Background: Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle-related disease and is becoming more common in countries where obesity is increasing. Around 400 000 Swedes have diabetes and the most common types are type 1 and 2. With the disease comes lifestyle changes such as diet and physical activity.

Aim: The aim was to describe patients experiences of living with type 2 diabetes.

Method: A literature based study with qualitative articles.

Results: Eleven themes emerged, meaning of support from social care, meaning of support from relatives, feeling of insecurity about the future, feel like a burden for the family, feel challenged, feel diminished and frustrated, feel guilt, experience the powerlessness, feeling of resignation, reduce their disease and feel secure in their diabetes.

Conclusion: The result showed that the participants had a sense of insecurity in their illness. The disease had a major impact on the participants' daily life when lifestyle changes were part of the treatment. Participants shared experiences about the time they were diagnosed and experienced powerlessness and insecurity facing the disease. Nurses have an important role to be aware of what is the best support for persons diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.