Well, I've had it for over seven years now.
If it's type 2, in most cases it can easily be controlled by diet alone. In its early stages it's alleged to be reversible but I prefer to say it can be put into remission.
It's also a disease that progresses slowly. I know of one person who did lose toes and had poor eyesight, but he did nothing to help himself - primarily, he drank like a fish despite medical advice. Plus, this was the 1970s/80s where much less was known about the disease than now.
In short, to get to the point you fear you basically have to ignore everything a doctor tells you and even then it will take quite a time.
By the way - have you inexplicably lost a lot of weight lately?
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/symptoms/...ight-loss.html