I was where you were 6 months ago (not the ketoacidosis): the suddenness of it all, shock, fear. I had been tired for a few months, and I had an abcess that wouldn't heal. I was seeing a dermatologist for something else and I asked her to look at it. Turns out I had a staph infection then she tested my blood sugar, and voila! My blood sugar was 18 when diagnosed. I was started on Metformin then 10 units of Lantus (basal insulin). I started off with the diet recommended here in Canada: high carb/low fat. I did more research and decided that 45-60 g of carbs per meal made no sense, especially since I became determined to reverse it. From the time of diagnosis, I stopped eating sugar and you'd be amazed at the difference that alone makes as far as weight loss goes. I gradually cut other carbs like wheat, grains, most fruit, starchy foods and started walking a lot more. I've now lost between 50-60 pounds. Different things work for different people, and you need to find what carb level works for you. And don't worry about doing everything all at once. Test before and 2 hrs after you eat to see how your body responds to what you eat. It's normal for anyone's blood sugar level to go up 2-3 points after you eat. If it goes up more than that, don't panic. Just adjust what you eat and/or the amount. And remember that bg levels are affected by more than food. Stress, lack of sleep and other factors can all have an impact. It wasn't explained to me either about how to do things, including when I should adjust insulin levels. When my fasting levels get below 5 I lower my dose by one unit. I confirmed with the pharmacist and my specialist that this is the right thing to do. Sorry about going on and on here and I'm sorry if it's confusing. I'm also not trying to give medical advice, just what happened with me. I know the feeling of being overwhelmed by all this, terrified of raising my bg levels and feeling hopeless and frustrated by it all. You're already taking control by educating yourself and losing weight. And you're right in that this won't happen overnight. If you feel the need to talk about it, or just need to vent, let me know.