I am not as young as you but am just as worried. I am 47 and otherwise very fit and in great health save for a little osteo arthritis in my knees. Out of nowhere a nodule appeared on my right palm beginning about 6 weeks ago. It is still getting bigger. The doc gave me the speil that I now understand to be the party line. Do nothing until you get significant contracture, then surgery. I have to admit that the surgery looks ugly. recovery looks to be drawn out and difficult and trying to function with one hand (I assume they only do one at a time) has got to be troublesome. I have had major knee surgery and I think I would rather have that again before Dupuytren's surgery. Hope that experimental Cordase treatment pans out before my condition worsens.

Like you, I thought that no one in my family had it but when I explained it to my dad, he said that he had the same thing. He didn't know the name of the condition but said he went to the doc 15 years ago for the problem. He is lucky since it seems not to have gotten too bad. Many nodules but no serious finger contracture. I can only hope that my disease takes a similar course.

I wonder if progression is generally similar in relatives or if it can vary a lot. Anyone?

Is 33 too old be young? I've had an agressive dose of DC(surgery 4 times to remove 5 lumps) since 1993. Yup, it's scary, but the surgery really wasn't a big deal. Next day I was right back on my keyboard at work, 2 weeks later started stretching out the scar tissue, 3 weeks I was working on my car and in my woodshop. It sure beat having my hooked fingers and tender palms. My Doc gave me back 90-100% of my finger movement, and things are ok. Keep your chin up. Anguish over it accomplishes nothing. Don't allow it to take your peace of spirit too! There's more to life than hands(ask someone who hasn't got two hands!). Ted

My fiancee is 35 yrs old. At age 18 he was diagnosed w/ DC. Now we have a 9 month old daughter and I'm scared to death. I was told by the hand doctor that a daughter would have extremely small change of getting this, today I read that she has a 50% chance, just as a boy would.
Her father has had so many surgeries on his hands and 2 on his feet. He now is on disablity because of severe crippling in his hands, and his pain is constant. His doctor keeps talking about amputations. I keep praying he will try to hold out until we get the results of the NY study.
Does anyone have any real information on the study? What can I expect for him...What can I expect for our daughter?
Please help!
Sharon

I am a (nearly) 32 year old woman diagnosed with DC earlier this week. So far, I have two nodules in my left palm with a slight decrease in flexibility. I haven't heard of DC in my family, but my father and I were comparing hands a few weeks ago, and I think he might be showing symptoms. (As a male who is nearly 60 years old, he more closely fits the usual profile.) It has been an emotional few days contemplating possible outcomes for my future, but I am trying to stay positive.

L.

From what I've read I don't think knuckle pads are that rare. I have them as part of my DC, and the therapist and surgeron recognized them immediately and did not seem at all surprised.

I had one of the pads removed when I had palm surgery.