Mr. Sameer Chawla is a self-employed project consultant, originally from Chandigarh, currently living in Noida with his wife and son. A type-2 diabetic with a job that required travelling all around the world, he has had a health journey that many working people might relate to. By no means a miracle-worker, he has gained a strict control over his sugar levels by his smart, calculated efforts.

Let us look at his journey from the very beginning.

Mr. Chawla had a family history of diabetes so in 2005 when he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes himself, it was not much of a shocker.

“I was working in Malaysia when I was diagnosed with high sugar levels during a regular check-up. My mother and grandmother were also diabetic so I thought okay, that’s nothing new. I started with my medications and went on with my life as usual.”

At that time, his work involved a lot of travel. He did not have the time to pay much attention to his health along with the other things going on in his life. Nonetheless, whenever he saw his sugar levels rising, he used to modify his lifestyle to get them back under control. But as soon as they were, he used to forget about them once again.

“It was like a pattern, you know. I did not monitor my sugar levels regularly. So whenever I did and found out that they were high, I used to make the necessary adjustments in my life to get them back under control. But once I saw that now they’re controlled, I used to forget about them, let loose and go on with my life as usual. This went on for around 10 years.”

Undergoing a heart procedure

“I came back to India in 2013 and by 2014, I had to undergo a CABG (bypass) surgery for my heart. Apart from some breathing trouble, I did not feel any major symptom. It was a weird time for me because the reports my body was unhealthy yet I was not feeling anything. My family and I were definitely worried about undergoing the procedure and I felt a sense of regret for not paying attention to my health earlier.”

Mr. Chawla saw the famous saying ‘Diabetes is a silent killer that affects all our organs’ coming true right before his eyes. In his difficult time, Mr. Chawla’s major support was his doctor who detected his heart problem in the first place. He consulted Dr. Ajay in 2014 and since then has been a regular patient of his. He speaks very highly of the doctor.

“He’s a doctor of par excellence. I have never seen a doctor of his stature. He peculiarly stands out because he provides the patients with the comfort levels that they need. When your doctor is so calm and composed, you immediately feel at ease yourself.”

What kept him going in this difficult time was the reassurance he received from Dr. Ajay.

“My problem was so huge at that time when I went to him but he reassured me to not worry about it and it’ll be okay. 5 months later he told me that he was scared seeing my situation but did not let it show even in the slightest. He’s my family doctor now. He’s our first line of defense when anything goes wrong.”

During the time of his CABG, his HbA1C went up to 12 and he was prescribed Lantus insulin to control his sugar levels. Since then he has been taking insulin alongside his medicines.

It’s not easy changing your lifestyle in a day, especially when you’re so busy with other things. So despite a major scare like this, Mr. Chawla fell into the old trap again. He controlled the sugar levels for some time since they were high and kept them under control till 2017. After that, he again let loose.

But all one needs is that moment of clarity and determination, along with a helping hand, to keep you going. Mr. Chawla finally got his.

Taking the vow of a healthy lifestyle

May 6, 2020 was the day that Mr. Chawla remembers so well. In his words, it was the day he changed his ways and turned his life around.

“I got an HbA1C done on May 6, 2020 and it was found to be 11.8. My levels have been higher before and I’ve worked to control them but this time it was different. On seeing these high levels on May 6, I decided that this time I will not let go of my goals even for a second.”

That was the day he started following a very healthy and strict routine. He modified his lifestyle to manage his sugar levels and started monitoring them regularly.

“Since that day, I have made two important changes in life. One is that I monitor my sugar levels every day whereas earlier I used to do it only a few times in a month. The second thing I have changed is stricter timelines for my food. I eat at particular times and manage those times according to the gap I have to keep between meals. I was never a heavy eater but I was not punctual with my meals. That I have changed.”

To help me with my lifestyle modifications, Dr. Ajay recommended Zyla to me.

“My experience with Zyla has been great. Their response time is great. And I’m not an easy guy to please. I myself deal with customer satisfaction so I know that there’s always scope for improvement so I never give anyone a 5/5 but with Zyla, whenever I use the app I am satisfied with their functioning and their entire team. They give me satisfactory replies to everything and help me with my day-to-day routine. It has been so amazing that I have further recommended Zyla to some people.”

A healthier life

Mr. Chawla’s routine now includes walks in the morning and after dinner, a strict eating schedule, and some ayurvedic remedies along with his medicines and insulin.

“My FBS has never been under 120-130 earlier but from 6th May 2020 onwards, every day my FBS levels have not gone beyond 100-105 ever. Even my insulin dose has come down from 18 to 10 units.”

When he got his HbA1C test done again in November it came out to be 7.3 and even though he was happy, he has set his goal to 6 and is definitely not stopping or reverting back to his old lifestyle now. He has broken free from his pattern of highs and lows and will be continuing on his health journey.

“I am glad about my HbA1C reduction but to keep my healthy routine going I need an even bigger goal so I am aiming at bringing my HbA1C down to 6. One of the biggest challenges in my life is laziness to follow this routine. Many times I had high sugar levels, controlled them and then left it. But this time I’m not letting loose. It’s a promise to myself. If I can control it now, I could always control it.”

His better half is his biggest supporter

“My wife has been super supportive. She has helped me adopt this discipline. She was happier about my HbA1C reduction than me. She is always asking me about my sugar levels and keeping a track of them along with me. She makes it a point to give me ayurvedic remedies like karela juice, methi water, cinnamon powder. But of course, she gives me a scolding whenever I cheat and eat something unhealthy. So she definitely keeps me on my toes.”

His message to fellow diabetics

“I certainly swear by the saying now that ‘A stitch in time saves nine’. I urge fellow Diabetics to learn from my experience, not ignore their health and make it their first priority for he who has health, has everything in life. Seek help if that’s what you need to keep you motivated but do take a step for yourself. It’s never too late. There are many simple things you can start with like controlling your food intake and portion sizes, avoid late-night food and eat at fixed hours.”