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I'm obsessing....
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01/19/2013 21:01
flojo 
01/19/2013 21:01
flojo 
Re: I'm obsessing....

They have to know where the nerves are in the hand and if they know the anatomy of the hand, they should know that whether it's for surgery or NA. Dr. Denkler who did mine is a hand surgeon/specialists and has done all kinds of hand reconstruction from injury, surgery, etc. He read a description on how NA was done in the 1800s. He said he told himself, "I can do that! I know the anatomy of the hand." He did get training in France and with Dr. Eaton. He has also trained others.

Glad you are thinking for yourself. We all have to do that. We know more about Dupuytren's than most doctors and other medical personnel.

01/19/2013 21:13
zinkadoodle 
01/19/2013 21:13
zinkadoodle 
Re: I'm obsessing....

Well, I am still obsessing. Callie, I did have a lot of pain, but it was more from the tenosynovitis that was complicating the DD, I think, and a neurologist also diagnosed me with RSD, which is called a different name now, but is a result of the surgery injury. The surgery itself went very smoothly, but I did have to take narcotics post op. When my hand was in the splint at night, I'd wake up in severe, debilitating pain. Just brought tears to my eyes. And, it was every night for about a month. After that, a breeze. Now, except for the scar on my palm, which is not very thick, my hand is as good as if I never had contractures, even after over ten years. I'm hoping NA or Xiaflex gives me such a relatively permanent fix.

I've been debating with myself back and forth over and over about NA or Xiaflex. Seems that both are miserably painful procedures, but the pain is pretty short lived, thank the good goddess. I've kind of come to a conclusion that if I don't get into the multi cord Xiaflex clinical trial, I think I'll go for the NA. Mostly because of the cost. I'll find out Friday which way I'm going. But, I'm looking at pain no matter what I choose. Just really sucks. I'm going to ask my doc if I can take some hydrocodone before I get whatever done. Maybe that will at least take some edge off. Pain scares the bejesus outta me. I'm am really such a woos.....

Thanks everyone for weighing in here. You've all given me food for thought, which is what I needed.

~Diane

01/20/2013 07:20
wach 

Administrator

01/20/2013 07:20
wach 

Administrator

Re: I'm obsessing....

Who told you that?? Both procedures might be inconvenient but they are not extremely painful. Being treated by a dentist often is much worse. Xiaflex has some immediate side effects, like swelling and hematoma, especially when you get more than one shot, but usually these vanish within a couple of weeks. NA is usually easy; have a look at Ron's picture one hour after the manipulation http://www.dupuytren-online.info/dupuytr...xperiences.html.

Wolfgang

zinkadoodle:
... I've been debating with myself back and forth over and over about NA or Xiaflex. Seems that both are miserably painful procedures, ...

01/20/2013 08:35
Seph 
01/20/2013 08:35
Seph 

Re: I'm obsessing....

zinkadoodle:
Seems that both are miserably painful procedures

Diane; NA is not a particularly painful procedure. There is a little discomfort as the doctor injects the anesthetic but that's it. And no post procedure pain at all.

If you have had a root canal mark that as a 10. By comparison NA is a 4.

01/20/2013 11:45
zinkadoodle 
01/20/2013 11:45
zinkadoodle 
Re: I'm obsessing....

Thanks, again. You guys are pretty much completely talking me out of Xiaflex. Thanks for that video link. I missed that one. Anyway, for what it's worth, I had a root canal once a few years ago. I stressed over the anticipated pain, and it turned out to be an incredibly painless procedure. The novocaine into my jaw was the worst, but that's not undoable. I think I'm going to call a hand surgeon this week and get a second opinion. The first doc I saw at Stony Brook Dupuytren's Center doesn't even do NA, which seems like a crying shame, really. Negligent, even.

~Diane

01/20/2013 12:01
wach 

Administrator

01/20/2013 12:01
wach 

Administrator

Re: I'm obsessing....

No surprise, the key people at Stony Brook invented Xiaflex. Just to clarify, NA and Xiaflex are both OK, both are not very painful, both are minimal-invasive and both can be repeated.

Wolfgang

zinkadoodle:
... The first doc I saw at Stony Brook Dupuytren's Center doesn't even do NA, which seems like a crying shame, really. ...

01/20/2013 14:01
flojo 
01/20/2013 14:01
flojo 
Re: I'm obsessing....

NA for me was a piece of cake. No pain. The shots to deaden were pricks then nothing. Much less pain than deadening at the dentist. I've had it twice. I would not hesitate to have it again.
Dr. Denkler was a hand surgeon before starting to do NA, is a leader in treating DD, and is passionate about alternative treatments instead of surgery. Even now, he does surgery if it is the only viable option or that's what the patient wants. He doesn't do surgery for DD very often.

01/20/2013 14:10
flojo 
01/20/2013 14:10
flojo 
Re: I'm obsessing....

By the way, Dr. Denkler does Xiaflex also. For some cords, he sees that the enzyme, as he refers to it, would give longer results of releasing contraction. He talked with me about Xiaflex in the area he has released by NA twice. I opted for NA again and began using the night splint. I believe the night splint has helped to hold contracture at bay. He said he still does NA most often, Xiaflex next most often, and surgery sometimes. He talked with me and left the decision up to me.

01/20/2013 15:51
yosh01 
01/20/2013 15:51
yosh01 
NA not painful

I agree that NA is a nearly painless procedure. The only pain I experienced was equivalent to a bee sting that lasted 5 seconds for each of the five needle penetrations needed to cut my cord. It's about the same as getting an anesthetizing injection by a dentist. The outcome is well worth it.

Edited 01/20/13 17:52

01/20/2013 17:15
mikes 
01/20/2013 17:15
mikes 
Re: I'm obsessing....

In my case I had a finger contracted by 90-95 degrees (small finger PIP), i.e. very bent. Dr. Denkler administered a series of what seemed like 6-10 or so anesthesia injections. The first few stung slightly. By the last few, the pain (to me) was fairly intense, just about my absolute tolerance limit, at the end but very short-lived. As for the actual NA procedure itself, I felt nothing whatsoever. Nothing. The doctor and I chatted as he worked. Then he told me to look and my finger was miraculously almost perfectly straight. One of the best decisions I ever made. I did follow-up with PT and splinting as specifically recommended for my particular case by Dr. Denkler. I chose on my own to continue to use a custom-made night splint for a few years, gradually decreasing use (now discontinued) over time. The NA has "held" for 6 years for which I'm very grateful. Of course, I now have other signs of DD including some contracture in the other small finger, which eventually will likely require intervention. I would not hesitate in the least to go the NA route again with Dr. Denkler again, once I determine "it's time" and muster up the courage.

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zinkadoodle   complicating   minimal-invasive   procedure   Denkler   Xiaflex   anesthetizing   inconvenienced   understand   interesting   surgery   procedures   tenosynovitis   Manet-Chopin   reconstruction   obsessing   nothing   painful   dupuytren-online   post-surgery