Hey zzyzx:
Although I completely empathize with your sense of frustration, I'm actually quite encouraged by your antibody test results. High-normal C-peptide along with negative antibody tests suggests Type 2, which in my opinion is easier to manage if diagnosed early and treated aggressively immediately.
The core of your regimen will be to lower your insulin resistance, and there are a wealth of drug and lifestyle options at your disposal. The safest and least controversial drug is Glucophage (Generic: Metformin), and it is widely considered the leading first-line treatment for addressing insulin resistance. It's been around since the 70's, I believe, and has even demonstrated some cancer preventing benefits. The primary side effect that some report is gastrointestinal discomfort, but this is often eliminated by taking the extended release formulation.
For perspective, I have a colleague who was diagnosed with an A1c over 11 and switched to a low-carb diet and 1000mg of Metformin XR at bedtime with moderate exercise. Her A1c is now consistently in the low 5% range and her fasting numbers are in the 80's to 90's. Another, more extreme example I found online that I like because he pokes his finger in the eye of the medical and nutritional establishment is here: http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/about-me-and-diabetes/
There are also incretin mimetics (Victoza/Byetta and others) which can result in miraculous results for some but are not without potential risks and controversy. They were initially intended for T2's, but they also have shown off-label benefits for T1's. You can read about my own experimentation with them here: https://forum.tudiabetes.org/topics/byetta-miracle-drug-for-perfect-bg-control-for-recently-diagnosed
There are also a slew of other options with benefits and risks summarized here: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/17977284.php
Your desire to start insulin immediately is not as unorthodox for a T2 as has traditionally been the case. The conventional wisdom until recently, and still the case for many Dr's, is to start with orals and only after all oral options are exhausted in achieving control, move to insulin. In fact, there is an unfair stigma that moving to insulin is a sign of "failure."
The more progressive view that I've recently read about suggests a much more aggressive approach of insulin and Metformin upon diagnosis in order to normalize blood sugars as quickly as possible. The benefits include reducing stress on already overly-taxed beta cells along with minimizing further potential destruction due to mitigating glucotoxicity from sustained BG values over 140. Once values have been normalized for a while and lifestyle and diet changes have taken effect, weaning off insulin becomes a realistic option.
Hence, the approach on which you are embarking could prove very successful. However, I would also urge caution. Insulin is an amazing and also very powerful drug. You can get in over your head very quickly before you know it. As such, I would recommend also having a ready supply of fast acting glucose tablets or liquid wherever you go. I keep a roll of tablets in all our cars, in my desk, on my nightstand, in my briefcase and in my carry on luggage when I travel. Examples can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Dex4-Glucose-Tablets-Watermelon-Count/dp/B001J1ABP8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1399231761&sr=8-2&keywords=glucose+tablets . Examples of liquid can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Glucose-Liquid-Blast-Acting-Berry/dp/B00AB79TK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399231817&sr=8-1&keywords=glucose+liquid
You have gotten some excellent advice from others on this thread in figuring out your insulin-to-carb ratios and correction factors. One method that worked very well for me was to use 4g glucose tabs in order to derive these values. In my case, one 4g tab will raise me 16 points. 1 unit of analog insulin will lower me 30 points during the day, 20 at night.
The other approach that worked very well for me in learning to use insulin was a very strict low-carb diet. The reason I recommend this initially is that this type of a diet results in very slow rises in BG, allowing for lower doses and smaller errors if you under or over inject. It's what Dr. Bernstein refers to as the "Law of Small Numbers." As you become more comfortable and knowledgeable about how your body responds, you can then make the choice to introduce higher-glycemic foods one-at-a-time. You might even choose to move completely away from low-carb. As you can see by many of the discussions, a low-carb lifestyle is an emotive topic, so it's really up to you what you choose to do over the long-term. The purpose of my recommendation here is just to minimize the volatility of one of the biggest variables (food) while you master using insulin.
To give you an idea of an example of my current meals in a day: Breakfast: two eggs and four slices of bacon, Lunch and Dinner: 8oz of protein with 180g of green vegetables with a generous portion of butter (Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, etc). Snacks are usually things like boiled eggs, cheese, deli-meats, almonds, home-made full-fat unsweetened yogurt. Consistency in portion sizes makes fine tuning bolus dosing very straightforward. I enjoy a huge variability in food types, but I try to keep the amounts consistent as per the numbers above. Getting a food scale initially helps greatly. Later on you can start to eyeball the portion sizes as you grow more confident.
Exercise also has a strong positive impact on insulin sensitivity. But this also requires some trial and error because we're all different. Some exercise will trigger an adrenal response and spike your BG, while others will lower it. In my case it's Crossfit and mountainbiking for the former, walking, running, weight-lifting and off-road motorcycling for the latter.
If you're not much of an athlete, don't worry. You don't need to go all "P90X" to see results. Based on my anecdotal observations, even a regular daily brisk walk for at least 30 minutes seems to have very positive effects on insulin sensitivity for almost everyone.
Lastly, try to isolate other variables such as medications or supplements that could be driving up insulin resistance. In my case I learned that taking Niaspan (a pharmaceutical grade B vitamin used for treating cholesterol) caused my insulin needs to double. I've also read that statins (Lipitor, etc) can have this type of effect on some.
Ultimately my hope for you is that you are able to manage your Diabetes through lifestyle changes alone and at most have to take Metformin XR. This is an approach that can work for many, but not all. Time will tell. What I find most encouraging is your willingness to absorb as much information as possible and tackle it head-on. Regardless of whatever approach works out best for you, I'm very optimistic you will achieve the tight control you desire and deserve, and you will lead a long and healthy life.
Good luck!
Christopher
