Even if you haven't been recently diagnosed, low carbing and maintaining tight control of your blood sugars can and has helped reverse diabetic complications such as neuropathy, and nephropathy. Dr. Bernstein is a good example of that himself.


Ruth...

Being dignosed with diabetes is not a sentence to an early death from diabetic complications despite what this nurse told you. For her to leave you in such a state of despair was inexcusable. The sooner you can get and maintain control, the better, so to answer one of your questions..YES! The earlier it is caught and treated successfuly, the better your chances are.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you that following a low carb WOE to control your diabetes will mean that you are guaranteed to never develop any diabetic related complications, however...it will certainly give you the best odds possible. The alternative (one which that nurse's opinion seems to advocate) would be to give up, do nothing and in so doing practically guarantee that you will develop complications and suffer poorer quality of life and an early death.
Some pep talk she gave you. I would have been furious, too.