glipizide

Your body breaks down the food you eat into sugars that can be used for energy. When you don't eat, you have lower blood sugar levels. And if you take glipizide without eating, the medication can cause your blood sugar levels to drop even more, which can put you at risk for dangerously low blood levels (hypoglycemia). Symptoms of hypoglycemia include feeling hungry, shakiness, sweating, and feeling weak. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can be life-threatening. It's important to take glipizide with food or 30 minutes before a meal to prevent hypoglycemia.

Glipizide can start to lower your blood sugar levels within 30 minutes after your dose. This is why it's important to take the medication before you eat or take it with a meal to prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping too low.

After a dose of glipizide, it takes about 10-25 hours for most of the medication to leave your body. This timeframe is estimated based on the half-life of glipizide. This medication might stay in your system longer if you have kidney or liver problems. If you've more questions about how long this medication stays in your system, talk with your provider.

Take glipizide exactly as prescribed by your provider. If you're taking extended-release version of glipizide (Glucotrol XL), you should take your dose once daily. But if you're taking the immediate-release version of glipizide, your provider will probably ask you to take your medication twice daily if your total daily dose is above glipizide 15 mg. Remember to always take your medication with meals to prevent dangerously low blood sugar levels.

Yes, glipizide and other sulfonylureas can cause weight gain as a side effect. It's because glipizide tells your body to release more insulin, and insulin then tells the body to turn blood sugar into energy or be stored long-term as fat. Research shows that people who take sulfonylureas gain on average about 5 pounds. If you're concerned about glipizide and weight gain, talk with your provider.

No, glipizide isn't insulin. But glipizide lowers blood sugar levels by telling your pancreas to release more insulin into the body.

Yes, sometimes providers prescribe glipizide and metformin together. Glipizide and metformin work differently to lower blood sugar levels. Metformin is a commonly prescribed medication for Type 2 diabetes. But if your blood sugar level isn't well-controlled on metformin alone, your provider might talk with you about adding on glipizide for better control. In fact, these two medications exist as a combination medication (glipizide/metformin). Talk with your provider if you've more questions about glipizide and metformin.

Talk with your provider if you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant. Glipizide isn't a first-choice medication used to lower blood sugar levels during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). Studies show that while glipizide isn't known to cause major birth defects, it can pass from mother to baby and cause low blood sugar levels in the baby. If you have gestational diabetes, your provider can talk with you about life-style changes and appropriate medication options to control your blood sugar levels during pregnancy.