means I still don’t have any grip strength. Can’t really lift heavy things with just this hand. While I was healing, I would heat up a little mitt with beads in the microwave to make my hand feel better. Heat felt good. Then later I would use an ice pack to help with the swelling. It went back and forth for weeks. My hand has healed nicely. Scars aren’t too bad. Just gets very stiff. Lots of stretching throughout the day. One of the things really helpful was having my husband massage my scars. It kept the tissue separate. Nothing healed weird. It hurt at the time, but made a difference! Go to a massage place or ask someone to do it for you. The physio did say I was lucky it was my dominant hand as it forces me to use it more. I didn’t think so at the time! Supposedly, healing takes 4-6 months. Heading into 5th month now. Hang in there! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’m praying DD doesn’t return. Dr. said he feels a little something in the left hand. I’m already researching RT in another province! I will travel!

Sounds like you are doing okay. I had the same issues with the tooth brushing! Yes, our cast doesn’t fit into every sleeve. Ha! My husband put in my earrings. That was a learning experience for him! I missed most of the gardening this summer. Could pull some weeds with the weak hand, but that’s about it. When the cast comes off, you’ll see what more you can do. I think the swelling is a big factor in the recovery. If your fingers are swollen, you cannot bend your fingers. Rub your scars to keep them flexible and smooth them out. My physio showed me how to massage those scars using a small hard ball from the Dollar Store. Get it in the Birthday treat section, not toys. Several in a package. Put in on a hard surface, cover with your hand and start rolling. It gets right in the scar tissue. You control the pressure. I did it standing. As for massage cream, I ordered Free-up professional massage cream. “A lubricant for soft mobilization and massage. Enhances tissue perception and provides effortless glide without being slippery.” It was much nicer than Vaseline! Not greasy. Non scented. 8 oz. I still put some on my hand if it is feeling dry. Doesn’t take much. Look for a little cotton glove to wear. I even wear it with the overnite splint. There are some kind of silicone sheets with infused oils that the occupational therapist put on my splint. Supposedly it works its way into your scars at night. I used them for a week or so. Not sure it did anything, but I was game for anything. Get a good physio. I didn’t think I would need one this long... getting that cast off is such a relief. Hang in there!

There are some hints, tips and exercises for post surgery here http://dupuytrens-society.org.uk/treatme...-fasciectomy-2/ but the advice of your surgeon or physio should be first.