I was similar to you. I would recommend that you try 30 days of Atkins diet plus 30 min cardio per day 6 days a week. Then have the doc check your A1C again. Take the highest dose of OTC Nicin you can tolerate (causes hot flashes and a feeling like a rash at first). Drink 8 oz of water before each meal. Take fiber pills.
If not down enough, ask about 500 mg Metformin and continue the Atkins and 30 min cardio x6 days. Check again at the end of the month. If necessary, repeat for the 3rd month.
The VAST majority of Type 2’s that complete this will have their A1Cs significantly lower and many can get off of the metformin after 90 days. However, your diet will still need to be a “no-sugar” (Xylitol sugar substitute is your friend) and “low carb”. Exercise is always good though after the first 90 days you can start to vary your routine.
HOWEVER ... THIS IS TOUGH TO DO. You have to be mentally strong to stick to the Atkins and exercise program. Get help from your spouse by getting rid of all junk food in the house. No soda, cake, pie, ice cream.
Stock up on lettuce, meat, cheese. Consider a 24 or 48 hr fast at day 4 (water, coffee, tea, no sugar only) This will help push your body over the hump. You WILL get headaches, you will get irritable. YOU WILL NEED TO KEEP CHECKING YOUR BLOOD SUGAR AND AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
I did’t use atkins, I used a form of it called the Carbohydrate addiction diet I found a lot easier. The philosophy behind it is having one carbohydrate meal a deal can help reform the pancreas. It did wonders for me, but this is your call.
However, I will tell you my sugars ran out of control and I couldn’t manage them the year I had a bad anemia I didn’t know about. (400 after every meal - my doctor was going berserk trying to manage them. Finally I went in for a blood test and it turned out I had a hemoglobin of 7).
So make sure everything else is together, also.
Read this first:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091222105449.htm