Can you die from diabetes if you control it?

That's a tough question to give a direct answer to. Because diabetes affects so many different body systems, then there is a good chance that diabetics will die from a related cause-renal failure, stroke/heart attack (because of the damage it does to blood vessels), infection (diabetics have a harder time healing), etc. As long as they keep their glucose levels in an acceptable range, chances are with today's technology that they will be able to live a long, productive life.