I run the Thyroid Action Group and have found information in a book by Martin Budd that Dupuytrens was considered a symptom of thyroid disease by doctors in 1917. Thyroid disease gives rise to many, many signs and symptoms and I believe that thyroid disease is the cause of many other diseases. It is linked to ME, MS, Depression, Altzheimers, ADHD, and Autism. The blood tests can show normal but you can still have thyroid disease because the doctors are not doing T3 testing, and antibody testing for this disease.
I am very interested in how many of you have thyroid disease or have been tested for this in the past. I would be pleased if you would contact me. Lyn Mynott, Thyroid Action Group.

I was diagnosed with both Dupuytren's and Graves' Disease (hyperthyroidism) within a few months in early 2002. Judging from the symptoms, believe I had subclinical Graves' Disease for some time before it was actually diagnosed. I had always wondered if there was some correlation between these conditions, but never could find anything about them being related. If anyone has heard of an article or study that indicates some sort of connection, I'd be interested in hearing about them.
My hyperthyroidism is pretty much controlled through medication, and my Dupuytren's doesn't seem to have progressed in the past year. But both are unpredictable. Who knows what happens next.

I was diagnosed w/ hypothyroidism as a teen and have taken "synthroid" tablets daily for the past 30+ years. I contracted DC in my mid twenties and have had 2 surgeries on my left hand and 2 NA's on my right. My right hand remains very agressive and will soon need another NA from Dr. Denkler.
FYI... I also have been type 1 diabetic since age 9 and have had (successful) frozen shoulder manipulations on both sides.
Are these all related? I have no doubt they are.

Randy, I suppose I do have a unique perspective to share...

Left Hand: I first noticed contracture on ring finger of left hand 20 years ago (I'm 47 now), and had it operated on the next year. I had never heard of NA at the time. It took over 15 years to return, but 4 years ago I had a more extensive surgery (4 fingers + palm)on same hand. What I remember most from both surgeries is the excruciating recovery/therapy. I think my recovery was worse than most I've read about here because it took me months of painful therapy before I had any real function and over 6 months before scar tissue had softened enough to regain seminormal functioning. And I was going to therapy almost every day! Now my left hand remains pretty disease free and functional, though PIP joint on little finger is frozen at 90 degree angle, and I've lost a bit of feeling on side of pinkie. My surgeon had warned me about possibilities of both occuring.
Now there are some nodules slowly creeping back, but compared to my other hand they're hardly noticable. I figure it's just a matter of time though...

Right Hand: I noticed right hand contracting about same time as 2nd surgery on left hand. I had asked my surgeon and he suggested surgery on that hand also. Being right handed, and my history of hard recovery, I was (and am)scared to death of going through a similar rehab on my right hand, which I depend on way more than my left. So I researched and learned about this relatively new NA proceedure being performed by Dr Eaton in Florida.
I flew to Florida for NA in March 2005, and was of course ecstatic at the immediate results. Pain free and fully functional! Too good to be true as it turned out, within 8 months my hand was back to where it was pre NA. I had 2nd NA on same hand in March of this year, almost 1 year to the day after 1st. This was performed by Dr Denkler, because his office is quite close. Again, great immediate results. Again, quick return of symptoms, this time almost immediate. Now it is little over 6 months out and the DC has returned worse than before. I have great respect for the work done by both Eaton and Denkler, but I also think I'm one of those uncommon cases where NA is only a temorary band-aid. I still can't fathom the thought of having a non funcioning right hand for 6+ months by having surgery, so my current strategy is to keep doing NA's until a better solution emerges. I've discussed w/ Denkler the possibility of radiation post NA, and I see there has been some recent discussion of this here, but most radiation discussion to date pertains to early stage DC.

So, to summarize, for me at least, the surgery actually was more effective in providing longer term relief from DC, but the cost in terms of pain and rehabilitation makes it a daunting option at best. I think that for people with less aggressive disease NA is a better way to go.

By the way, my health provider(Kaiser)will gladly cover the cost of surgery and therapy (easily $25K+), but has scoffed at the notion of covering NA, so I pay out of pocket

Hope that helps.

Matt,
Below is the information re: a Kaiser Dr. in Sacramento that does NA.

I saved the information because I too belong to Kaiser (L.A. area), and was surprised to hear that one of their Drs. did NA in Sacramento. (My L.A. area Kaiser orthopedic hand surgeon said he would not operate until my PIP contracture was significant... 45% or more....big mistake....at the time I did not know any better.

Thanks to this forum....I had a successful NA done by Dr. Denkler in July 2006....I should have done it way before my PIP had a 45% contracture, as it is hard to get great results on that joint when its over 40%, and Dr. Denkler had to do alot of repair on the PIP joint...if there is a next time for me, I'll do NA as soon as there is a visible contracture.


HERE IS THE PREVIOUS POST::::
"""~Subject: Another Doctor in Calif performing N.A.
Name: Al
On Feb 1st Dr David Evans a certified hand surgeon at Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento sucessfully performed needle apoeurotomy on my left hand. This was my second N.A. treatment, my first was in Paris with Dr Lermusiaux in May 2004.
When I first approached Dr Evans about N.A. he was reluctant because he normally performs surgery for Dupuytrens disease. I shared information about several websites that he could research to learn more about this procedure.
After he had a conversation with Dr Denkler he agreed to perform N.A. on my hand. He has not been Paris Trained.
I had a follow up visit with him yesterday and he told me has performed N.A. on three other patients.
Kaiser Permanente is an HMO and he will only be treating patients that are Kaiser members."""