In our Diabetes Stories series, people living with diabetes open up about their journeys, challenges, and the experiences that shape their lives.
- Type 1
- Type 2
- LADA / Type 1.5
- Type 3c
- Gestational
- Prediabetes
Hello! Who are you? And tell us a little bit more about your diabetes.
Hey everyone! My name is Fajar Siddiq. I’m 34 years old, and currently living in Singapore. I’ve been living with Type 2 diabetes for 1 year.I’m a serial entrepreneur from Singapore. I didn’t grow up with diabetes. I got it from stress that led to anxiety and, after that, burnout. I didn’t hide it; it’s also part of my family history.
It was hard for me. I live alone, and I manage my business, finance, and medical health expenses with the support of government subsidies.
“Take care of what food you eat and your mental health.”
Your treatment
How do you treat your diabetes, did a lot change over the past years and are you able to manage it well?
I receive the most support from the government polyclinic. I also use the Health Hub app, they send me an SMS and also an advance booking via their online e-booking system at the polyclinic for an appointment check-up every 3 months. They do a blood test, eye test, foot test, and ECG, and I get a consultation from the doctor.
The first 3 months I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and was prescribed with Metformin & Glipizide pills. I changed my habits and lifestyle after that. I did intermittent fasting and controlled my food intake. I now only take two pills in the morning and one Metformin before bedtime. I no longer take Glipizide. Glipizide is a strong pill, and it can cause hypoglycemia.
I changed a lot of the past few years. But due to Covid-19 recently my good habits start to change. I work from home, and currently I have my other personal reasons and this makes it difficult to cook and maintain my healthy lifestyle.
I think I manage my diabetes very well. I give myself a 9/10 for lifestyle, but I can’t be stressed. If I’m stressed, I only give myself a 2/10.
Can you recognize the symptoms of a low/high blood sugar? Do you test often and can you tell a bit more about your experiences with low blood sugar?
Yes, I can recognize them. I used to take two pills of Glipizide and 4 pills of Metformin. It drove me insane. I only had one side effect: severe hypoglycemia.
I don’t test my blood sugar, but hopefully with the Lumi Health app in Singapore who partners with Apple that uses the Apple Watch technology, I hopefully soon can test my blood sugar. I just maintain my daily food intake.
To treat my low blood sugar, I eat one tablespoon of honey and relax for 15 minutes.
I never fainted before. I try to make sure that I always read my medication prescription and make sure to not have any of the side effects. So I’m prepared. If I feel my blood sugar dropping, I just sit down, try to open my fridge, grab any food, and eat it quickly. I try to solve everything within 1 hour.
Food and diet
How does your diabetes affect your eating and do you find being on a diet restrictive?
For breakfast, I drink water or coffee. For lunch and dinner, I eat low-GI rice, vegetables, meat, or fish.
I never skip any meals, and my favorite food is chicken and rice. For snacks, I eat fruits, biscuits, cottage cheese, drink juices and other healthy snacks. But for me, it’s expensive to eat healthy snacks in Singapore.
I drink a one-liter bottle of water a day. I think it’s very important.
For me, diet is a healthy lifestyle. But at times when you are stressed, you just eat unhealthy food. Check the nutrition facts on your food and try to eat healthy.
When people ask me about food that I can or can’t eat, I don’t feel irritated. I take it as a chance to educate.
Do you believe that a plant based diet can improve diabetes? Did you ever experiment with this?
Yes, I tried. It is good, but intermittent fasting is great.
Do you have a hard time eating out in a restaurant? And what are you thoughts on making this easier?
No. Everything is good, and I eat the portion of hand palm size, and I choose what I want to eat.
“You can reverse diabetes.”
Exercise and work
Does your diabetes restrict you from exercise or your daily job?
I swim and walk to keep in shape.
I run multiple digital online companies, and in my free time, I have side projects. I make a lot of digital things online. It affects my diabetes when I’m stressed, but it is good when I earn good money, and it allows me to travel and buy healthier food. Both pros and cons, but mainly all good.
Final
Do you have any positive or negative effects because of your diabetes?
To manage my diabetes better, I do intermittent fasting.
The hardest part about having type 2 diabetes is cooking and eating until you get tired. I eat five times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2x snacks in between.
But the best part is to have a healthier lifestyle, I got more handsome and I lost weight. Chicks start hitting on me! Some girls like men who are super good-looking 🤣
Diabetes does cause me some issues. I need more money to spend on food. Medication expenses are supported by the government. I’m self-employed, and I must be careful not to get stressed too much so I can take care of my business.
What is the best advice that you can give to non-diabetics, new diagnosed diabetics and diabetics?
Check your BMI. Use the calculator. If your BMI is high, the chances of you getting symptoms of a chronic disease are near.
Take care of what food you eat, your mental health, do intermittent fasting, sleep well & work-out. Basically, change your lifestyle to get more healthy.
You can reverse diabetes and get all the consultation advice every 3 months from your doctor.
What would you ask the other diabetics?
How can you educate your next generation of children that we have a family history of chronic diseases and make sure we start eating healthy?
Share your thoughts in the comments—I can’t wait to hear from you!
Ready to share your story with the world?
At Diabetic Me, we dive into the real-life stories of people living with diabetes, uncovering the challenges, triumphs, and everything in between. Through these powerful stories, we aim to shed light on what it truly means to live with diabetes, offering understanding, inspiration, and support.
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idk about reversing diabetes, my uncle tried everything and still has to take his meds. maybe works for some but not all, how sure are u it can be reversed?
Actually, type 2 diabetes can often be managed or even reversed with the right diet and lifestyle changes. It’s different for everyone, so it’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider for personal advice.
huh, didn’t know that. Guess it’s worth a shot. Thanks for the info.
Wow Ely, your story is super inspiring! Managing all that stuff alone is tough. Big ups for sharing and giving hope to others going through the same. Keeping an eye on mental health is huge, not many talk about it. Keep going strong!
hey, so u said eating right helps with diabetes, what kinda food u mean? my cousin eats lots of fruits, and he says it’s fine, lol.
Fruits are good but gotta watch out for the sugary ones. Balance is key!