An apparent breakthrough therapy developed in California for people diagnosed with diabetes is now available in Florida, according to a Local 6 News report.
The report featured Carl Liebsch, who was forced to retire because of his diabetes.
"I can lose my eyesight, my kidneys can go into failure, (I) can have amputation," Liebsch said. "Diabetes is like rust in the body slow working."
Dr. Wendy Huhn is treating patients like Liebsch with a new technique called Metabolic Activation Therapy.
Until recently, the technique to treat diabetes was not available outside of California, where it was researched and developed.
The basic premise is to get the pancreas and liver of a diabtetic person to mimic those of a non-diabetic person. Patients get intravenous doses of insulin that activate metabolism, according to the report.
Insufficient metabolism can lead to problems like kidney damage, blindness, neuropathy and amputation, according to the report.
"I think its a little outside the envelope," Huhn said. "It's not something that is taught in medical school or fellowship."
The report also featured patient Noel Wynn, who has had diabetes for 24 years.
For the past twelve years, Wynn has suffered extensive nerve damage from her knees to her feet. However, her condition improved when she started Metabolic Activation Therapy, according to the report.
"After one month, I started having feeling in my feet again," Wynn said. "I could walk across my kitchen floor and step on a kernel under my feet and yell -- that was kind of surprising.
The therapy requires patients to come once a week for six hours of treatment.
Patients taking two or more shots of insulin a day and suffering mild or severe complications are good candidates for the therapy, Local 6 News reported. Also, the treatment is usually used on patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Local 6 News reported that the treatment is covered by Medicare and most health insurers.
For more information, please
click here or contact the Advanced Diabetes Treatment Centers.
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