Short update from me nearing four weeks after first round of treatment. I've already reported soreness in the hand that was treated, and that continues but is declining.

The sun is finally out in the UK, and whilst looking out for my grandson in the park I noticed my treated palm in bright sunlight, and compared to my untreated hand it's changed colour, looks like a bad fake tan job!

Also I do have dry surface skin, it's shedding slightly and in the web at the base of the fingers there are signs of surface cracks. Hard to spot any of this in normal light. Carrying the urea cream around with me now, but the dryness is, ahem, really what an 'older' man would take for granted (with apologies to the PC brigade).

Everyone is different, but I can tell you about my experience... My DD progressed extremely rapidly after initial diagnosis. I started RT about 5 weeks after being diagnosed, and my DD had progressed significantly during that period -- the nodules grew a lot, and I went from having only nodules to having a number of cords. I didn’t have contracture yet, but I lost some mobility in my thumbs.

I didn’t begin RT until 5 weeks after diagnosis because I was really starting from scratch when I was diagnosed -- I had never even heard of this disease. So I spent some time researching treatments and doctors and deciding what to do, on top of arranging to be away from work etc. I wish I had been able to start RT sooner, though, as it would have left me in better shape. My progression was rapid enough that even a week made a noticeable difference.

So if I were in your shoes, I definitely would not wait until mid-May to move forward. Time is critical when getting RT, because generally cords and functional limitations that have developed will not be reversed. I don't know about your specific insurance situation, but I don't see why the diagnosis the radiologist provides wouldn’t be adequate. My insurance company (Blue Cross) did not ask me to have the treating radiologist’s diagnosis confirmed by another doctor.

If the radiologist feels that he/she needs a diagnosis from a hand specialist, that’s a different story. But it seems to me that you should be able to get in to see some hand specialist before May! I’ve seen three different ones in my local area since I’ve had this condition, and it has never taken more than a week to get an appointment with them. If you live in an area with limited medical resources, maybe it’s harder. If that's the case, maybe you could find someone in a nearby city?

Thank you for the advice, Maddie! I called my health insurance and they said that my GP can refer me to anyone, in or out of the network. So I called my GP's office and let them know that the orthopedic surgeon had said that it was Dupuytren's and that I would like a referral to Dr. Pauling Chang at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. We'll see what happens. I'd like to move as quickly as possible and it sounds like my insurance will be accomodating. I'll keep you informed.

Hi!

I just wanted to add that since I began growing my Ledderhose (By the way, am I the only one who has named their nodules? If they are going to mess up my life, they need names!!) I have become croc woman. Now, I have high arches, so the extra support is nice for me.

http://www.crocs.com/crocs-rx-medical-si...ootwear-medical
These are brilliant for me.

But I have all manner of different and flatter arched styles and they really help. They are also nice to wear when you dont want to wear runners! Now that you have had treatment, they might work for you!

Z

Its only been six weeks...improvement after RT continues for many months. I had RT in Nov. 09 and continued to see improvement even after 5-6 months. Its been almost 18 months and the progression of the disease has completely stopped in the radiated areas of my left hand and left foot.