Personally, and can only talk for myself, when my A1C reaches or exceeds 5.7 I'm going to "ask for meds" even if the doctor doesn't offer them.

For about the past 10 years, in Europe, they have been offering Metformin to those diagnosed "pre-diabetic". What they have found, and they have a ton of data now, is that it typically delays on-set of full blown diabetes for "10 or more years".

That means 10 or more years that complications are pushed down the road - 10 or more years before a second medication would have to be added. 10 or more years of "life expectancy".

There is no "down side" to going on Metformin which also provides some cardio protection. And given that 85% of diabetic die from heart disease or stroke, a little extra protection can't be a bad thing.

We all have to make our own decisions, but for me, if I was in your shoes, I would have asked before the Doc even suggested it.

My Father was controlled for 12 years without meds. When his numbers started rising he was stubborn and said no. By the time he went to oral meds he should have been on insulin and waited way too long to go on insulin because he still believed "he could do it himself - taking meds was a sign of failure". He died a lingering death, over a year in the ICU after 15 years of significant complications - not for me. When it's time, it's time - it's not throwing in the towel...

And you can always come back off of metformin.

My grandmother started taking it in 1970 when it was approved in Canada (ya, I come from a gigantic diabetes cluster so have seen the good, bad and ugly).

Five years later she was, once again, so well controlled that she went off it. She died years later from nothing "diabetes related".

So it helped (her) get over a rough spot - never had even a minor complication. Because Type 2 is a metabolic disorder and our metabolism is constant changing, there are no absolutes. Just have to ride the wave and hope it doesn't smack you into the shore when you stop paying attention for a moment :)

Thankfully, I can take or leave potatoes. Sweets are tempting! I eat dark chocolate - 90%, so low in carbs - if I'm really craving something sweet . And of course I eat the junk sometimes. I think it's the combo of diet and exercise. I walk 4 miles every day and also do rowing a few times a week. Still, as I get older, it's harder to keep numbers down. That's one reason I joined this group. I need the support! :-)

That's great! Good job. :-). I'm working on losing weight too, as I know that will help.

I lost a lot of weight because of stomach issues and that brought my sugar levels down