Ramadan, the month of fasting, lasts between 29 to 30 days and ends with the festivities of Eid. During sunrise and sunset, you are not allowed to drink or eat. Only in the evening and at night, specially prepared dishes (often high in sugar and fat) are eaten. Ramadan is a special month for Muslims. Not only in a religious sense but also socially: you belong to a community and want to participate. You fast together, and then you eat together. But if you have a chronic disease and use medication, you are exempted from taking part. If you are a diabetic, you’re strongly advised against fasting. If you don’t eat for a whole day, your blood sugar level can drop too low and you can become hypoglycemic. But what if you want to participate in Ramadan? With it being such a special occasion, taking part can be important for you.

How do you handle it?

Do you want to fast? Ask your GP or your diabetes consultant how to best deal with it. Because you do need to organize a few things for this, like, what is the best thing to eat, how much insulin should you use when you are eating a lot early in the morning, and what type of insulin do you have to inject. And what would you do in the evenings? You should check your blood sugar level during the day. And what if you go completely crazy during Eid? Ah well, so your sugar is too high for once!

Keeping at it for 29 days

Mohammed is twelve years old and he did the full Ramadan fast last year.
Mohammed: ‘My GP gave me insulin that lasted for a longer time. I took this once in the morning before going to school, and then again at five in the evening. During the day, I was not allowed to drink or eat anything of course. I totally kept it up, all 29 days! It was not that difficult after all. But I was lucky because it was winter, and the sun went down early. I am not sure if I would have been able to fast during the summer when the days are much longer.’