Diabetes and Your Health

You do not strictly need a referral from a Polyclinic or a General Practitioner to book an appointment with us. Many of our patients choose to self-refer because they want the expertise of a consultant-led clinic immediately upon noticing symptoms or receiving an abnormal health screening result. However, some insurance needs you to have a referral from GP to allow the visit to be claimed.  Please check with the clinic staff if you are hoping to use your corporate insurance.

We understand that diabetes management requires regular visits, so we have strategically located our clinics in two of Singapore’s most accessible medical hubs: Gleneagles Medical Centre (Napier Road) and Parkway East Medical Centre (Joo Chiat). Both locations are well-served by public transport and offer ample parking for those who prefer to drive.

Our Gleneagles clinic is conveniently located near the Napier MRT station (Thomson-East Coast Line), while our Parkway East location serves our patients in the East with ease. Both facilities are designed with patient comfort in mind, offering a professional yet welcoming environment. We believe that reducing the friction of travel makes it much easier for you to stay committed to your long-term health goals and follow-up appointments.

Yes, LW Cho Endocrine Clinic is designed to be a comprehensive hub for your metabolic health. We provide everything from advanced diagnostic blood testing, including HbA1c, to personalised lifestyle and nutritional guidance. We understand that diabetes isn’t just about a prescription but about how you live your life every day.

Our services are also specialised for expectant mothers seeking gestational diabetes treatment in Singapore. We provide a one-stop experience where we monitor both your glucose levels and the health of your pregnancy, offering safe medication strategies and tailored nutrition plans to ensure a smooth delivery. By integrating medical treatment with practical lifestyle education, we ensure you have all the tools you need under one roof, saving you the hassle of visiting multiple different clinics.

Yes, but with specific safety responsibilities. In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Traffic Police have guidelines to ensure that drivers on insulin do not pose a risk to themselves or others due to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To drive safely, you must have hypoglycemia awareness, meaning you can feel the warning signs when your sugar levels drop.

Dr. Cho will work with you to certify your fitness to drive. Generally, you should not have had any severe hypoglycemic episodes (where you needed help from someone else) in the past 12 months. We also advise all our insulin-dependent drivers to check their blood sugar before getting behind the wheel and to always keep a source of fast-acting glucose, like sweets or juice, in the glove box. With the new 2026 digital medical reporting systems (HMER), the process for certifying your fitness to drive has become even more streamlined during your regular clinic reviews.

While we don’t often use the word “cure,” many patients can achieve what we call “diabetes remission.” This is especially true for those seeking pre-diabetes treatment in Singapore. By intervening early with significant lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, a low-glycemic diet, and regular strength training, it is entirely possible to bring your blood sugar levels back into the normal range without the need for long-term medication.

Even if you have already been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, aggressive management in the early years can often allow you to reduce or even stop your medications. However, it’s important to remember that the tendency for high blood sugar remains. Think of it like a fire that has been put out; as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle, the fire stays out, but the “fuel” (genetics and metabolic history) is still there. We focus on sustainable habits so that you can stay off medication for as long as possible.

Think of these two tests like a “photo” versus a “movie.” A finger-prick test (using a glucometer) gives you a “photo” of exactly what your blood sugar is at that specific moment. It’s influenced by what you just ate, your stress levels, or whether you just exercised. This is vital for day-to-day management and for avoiding dangerous lows.

The HbA1c test, on the other hand, is like a “movie” that shows your average blood sugar levels over the last three months. It measures how much sugar is stuck to your red blood cells. Since red blood cells live for about 120 days, this test gives Dr. Cho a high-level view of how well your overall treatment plan is working. We use both tests together: the finger-pricks help you make daily decisions, while the HbA1c tells us if we need to adjust your long-term strategy.

LW Cho Endocrine Clinic offers teleconsultation services for stable follow-up patients. This is particularly useful for reviewing your latest blood test results, adjusting medication dosages, or discussing your Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) data.

While your initial physical examination and certain diagnostic procedures must be done in person, teleconsultations provide a convenient way to stay in touch with Dr. Cho between major visits. We use secure platforms to ensure your medical data remains private, and any necessary prescriptions can often be arranged for delivery or self-collection, making your management plan fit seamlessly into your 2026 digital lifestyle.

To make the most of your time with a Singapore diabetes specialist, preparation is key. We recommend that you bring a full list of your current medications (or the actual boxes) and any recent blood test results or health screening reports you may have. If you use a glucometer or a CGM, please bring the device or ensure your data is synced to the relevant app so Dr. Cho can review your sugar trends.

For your first visit, it is often best to come in a fasting state (no food or drinks except water for at least 8 hours). This allows us to draw accurate baseline blood samples immediately if needed. We also suggest writing down a list of any symptoms you’ve noticed, like increased thirst, blurred vision, or slow-healing wounds, and any questions you have. Our goal is for you to leave your first consultation feeling empowered and clear about your path forward.

You might be a great candidate for an insulin pump if you have Type 1 Diabetes and find it difficult to manage your sugar levels with multiple daily injections, or if you frequently experience the dawn phenomenon (high sugar in the morning). Pumps offer much more precision and flexibility in how insulin is delivered.

CGMs, on the other hand, are becoming a standard of care for almost everyone with diabetes, including those with Type 2. A CGM provides a real-time graph of your sugar levels 24/7, showing you exactly how different foods or activities affect you. During your consultation, Dr. Cho will assess your lifestyle, your tech-readiness, and your clinical needs to determine which of these advanced tools will offer you the most benefit.

Your kidneys are made up of millions of tiny filters called glomeruli. Over time, high blood sugar can damage these filters, causing them to leak protein and eventually work less effectively. This is known as diabetic nephropathy. The eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) is a number we calculate from a blood test to see how well your kidneys are filtering waste; a higher number is generally better.

If your eGFR starts to trend downward, it is a signal that we need to be even more diligent with your blood sugar and blood pressure control. The good news is that with modern medications, such as SGLT2 inhibitors, we now have powerful tools that don’t just lower sugar but also directly protect the kidneys. Regular screening of your eGFR and urine protein is a standard part of our care at LW Cho Endocrine Clinic, ensuring we catch and treat any kidney changes long before they become serious.