Hello Chuck, welcome to Diabetes Forums! Type 2 diabetes is progressive. Long term Type 2 diabetics are sometimes able to have good control by diet and exercise alone after diagnosis. Then , later on, they need medication. Eventually the dosages of the meds have to be increased. Years later the meds may no longer be effective and insulin is prescribed. I have many online friends with Type 2 who use insulin. Most of them have very good control with insulin injections and they are happy and leading normal lives. The few who who still had control problems are now using insulin pumps. Insulin by injection or by pump gives excellent control.
I have been Type 1 for 64 years and I am very healthy. I have used insulin all those years. I am living proof that insulin is very effective.
The best advice I have for you is to lose the extra weight and then you may find the medicines are more effective. Some very overweight diabetics I know lost so much weight that they were able to stop medication and control their diabetes by diet and exercise. When I want to lose weight I reduce my daily carb intake and increase my exercise. I currently eat 130g of carbs per day and exercise two hours per day. I lose weight that way and never gain. One of my best online friends eats only 80 carbs per day. He has lost much weight. You have to work very hard to lose weight and get better control. It is up to you! Good luck.
Richard
I have been Type 1 for 64 years and I am very healthy. I have used insulin all those years. I am living proof that insulin is very effective.
The best advice I have for you is to lose the extra weight and then you may find the medicines are more effective. Some very overweight diabetics I know lost so much weight that they were able to stop medication and control their diabetes by diet and exercise. When I want to lose weight I reduce my daily carb intake and increase my exercise. I currently eat 130g of carbs per day and exercise two hours per day. I lose weight that way and never gain. One of my best online friends eats only 80 carbs per day. He has lost much weight. You have to work very hard to lose weight and get better control. It is up to you! Good luck.
Richard
