My diabetes sojourn... part one

I was originally diagnosed with type 2 (maturity onset) diabetes 16 years ago.  It was the beginning of what was supposed to be a very healthy pregnancy, and suddenly I was being admitted to the hospital to learn to use insulin (the only safe thing during pregnancy).  I got to spend New Year's Eve in a hospital bed, way to welcome in 1992! I was told that I was really diabetic, not gestational, that it was there for a while, even though I had been testing at health fairs, etc. for a few years.  It was a monitored pregnancy, and I tried to enjoy the pregnancy.  My older boy was disappointed when he found out that the baby would be a boy, and would announce to anyone who would almost listen, that it was our LAST baby, and that he wanted a girl.
The baby was delivered cesearean at 35 weeks, at the end of this heavily monitored pregnancy, and faithful good behavior, we went "classic diabetic" and my fluids and his weight trippled in one week, he was in distress, so July 20, 1992 he came into this world, 8 pounds and five weeks early. 
Checking my sugars after the pregnancy, showed that I would not need to continue insulin, however after a few weeks, it was obvious that my body couldn't work properly without intervention (oral meds).
Since this would be a way of life for me, we found an endocronoligist, and lucked into one of the best in the southwest!  Dr. Stephen Aronoff, has a good practice and a research group in his offices.
I was on studies for glucophage (metrormin) and piaglitazone, two drugs I still take to this day.  Glucophage was amazing for me, it helped the diabetes and also increased my iron, I had always been mildly anemic, and suddenly my blood iron was good!
Being young (I started this in my late 20's) and working made continuing studies difficult so I stayed on working with him to balance drugs, and work to bring down my weight (always our arguement), and my A1c's.  I tried diets, and kept having problems with sugar lows.  YOU CANNOT lose weight with sugar lows!  Your body will fight to keep the weight/sugars to keep your brain and heart going!!!
We tried calorie counting, carb counting, weight watchers, food diaries, etc.  The glycemic index/South Beach in which the first two weeks was way too low carb, I had to go straight into phase 2 after only a day and a half!
Doc would say, "eat less and excerise", and I would say, "I can't eat less".
I had friends who managed to get phen/phen, and Doc would say, "No pills, they aren't proven safe of effective, you just have to work harder."  My weight steadily creeped up, my little 5'2" frame was supporting over 220lbs!  I was frustrated and unhappy with the situation.