“How long can I manage my diabetes without medications?”

Depends on how uncontrolled you are. If your hba1c is around 7, then diet and exercise should be ok, if you lose weight then maybe you dont even need meds.

There is no answer to this question. Everybody is different. How long depends on your diet, weight, exercise, degree of lose of insulin producing ability so far and most important your compliance with the diabetes regimen your Dr. puts you on. In any event I would not try to go it alone without medications. Metformin is very cheap and effective and safe. I would take this medication even if I'm doing well without meds since we now have data to say the metformin may not only help diabetes but may also prevent some types of cancer & maybe slow or prevent Mental deterioration that comes with age.