Paul Cimino
Type 2 Diabetes Success Story
Date Posted: Monday, March 10, 2025
Paul Cimino was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in his mid-20s. Over the past 30 years, he had been unable to consistently control his blood sugar levels, despite consulting multiple practitioners who had offered varying approaches to manage them. Six months after meeting Dr. Michael Thompson, Paul's A1c dropped from above 14% to below 6%. With the help of his care team of Dr. Thompson and nurse practitioner Clare Foley, he continues to maintain healthy blood sugar levels with a treatment plan of an insulin pump and a once-weekly injection of Mounjaro.
“Over the years, I’ve seen many providers throughout Massachusetts who prescribed seemingly every combination of oral medications and insulin,” said Paul. “Nothing worked for me. The best A1c I can remember before this was just under 10%. My daily readings were routinely in the 400s. I hate to admit it, but I gave up.”
Years of uncontrolled and often dangerously high blood sugars caused severe heart problems. Unfortunately, that’s one of the serious health complications that can result from uncontrolled blood sugars.
Paul eventually confided in a family friend who recommended he meet with Dr. Thompson. “She and her son both receive their diabetes care from him, and she couldn’t speak more highly of him. I knew from my first visit he was different,” Paul said. “He spent a long time with me in that exam room. He listened to my difficult history and understood my treatment and compliance challenges. When he told me we could fix this together, frankly, I didn’t believe him.”
Paul appreciates how his care team includes him in the decision-making process for the treatment plan, rather than simply sending him home with a to-do list. “They work with me to customize my care, because there’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Dr. Thompson suggested that Paul try insulin pump therapy to control his blood sugar levels, in combination with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). He had used a CGM before, “but it only gave me bad news - and no doctor had ever suggested a pump before,” said Paul. “I was unsure because it seemed like such a daunting commitment. But suddenly, I not only knew what my blood sugar levels were at any given time, thanks to the CGM - I was also able to achieve much better control through the automated insulin delivery provided by the pump. The technology is life-changing, and I no longer take any oral meds!”
Paul has been willing to do his part. “Once someone leaves our clinic, it’s up to them to put in the work every day to manage their diabetes,” said Dr. Thompson. “Paul can be an example and inspire others who feel like they can’t succeed.”
With his blood sugars finally in a healthy range, Paul feels better both physically and mentally. “Those of us living with diabetes know managing it every day is mentally draining,” he said. “But to be honest, I didn’t always feel that doctors understood how bad it can be, especially when you’re not seeing improved results.”
Paul credits his diabetes education sessions, including label reading and carbohydrate counting, with teaching him to input accurate data into his pump. He also pays attention to portion control and makes the effort to eat healthier, including whole grains, plenty of fish, and plant‑based foods. “I still cheat from time to time, but I’m conscious about it and can depend on the pump to provide the proper amount of insulin.”
Paul also appreciates the Specialty Pharmacy services offered by the UMass Memorial DCOE. "It's been helpful and convenient,” he said. “They return calls right away and answer my questions.” He also signed up for myChart to communicate with his care team between appointments, and will use it to share his insulin pump and CGM data with them before future visits. “It’s great for accessing my lab results, and easy to do all this from my phone or computer.”
“I'm fortunate and grateful to have been introduced to this care team,” Paul said.