As you can see from the comments, everyone’s experience with diabetes will likely be different. I was pre diabetic and was recommended Metformin after my numbers began to creep up. After a bit of half-assing my nutrition I choose to take the Metformin: my endocrinologist (I had thyroid cancer) and PCP expressed its safety and general lack of side effects. Within a month or so of taking Metformin I began to feel tingling in my hands and feet. Way too soon to be experiencing neuropathy!… turns out some people have a negative reaction to Merformin and it results in your B12 levels plummeting- mine were essentially non existent. B12 is crucial to neurological activity. My PCP recommended intensely high doses of B12 (it is one of the vitamins your body will pass any excess amount that it doesn’t need). I choose to be super diligent with my diet and choose a keto diet and intermittent fasting (daily intermittent fasting with monthly multi-day fasts). It is a different eating routine, but it is manageable, I developed great body composition, and was able to manage my diabetes with nutrition and other lifestyle choices. However, I am now fully type 2 diabetic following a surgery to remove a tumor from my small intestine (cancer no.2 😖) which also removed a large part of my pancreas. I am now on insulin to manage my glucose levels.

I share my experiences for three reasons- 1) be aware of the potential side effects and cross interactions of any prescriptions or supplements you are taking. Do your own research and do not rely solely on your doctor; 2) generally speaking, pre-diabetes can be managed with diet choices and fitness. It doesn’t have to be extreme but it does have to be consistent; and 3) despite your efforts, you might progress into full blown diabetes: this does not mean a failure on your part. there are medical and genetic factors that go well beyond diet and nutrition that can affect your body’s resistance to insulin and there is nothing you can do about these- but consistently focus on everything that you have control over, such as nutrition and lifestyle, and you will have much less dependency on the medical approaches.

Good luck and Godspeed!