I have shared some of my story before. 20 years dealing with LD, 10 years dealing with DD. Left pinky has had a surgical fascioctomy 10 years ago by an orthopedic surgeon. The contracture grew back. Then had a release done by Dr. Kline in Idaho. The pinky is contracting again. Recently in the past 3 years the DD started in the right hand and I know have a cord with nodules under the right ring finger and a cord that starts at the bottom of the thumb and runs up my pointer finger. For some reason this past summer the DD went on a bender. My right hand was contracting so badly that I was having trouble shaking hands, holding a glass and opening jars.
I started with Dr. Kline. He know comes to Portland where I live. He wanted to do a N.A. release on both hands at the same time, cutting the cord contracting the pinky and the cord under the pointer finger. Followed by radiation in both hands 72 hours after the release. The first N.A. that he had done, seven years ago, on the pinky was very painful. I was told, by my General Practitioner, that it probably hurt so much because of the scar tissue left from the surgery prior to the N.A. I saw a radiologist here in Portland and she said she could do all four at the same time, treating both hands and both feet. I was still very worried about how much pain I was in the first go round with the N.A. and decided to seek out a second opinion. There is a hand plastic surgeon/orthopedic surgeon here in Portland that I saw and he said he would not due an N.A. on the pinky, there are to many nerves in that area and he would not risk damaging those. He would however do the N.A. procedure on my right hand and cut the cord.
During Thanks Giving break my niece, who is a student studying Chinese Medicine, gave me a friends and family pass to the college clinic here in Portland. I started going once per week for acupuncture. Then two weeks ago I was started on a Rx of Chinese herbs that I cook at home and drink. The results are that the process of tingling and itching and swelling feeling I felt stopped. Then the right hand has begun to release. I am posting a picture. The top picture was taken in Mid October for Dr. Kline to see over in Boise before he came to Portland. The bottom picture was taken this past Sat. There are two other things I did in the past month. One, at the suggestion of the acupuncturist, is to soak my hands and feet in the hottest water I can stand twice per day and I gave up the one or two glasses of wine at before, during and or after dinner. Yep that's right went dry.
I have investigated TCM and it is partly covered under my insurance. The Chinese MD said that she could start me on a protocol of ointments and tea and she said she has had some success with it . I didnt go back because she said that there was no guarantee. Do you know the names of the compounds that the Dr. suggested using? I have also heard of acupuncture exacerbating the condition so... I decided to leave it alone. good to hear that you are getting something positive from it. Keep reporting any significant changes for better or worse. Empirical data IS the gold standard of the scientific method and peoples' stories are laying the ground work for future treatments.
mick9:I have investigated TCM and it is partly covered under my insurance. The Chinese MD said that she could start me on a protocol of ointments and tea and she said she has had some success with it . I didnt go back because she said that there was no guarantee. Do you know the names of the compounds that the Dr. suggested using? I have also heard of acupuncture exacerbating the condition so... I decided to leave it alone. good to hear that you are getting something positive from it. Keep reporting any significant changes for better or worse. Empirical data IS the gold standard of the scientific method and peoples' stories are laying the ground work for future treatments.
I think everyone is different. The Rx is in the hand writing of the Acupuncturist so not sure if I am getting it correctly. But here goes. Chai Hu-6grams(g), Bai Shao-12g, Zhi Shi-6g, Zhi Gan Hao-5g, Dang Gui-6g, Chuan Xiong-6g, Huana Qi-15g, Di Long-6g, Mu Gua-9g, Ti Xue Teng-15g, Huai Niu Xi-12g, Xu Duan-12. I will post more progress if and when I see it.
GaryBall:It's good news that you are getting benefits from this.....I would like to know the roll soaking in hands and feet in hot water plays?
Many thanks
Yes, I think it is miraculous given the path I was taking with N.A., surgery and radiation. The acupuncturist said that the reason I was having the nodules and cords was due to poor circulation. I do in fact have lots of trouble keeping my hands and feet warm. I can be playing tennis on hotday, outside and my hands will still be cold. I know this because after you play tennis with someone, you shake hands, the other person always comments on my cold hands. The soaking in the hottest water I can stand brings circulation to the hands and feet. I don't know a lot about Chinese herbs but I think that the goal was to increase circulation to the extremities. At this point, I am not asking questions, the student and her supervisor seem to know what they are doing because my right hand is almost completely released in the contracture. I still have cords and nodules but they are much softer and the whole process that was on a bender with my hands and DD has stopped!!!
Please keep us posted on your progress! So many times people come on this board and claim something great is working and then lo and behold we never hear from them again. This seems drastically unfair. Please keep us informed! thanks, cureall
I will for sure keep updating. If you read the other two posts that I posted, I was doing the DD dance with all the specialists myself only to come up short on what I should do. This just sort of happened because the cost is so low, less than my co-pay to see the doctor. I just got the radiologist charges of $1200 in fees for a 30 min. consultation. I am going to dispute that with the hospital. This Sat. I will post another picture. There has been improvement since last Sat. So look for it!
I hope that this continues to work for you......please keep us in the loop.......good and bad........I think I might give it a go after my little run on verapamil has finished in a couple of weeks....
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