Patient Story: How Sarah Lowered Her A1C from 8.2 to 6.9

Sarah M., 52, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in early 2024. Within six months, she brought her A1C down from 8.2 to 6.9. Here's how she did it—in her own words.

The diagnosis

"I knew something was off. I was always tired, drinking tons of water, and peeing every hour. My doctor ran bloodwork, and my A1C came back at 8.2. She said I had Type 2 diabetes."

"I cried in the parking lot. I thought my life was over. I didn't know anything about diabetes except that it was scary."

The first month: Overwhelm

"My doctor prescribed Metformin and told me to 'eat better and exercise.' That was it. No plan, no details. I felt completely lost."

"I Googled 'diabetes diet' and got a million conflicting answers. Keto? Vegan? No carbs? Low fat? I didn't know where to start."

"I tried a bunch of diabetes apps, but they were all so complicated. Charts I couldn't read, features I didn't understand. I gave up after a week."

The turning point

"A friend recommended Chronigo. She said it was simple and actually made sense. I was skeptical, but I downloaded it."

"The onboarding was easy—just told me to track my blood sugar and meals for a week and see what happened. No pressure, no judgment. That felt doable."

What actually worked

1. Tracking everything (even the ugly days)

"At first, I only logged when my numbers were 'good.' But my doctor told me to track everything—even the days I ate cake or skipped my meds."

"Once I did, I saw patterns. My blood sugar spiked every time I ate cereal for breakfast. Switching to eggs and veggies made a huge difference."

2. Walking after meals

"I started taking 15-minute walks after dinner. Nothing intense—just around the block. My post-meal numbers dropped from 200+ to the 140s within two weeks."

3. Cutting back on carbs (not eliminating them)

"I didn't go keto or anything extreme. I just swapped white rice for cauliflower rice, ate smaller portions of pasta, and stopped drinking juice. Small changes, big impact."

4. Setting reminders

"I kept forgetting to take my Metformin. Chronigo's reminders saved me. I haven't missed a dose in months."

5. Seeing progress visually

"The charts in Chronigo showed me my numbers were getting better, even when it felt slow. That kept me motivated when I wanted to give up."

What didn't work

Trying to be perfect

"Early on, I tried to eat 'perfectly' and never go above 120 mg/dL. I was miserable and stressed, which made my blood sugar worse. Once I relaxed and aimed for 'good enough,' things got better."

Comparing myself to others

"I read stories of people reversing diabetes in two months. When that didn't happen for me, I felt like a failure. Everyone's body is different. My pace is my pace."

The results

"Six months after my diagnosis, I went back for bloodwork. My A1C was 6.9. My doctor was thrilled. I cried again—but this time, happy tears."

"I've lost 18 pounds without really trying. My energy is back. I sleep better. I feel like myself again."

Advice for newly diagnosed people

• Start small. Don't try to overhaul your entire life in a week. Pick one thing and do it consistently.
• Track everything. You can't improve what you don't measure.
• Give yourself grace. You'll have bad days. That's okay. Just get back on track the next day.
• Find a tool that works for you. For me, it was Chronigo. For you, it might be something else. Whatever makes tracking easier, use it.
• You're not alone. Millions of people manage diabetes successfully. You can too.

Sarah's story is real, but results vary by individual. Always consult your doctor before making changes to your diabetes management plan.