Hubby is Having Surgery on His Hand for Dupuytren's Disease
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
United States
April 26, 2008 1:01pm CST
My husband was complaining about his hands and how much they hurt after he did some manual labor. His hands have been noticably contracting in the fingers for a couple of years now. I went on the internet to see if I could find what was going on with him. I found something that sounded like what he had. We didn't have health insurance at the time so he didn't see a doctor for treatment.
We got insurance coverage in January and in February he began to see a doctor for some routine checkups. His practitioner had xrays done of his hands and could find nothing wrong with him. He gave him a referral to an orthopedic doctor. One trip to the doctor was all it took. He was diagonosed with Dupuytren's Disease. I was amazed to find it was the same diagnosis I came up with from my search on the internet!
Dupuytren's Disease mainly affects adult males that causes contractures in the palm and fingers. It is a disease that is prevalent with men who have European heritage( My husband is from the Netherlands) and is a genetic condition. I have found a couple of great websites that go into detail about this disease. One that my husband found showed an actual surgery. Here is a link to the site: http://www.dupuytren-online.info/
The surgery take place this Thursday and done in outpatient surgery. He will have to do therapy once the hand is healed. When the hand is fully recovered he will have surgery on his right hand. They will not do both hands at once. He will need one hand for daily activities. Hopefully the left hand will not be damaged from the surgery as nerve damage can occur. The doctor is confident that the surgery will go well. I hope that it will too.
6 people like this
16 responses
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
27 Apr 08
wow that looks pretty serious doesn't it? thankfully you've got the presence of mind to get insurance before getting the referral. if not i can't imagine how much the medical bill is gonna cost you.
i'm sure the surgeons know what they are doing and your husband will be fine. do take care of his diet while he is recovering from the surgery. smoking is a big NO NO. it will actually slow down the healing process. sugar is another should-not, as high level of sugar is suspected to interfere with the healing process as well. other than that, guess the nurse will be advising you on how to take care of the wound. all the best for the surgery and best wishes for his recovery.
1 person likes this
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
29 Apr 08
maybe the venom of the viper cause your son's tendon to freeze up. that's similar to the symptom of what your husband has right? in fact, a lot of medical solutions are used for a lot of other things. a good example will be botox. it was the rage last year to reduce wrinkle temporary. who would have thought that it was originally meant for fits patient? all the best and take good care of yourself so that you can take care of your husband. :D
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11177)
• United States
29 Apr 08
thank you for letting us know about this disease.... I can picture it in my mind's eye - and have seen it, I believe, on many elderly folk - I always thought it was arthritis that was to blame. I wonder if many do not get treatment because they too think it is arthritis? or just a symptom of their aging.
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@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
1 May 08
At first we thought it was arthritis. That is why he never asked about it. But recently he began to have pain in the hands and decided it was time.
@Polly1 (12644)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I will keep your hubby in my prayers. I hope that the surgery goes well and he heals quickly. I went to the site, I never heard of anything like that before. After they do surgery and its all healed up, can the condition come back or does the surgery take care of it. Best wishes for both of you.
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@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
26 Apr 08
From what I understand, it can come back. There are some new alternatives to surgery and perhaps he can do something that is preventative. That is something I have to research further.
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Very interesting. I will keep him in my prayers. Thank you for the link to tell about it too!
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Hello! I at first thought it to be something like tendonitis but with further research found it to be more.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Thanks Terry! The internet can also be a worry to those who have problems with hypochondria.
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I am so glad to hear that your husband can get the
surgery he needs for his hands. I sure hope all goes well and he can go back to his pain free hands.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
26 Apr 08
If he didn't get this surgery done his hands would continue to contract. He is in pain after doing minor tasks such as raking the lawn. I hope that the surgery goes well and that he can return to normal soon.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Interesting... This does not sound like something anyone would want to have. I know I have carpeltunnel, and being here on the internet does not help, but for now it is not to where I need surgery for it either. Wishing your husband the best.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169439)
• United States
27 Apr 08
The internet is such a great tool for all of us. I am glad you can support him in that way. I hope that all goes well for him. I will pray for him right now, and the doctor, too.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
I have never heard of this disease before. I have one finger that will not straighten out. I think I had gotten an infection in it and that is what caused it but I don't know. All the rest of my fingers are okay.
I wish him luck because it is going to be hard getting used to not using one hand, especially when it is the hand that he uses for most things.
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@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Thank you. I hope he mends quickly and the surgery doesn't do further damage to the nerves.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
29 Apr 08
I have never heard of this disease. Fortunately this surgery will be a kind of "cure" for your husband. Genetic diseases are more common than we realise.
It was clever of you to research & come up with the same diagnosis.
Good luck & my best wishes to your husband.
@cortney09 (1345)
• United States
25 Jun 08
I hope that his surgery went well and that his hand is feeling better. I have been a little behind on my commenting and have only written one article in a while because of how crazy things have been around here. I do hope ya'll are doing well.
1 person likes this
@qdietz (244)
• United States
27 Apr 08
with the technology and knowledge doctors have nowadays, the operation should go just fine as it doesn't seem to be something uncommon. I have read the site you gave me and I bet he will be so relieved his hand is working again.
I personally was expressing the symptoms of this disease after having slept very deeply on my arm (it squashed the nerve so it couldn't send signals well). Basically i could not clench or extend my fingers on my right hand for 3 days. When this was over I was so relieved and it felt so good.
To look at it with a positive light, it will really make him appreciate life and technology more, and his ability to move his hand like he wants.
Best of luck to him with the surgery and therapy, even tho i think he will not need it.
@asawanialvin0611 (1877)
• Philippines
27 Apr 08
hope that he get well soon.Anyway, I invite you to log www.intimetv.com
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Apr 08
ElusiveButterfly I looked at that picture and read about Dupuytren's disease. that looks so painful and I can see why it would be very painful. Imagine trying to work and using your hands when they would contract like that.It is so amazing to me what orthopedic surgery can now do for people. I broke my left shoulder so badly that they had to remove the smashed bone and implant a should joint replacement so now I am sort of a bionic woman with a left shoulder made up of metal and plastic .lol This is being done as an outpatient basis so that should make it a little less expensive. I hope that the surgery goes well so your husband can be free of that awful contracting. my prayers go out to you and yours.
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