The mom replied: "If you were Type 1 diabetic, you would be required to take insulin already. Type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin at all, and there are no medications to take for it except insulin. What you are is Type 2, which is when the body is unable to use the insulin it does produce efficiently, or in the manner it should. It is quite often controlled with diet, exercise and weight control, with medication to help. With proper management, you should not need to take insulin. If you are not producing sufficient amounts of insulin, but are still producing some, you might need supplemental insulin- but that is not the usual pattern either. You sound very confused and upset about your diagnosis. I agree the diet is very difficult to adapt to for some at first, and the diagnosis of diabetes can be frightening. You doctor doesn't sound as if he/she is being very clear with the explainations, and you need to work with somebody who can help you. Controling diabetes is done through several things, medication being only one thing, and insulin injections being a last ditch effort. Your doctor should refer you to a dietician for a personalized diet consult and development, to encourage proper diet and weight loss if needed. You should also get regular exercise, and have a coach work with you to develop an exercise program for you to follow on a daily basis. Regular exercise often helps reduce the need for medications, since it seems to encourage the body to use the sugar and insulin properly. I've never heard of a "honeymoon" period for a newly diagnosed diabetic. As a matter of fact, in the beginning, managing diabetes is often a challenge. People often find the new diet restrictive and hard to follow or stick to, they don't like the idea of having to lose weight or start an exercise program. Maintaining a proper blood sugar level takes time to find the right combination of medication, diet and exercise that is needed for each individual. Although it is a challenge in the beginning, with effort on your part and working with the right people to help, you can manage your diabetes. For many people, changes in diet and exercise can even eliminate the need for the medication, and certainly insulin. If you were truly Type 1 diabetic, this would not even be the discussion. All Type 1 diabetics take insulin, because the pancreas is no longer producing any. But that condition usually occurs in childhood, not adulthood- unless something really radical has happened to you. Most adults are Type 2, where insulin is being produced, and not used correctly by the body. So far as your diet, be very aware that you have to watch all carbohydrates. It's not the sugar in the bowl that gets you- it's the sugars you don't see or look for, in places you aren't expecting to find it. Most pre-prepared foods contain some kind of sugar, be it table sugar, fruit sugar, corn syrup solids, or other type of -ose family member. About the only thing you know is low carbohydrate is meat, and that will contain fat, which is another type of carbohydrate. When a diabetic has a problem with blood sugar levels, it usually a culprit they weren't expecting. Such as the sugar in the ketchup or salad dressing, or even in the crackers! So keep an eye on the contents labels before you eat it. Get out and get moving, walking whenever you can. Exercise revs up the metabolism and encourages the body to burn fuel more efficiently. If your doctor isn't giving you clear explainations, then push the issue. Do some research, and ask the questions directly. If you don't get good answers and the assistance you need, then change doctors. Take charge of your health, and find folks who can help you. No, diabetes does not mean a life of insulin injections. It doesn't even mean always having to follow such a restrictive diet. It's finding the balance you need, food-exercise-medication as needed, that will put you back in control. So if the doctor won't or can't help you do that, find somebody who will. Good luck, it can be done. Millions of diabetics do it every day, and you can too."