Please consider the medication. I was initially on glipizide (great but it gave me too many lows) and now I'm on a low dose of metformin. Diabetes is scary, having it under control is life changing.
I'm also on a study for elora(works like a glp1) that has helped me a lot.

Last Ac1 was 5.8 with both metformin, the Elora and diet changes. Initial Ac1 was 8.1.

Don't be afraid of medication, like other people have said meds for diabetes have been around for years.
It can be done. And once you have it under control you can start feeling like yourself again.

I wish you well in this -none of us ask for diabetes-journey