Hi again Katbel

If you have a visible or palpable cord then NA might be an option; unless "Surgery is not an option" rules that out for you? We previously suggested RT for you to consider but it's not clear if that is still a possibility as it depends on the current status and stage of overall progression. If you have sore inflamed nodules then consider triamcinolone steroid shots to calm things down. In either case a physician or radiologist experienced in treating DD should be your next step for a consultation.

Best SB

Edited 03/23/2025 07:27

Katbel:

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Hi SpanishBuddha!

I hope you are doing well. ☺️

Alas all three BC doctors recommended in the forum list for NA are retired or gone.

Surgery is not an option for now because I know few others who had it and it lasts only 2 years~
And then they have to repeat the surgery. One of them that I saw recently after his surgery had a finger bent more than mine…and he just had the surgery one month before.

When my nodules are sore I found that a topical cream RUB-A535 Antiphlogistine
extra strength, no odour -Triethanolamine-salicylate 20%
works pretty well. Another helpful thing to do is to immerse my hand in a solution with Epsom salt and warm water. Plus I’m drinking water with real lime juice several time a day. And the big nodule is softened. Maybe is just the water but it works
I’m seeing a RT in a week for a consultation ,cross fingers🤞, I just received their call yesterday after I made my comment on this forum.
I will post after seeing the radiologist.

Thanks for your input!

All the best
Katbel

Katbel:

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Thank you for searching! 💙
I’m in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Right now with the political tensions between our countries I’m scared to go to the U.S.
A young woman from BC has been detained by ICE for almost two weeks in chain!!
https://globalnews.ca/news/11080371/cana...gration-border/
And she’s not the only person who had issues: it happened to Germans, French, English people.
I could easily travel to Calgary if there is no one in Vancouver BC.
I don’t have FB and can’t check there.


Best
Katbel

Hi Katbel!

Xiaflex not available in New Zealand either, though there were trials and many hand surgeons wanted it funded, but it was felt that in most cases Xiaflex only delayed the inevitable - that it would get to the point that surgery is needed.

With all due respect for your fear of surgery because of DD recurring, may I say that yes, it certainly can but it is not inevitable. I have had 3 surgeries.
The surgery I had on my l.h. little finger in 2018 was successful and there is no sign of recurrence in that hand. I am very thankful to have straight fingers in that hand (my dominant hand) and full use of it.

While it was developing in my left hand it was also starting in my right hand - before I had ANY surgery. I had my middle r.h. finger straightened in 2019. In this case however, it did start to recur soon after in my r.h. little finger, and I have recently had surgery to straighten it. No surgical procedure is trifling and the recovery takes a while, but in my opinion it is worth it.

As far as I can tell from what I've read (and I'm no authority whatsoever!!), there is about a 50% chance of recurrence after surgery, but whether the recurrence is CAUSED by surgery is debatable. As I said, I had it developing in both hands simultaneously pre-surgery.
One thing that does seem certain is that the younger you are when you first develop it the more aggressive it is likely to be. I know of someone in his 30s who has had 7 surgeries for DD.
I'm now 76 and sincerely hope I have finished with DD but even so, judging from the success of these surgeries, I would not discourage anyone from having it done. The alternative - no surgery - wasn't an option for me.
All the best with whatever you decide!

Hi Katbel,
I did try Needle Aponeurotomy before my first surgery but in my case (maybe poor technique, who knows?) my finger only contracted all the faster as far as I could judge. It was fairly well contracted already by that stage, so maybe NA works OK if you do it early enough?
I never bothered with it after that! But that doesn't mean it's not helpful.

And I meant to say that Xiaflex or some sort of collagenase injections can be got here in NZ but not through the public health system (i.e. not Government funded and so free to the patient). You could get it here I gather it if you paid for it yourself and maybe if you had private health insurance. I think you also have a public health system in Canada? so maybe you might also be able to access it privately?

I may be wrong but I think there is a degree of contraction where Xiaflex can't be used effectively. But you are probably more proactive about getting treatment than I was!


All the best!

Edited 04/07/2025 01:11