Advanced Diabetes Treatment Centers

Testimonials

Elise Blanco

Elise Blanco's doctor told her there was no more he could do for her. A brittle diabetic, Blanco didn't respond well to insulin injections, and her illness was out of control. "At age 45, that's not something you want to hear," she said. "My blood sugar levels were extremely high."

Blanco's diabetes began 22 years ago with her first pregnancy, and never abated. "I'd gone from doctor to doctor, and no one had been able to keep my blood sugar levels under control," she said.

Then Blanco saw an article about Metabolic Activation Therapy. The process closely mimics the action of a normal pancreas, which delivers 10 pulses of insulin per hour to the liver in response to food intake. With MAT, a patient visits a clinic once a week, where insulin is delivered intravenously in a series of 10 doses over a one-hour period. After the patient rests for an hour, the process is repeated twice more.

Blanco, of Coral Springs, became a MAT patient at Advanced Diabetes Treatment Centers of Florida, which has clinics in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Over the two-month period that she has been receiving the treatment, things have changed. Her blood sugar levels are much lower, and she feels better.

"What a difference," she said. "Never in my life have I been so well managed, and I've never had blood sugar numbers like these before. I've been able to drastically reduce my own insulin doses, and I have all kinds of extra energy.

"Before, I was always lethargic and tired. Now I feel great."

Developed by Dr. Tom Aoki, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, and former head of the metabolism section at Joslin Diabetes Center, MAT has performed safely in more than 35,000 treatment sessions over the past 25 years. Recently, the results of a multi-institutional study showed it to be an effective treatment for advanced diabetic nephropathy. Doctors think the out-patient procedure can slow or even stop the serious complications caused by diabetes, such as kidney damage, hypertension, nerve problems, slow-healing wounds, and blindness.

"The treatments are easy to take," Blanco said. "I'm very pleased with them."

Scott Hicks

Computer programmer Scott Hicks was tired of having his work schedule, and his life, interrupted by trips to the emergency room and extended hospital stays. Diagnosed in 1989 with diabetes, the now 36-year-old Hicks had never been able to control his blood sugar levels efficiently with traditional insulin delivery systems.

He had lost 50 percent of his kidney function and suffered other complications from his illness when his physician told him about Metabolic ActivationTherapy, a new, more effective system of insulin delivery developed in California.

More than 17 million Americans are living with diabetes. For many of them like Hicks, even regular injections do not deliver enough insulin to the liver to prevent serious complications like kidney dysfunction, nerve problems, slow-healing wounds and blindness.

With MAT, a patient visits a clinic once a week, where insulin is given intravenously at six-minute intervals in a series of 10 doses per hour. The hour-long process is repeated three times that day, with treatments separated from each other by an hour of rest. The system is efficacious in treating both Type I and Type II diabetes, and closely mimics the functioning of a normal pancreas, which responds to food intake by manufacturing 10 pulses of insulin per hour and delivering them to the liver.

Developed by Dr. Tom Aoki, professor medicine at the University of California, Davis, and former head of the metabolism section at Joslin Diabetes Center, MAT has performed safely in more than 35,000 treatment sessions over the past 25 years. A recent multi-institutional study recently found the outpatient procedure to be an effective treatment for advanced diabetic nephropathy.

Since Hicks started MAT in June, he has been able to maintain a more normal and productive lifestyle. His blood sugar levels are much better controlled, he has more energy, and he feels good. He has not made a single trip to the emergency room or had a hospital stay since beginning treatment, and has been able to work at his job every day. "I've been surprised at how much it helps. Before, I was always tired," he said. "I had to take a lot of sick days, so I never took vacation days, because I knew I had to hold onto them for when I was sick.

"Doctors are hopeful that the treatment has slowed or stopped the kidney deterioration from which Hicks suffers. And MAT has certainly brought new freedom and flexibility to his life. "Now that I feel so much better, I'm actually planning a vacation, probably to Michigan, where I've got family," he said. "It's been a long time since I've been able to do that."

Naomi Kornar

Naomi Korman of Boca Raton was diagnosed with diabetes in 1985. Despite insulin injections, her blood sugar readings have remained high and uncontrollable. "They were off the wall," she said.

Korman, 61,was always tired, requiring several naps each day. And the relentless progression of her illness had already caused retinopathy, as well as kidney damage.

Then Korman' primary care physician, Dr. Jeffrey Stein, told her about Metabolic Activation Therapy. The process closely mimics insulin delivery by a normal pancreas, which produces 10 pulses of insulin per hour in response to food intake. With MAT, a patient visits a clinic once a week, where insulin is delivered intravenously in a series of 10 doses over an hour-long period. The patient then rests for an hour, and the process is repeated twice more over the course of the day.

Korman began receiving MAT about six weeks ago, and it has changed her life. "Since I've been on the program, I can maintain low blood sugar levels most of the time," she said. "Before, my readings were very erratic, and now they're much more stable.

"I have more energy," she continued. "I take fewer naps, I can stay up longer, and I'm more alert."

Doctors hope the treatment will slow or stop the eye and kidney damage Korman has suffered as well.

Developed by Dr. Tom Aoki, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, and former head of the metabolism section at Joslin Diabetes Center, MAT has performed safely and effectively in more than 35,000 treatment sessions over the past 25 years. And the results of a multi-institutional study recently showed it to be an effective treatment for advanced diabetic nephropathy.

For Korman, the weekly clinic visit is well worth the results she gets. "They make you comfortable, treat you very nicely, and address your concerns," she said. "I'm very optimistic about this program.

Norman Sparagon

At age 77, Norman Sparagon of West Boca Raton has suffered from diabetes for 25 years. He has lost two toes to the disease, and for several years has been fighting painful, slow-to-heal ulcers on his feet and legs. The retired superintendent of a water pollution control plant has spent more than his share of time in hospitals and wound care centers, and even underwent a femoral bypass to try to restore a healthier blood supply to his legs and feet. He has suffered damage to his retinas as well as kidney deterioration, and worries about having to go on dialysis.

Now, all that is changing. Two months ago, Sparagon began treating his diabetes with Metabolic Activation Therapy, a promising new method of delivering insulin to the liver. It closely mimics the functioning of a normal pancreas, which typically responds to food intake by manufacturing 10 pulses of insulin per hour and sending it to the liver.

Sparagon is one of 17 million Americans living with diabetes. Like many of them, he is unable to control his blood sugar levels effectively even with regular insulin injections.
With MAT, Sparagon goes once a week to an outpatient clinic where insulin is administered intravenously in a series of six doses at 10-minute intervals over a period of one hour. He then rests for an hour, and the process is repeated twice more.

"There's definitely been a difference in the healing of the ulcers," Sparagon said. "They healed in a couple of weeks, and I was very impressed with that."

Sparagon's blood sugar levels are more stable overall now, and he feels less tired. He is currently awaiting results of tests that doctors hope will show a slowing or stopping of kidney deterioration.

Developed by Dr. Tom Aoki, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, and former head of the metabolism section at Joslin Diabetes Center, MAT has performed safely in more than 35,000 treatment sessions over the past 25 years, and recently, a multi-institutional study found it to be an effective treatment for advanced diabetic nephropathy. It is efficacious in slowing the progression of both Type I and Type II diabetes.

Sparagon is pleased with having a more hopeful outlook for the future. "The treatments aren't uncomfortable or painful in any way," he said. "And they definitely make a difference."

Trinchitella

Amadeo "Trinchi" Trinchitella, 84, has overcome his share of challenges. The Greenwich Village, N.Y. native served as a U.S. Marine in Okinawa during World War II, spent 14 years as a Teamsters official and won three political elections.

But five years ago, diabetes brought Trinchitella's life to a virtual standstill. "I couldn't walk 10 feet by myself, let alone drive. I gave my car away to my grandson," recalls Trinchitella, a Deerfield Beach city commissioner for the past 10 years and president of the Century Village East Master Management. "I developed nerve problems in my legs and couldn't feel my toes. I would get these terrible ulcers that took forever to heal."

Even more seriously, Trinchitella's kidneys were operating at only 20 percent of capacity, and a transplant was out of the question because of his age.

In June, Dr. Mack Harrell, a board-certified Fort Lauderdale endocrinologist, told Trinchitella about a promising new treatment called Metabolic Activation Therapy (MAT) introduced to South Florida by Advanced Diabetes Treatment Centers of Florida (ADTC).

MAT uses a patented system to help patients with diabetes reduce the risk of serious complications. Patients make one visit per week to one of ADTC's three South Florida clinics in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood for three one-hour sessions.

After six weeks of MAT treatment, Trinchitella says, "I feel great. It has given me a tremendous lift in energy." In addition, his leg ulcers are healing because of better circulation. As for getting around, he adds, "I bought another car."

Nationwide, more than 17 million people are living with diabetes, which is responsible for more than 200,000 deaths annually, according to the American Diabetes Association. Among the serious complications of diabetes are kidney failure, hypertension, nerve problems, slow-healing wounds and blindness.

Developed by Dr. Tom Aoki, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Davis, and former Head of the Metabolism Section at Joslin Diabetes Center, MAT has been used safely in more than 35,000 treatment sessions over the past 25 years. Most recently, MAT was verified as the only effective treatment for advanced diabetic nephropathy by a multi-institutional study.

"MAT is an extremely promising therapy that is now being made available throughout South Florida," says Dr. Harrell, who is the medical director for ADTC and operates the Fort Lauderdale clinic. "It slows down the relentless progression of diabetes complications in both Type 1 and Type 2 patients."