Hi Debbie
I've found massage is really good. Also, it increases the perfusion (blood flow bringing oxygen to the area) and Prof S. has explained that there is a line of thought that a lactic environment (or lack of oxygen) may be one factor in encouraging this condition. The other good advice Prof S. gave me on a couple of occasions is to 'try things out' to see how it works for you.

Try a gentle foot rub with some urea cream into the areas that hurt and then as you get used to massage, progress to a light massage with one of these massage balls and increase the pressure if it feels okay. It always feels a bit uncomfortable and hard at first, especially when the nodule is hard and swollen, but as you persist, it softens and feels better. Takes the sting out of the nodule pain when it's really uncomfortable or swollen. Get a massage ball with the softer, more flexible spikes if you can (as opposed to the ones with the less flexible, cone shaped spikes) as (despite the scary appearance) they give you a gentler massage and really get into the nodules and soften them up. Until you get one, you could try massaging with a tennis ball.

I'll write some things about my MRI experience in a separate message, as it's not really a direct answer to your questions, but might be of interest

All the best to you Debbie and keep us posted!!
Di

debrr:

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Hello!
Does anyone in the US know where I can purchase these balls or body rolls? I also worry the massage may make them worse. It seems even touching them hurts. Any thoughts? Do you massage just the nodules? Because have pain in the balls of my feet and now recently in my heels as well. The cords are very thick now after first round of RT!
I am planning on contacting my doc today and requested another MRI of my feet prior to further treatment. Then making contact with Dr. T at Scripps and Dr. S in Germany. Has anyone else had foot MRI after the 1st round of RT and before 2nd round. Anyone want to share those results?
Does anyone else seem to notice increased pain with weather change (ie barometric pressure change, humidiity)?
Good wishes to all of you!

Note that the cost of the MRI is NOT included in the RT treatment. Also, the cost was for international consultations and might be cheaper for German citizens.

Edited 07/20/11 07:04

Hi Larry
We're lucky that we have a relatively good health system in Australia, but there are some complexities. Access to MRI costs different amounts depending on what type of practitioner refers the patient. If the patient is referred by a specialist then it's cheaper than by a general practitioner/family doctor. I've found out that I can get a specialist referral from my sports physician (a specialised general practitioner).

I can get access to a Tesla 3 or even a Tesla 4 machine, by ringing around to find out which radiation physicians have this most up-to-date technology and I can use my referral to book in at that location. The fees are around $300 - $400 AUD (200- 300 Euros) for both feet here and with our system, I'm not sure if it might cost a bit more initially and then we get to claim a gap payment back through medicare (which everyone has access to here), or whether it's just a straight cost.

I'll update you when I start making the appointments in a few months

All the best
Di

Larry:

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Hi Cyclist, thanks for your comments ...

While RT is much cheaper in Germany, diagnostic procedures like MRI, PET-CT and highly advanced imaging rechniques are relatively expensive; one problem with MRI of Ledderhose or Dupuytren's Disease is the fact, that older machines with lower Tesla (magnetic energy) are not capable to pick up the disease. Special set-up and machines with 3 Tesla are well suited to detect the disease better and guide surgeons or RT to perform their specific treatments. These machines are much more expensive to buy ...

I had to pay about 1.200 Euro for the examination of 2 feet with and without contrast media and 3 different MR imaging techniques ...

Would like to hear from you more about the Australian fees for MRI with and without contrast media ...

Edited 07/20/11 12:14

Spanishbuddha,

Please continue to keep us posted. Have you had RT on feet? I am sorry, it sounds like you are just trying to live with feet! Are they bad as well?

My best to you!!

spanishbuddha:

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debrr:

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Thanks spanishbuddha! How are you doing?????

Thanks for asking debrr.

It is one month since my second round of RT on one hand. This time I have the dry scaly skin as an after effect, but it's minor, and I'm using a high urea content cream. It's probably too early to say how successful the treatment has been. I think there's a clear reduction of some hardness in some areas and even some shrinking, but when I compare it to photo's taken before treatment it's not so clear if I'm imagining an improvement. We'll see.

I have a sight concern on the other hand. I can't tell if I have a joint injury or new nodule. Another we'll see. I just hope my fingers stay straight and flexible so I can continue with my piano playing.

Onto my feet. You did ask My plantar is much the same, it is manageable, but sometimes after exercise or overdoing the walking I can then hardly walk. I treat it with ice and just get on with it.

Here's to us sufferers of these conditions. A toast .....

Hello Debbie
Good news to hear you are getting some relief! Hang in there with the massage - in my experience, you get used to it and it really does help de-sensitise the nodules

My feet are feeling a lot better now. The nodules are still large and they are up and down (soft on some days and then hard again). The main improvement is that the bruised feeling all over my feet is much less intense and my feet don't get so achy (sort of crampy) when I walk or stand for long periods of time. I think the tendon has relaxed, which might be a response to the nodule softening and starting to shrink (I'm hoping...) I'm finding that I can stretch my feet more without getting that nasty ache in the ball of the foot.

The main thing is that I'm finding I can do more again!

I'm curious - how long did it take your nodules to grow large? I think mine would have kept growing - and quite quickly if I had left them without treatment. I tried to search back in your posts, but couldn't find your original story

All the best
Di