Glucotrol online prescriptions

Glucotrol stimulates beta cells in the pancreas to release more insulin. The increased insulin helps move glucose from the blood into cells, which lowers blood sugar levels. It’s most effective when combined with proper diet and regular physical activity. Consistently high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) can cause serious health problems.

Blood sugar also affects hunger. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) tells your body you need energy, which makes you want to eat. If your blood sugar gets too low, you can feel hungry, shaky, tired, and/or irritable. By helping your body maintain regular blood sugar levels, Glucotrol could reduce hunger, lead to weight loss, and benefit people with type 2 diabetes who struggle to manage blood sugar levels. Combining Glucotrol with balanced meals that combine complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, can also help regulate blood sugar levels. 

In clinical trials, people taking Glucotrol had reductions in their fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels within 3 to 6 months. HbA1c (or hemoglobin A1c) is also known as glycated hemoglobin. It’s a blood test that measures someone’s average blood sugar (glucose) levels over the past 2 to 3 months. Normal HbA1c is 5.7% or lower. People with diabetes have HbA1c levels of 6.5% or higher.  

In clinical trials though, people didn’t though gain or lose much weight on Glucotrol. On average they gained about 2 pounds in some trials. Because Glucotrol is used with improvement in diet and increased exercise, weight loss may have resulted from those lifestyle changes and not Glucotrol itself.

Generic immediate-release glipizide comes in 5- and 10-milligram tablets that are taken once or twice a day, typically 30 minutes before meals. Extended-release Glucotrol XL or glipizide ER come in 2.5-, 5-, and 10-milligram tablets that you take once each day with breakfast.

The usual starting dose for Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL, or glipizide ER is 5 milligrams a day. Your provider may have you adjust your dose in increments of 2.5 to 5 milligrams once every 7 days  based on how your blood sugar levels respond. For people who are elderly, have liver or kidney impairment, or are at a higher risk of hypoglycemia, a provider may start with 2.5 milligrams. The maximum recommended total daily dose is 20 milligrams a day for Glucotrol XL or glipizide ER or 40 milligrams divided into morning and evening doses for immediate-release glipizide.

Your provider can determine the right dosage for you based on your needs and response to treatment.

Glucotrol is considered a second-line treatment after metformin for type 2 diabetes. Metformin reduces glucose production in the liver and improves insulin sensitivity. Glucotrol stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin. Metformin has also been shown to reduce major cardiovascular events. Glucotrol hasn’t.

Glucotrol and metformin can be taken together and are available as glipizide and metformin HCl tablets (formerly brand-name MetaGlip) that were FDA approved in 2005 to be used with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Glipizide and metformin HCl tablets are an option when metformin or glipizide alone haven’t provided adequate blood sugar control.

There are newer medications that are FDA-approved for and effective at lowering blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes as well as for helping with weight loss and cardiovascular protection. Among these are GLP-1 agonists and GLP-1/GIP agonists like Ozempic (semaglutide), Trulicity (dulaglutide), Victoza (liraglutide), and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and SGLT2 inhibitors like Farxiga (dapagliflozin) and Jardiance (empagliflozin).

For people without type 2 diabetes, many of these drugs can be used off-label for weight loss or have FDA-approved weight-loss counterparts, including Wegovy (semaglutide), Saxenda (liraglutide), and Zepbound (tirzepatide).

Only you and your healthcare provider can determine which medication is most appropriate based on your situation and:

• Blood sugar levels and/or body mass index (BMI)
• Other health conditions
• Cost and insurance coverage
• Risk of side effects
• Personal preference

Metformin, glipizide and metformin HCl tablets, Ozempic, Wegovy, Trulicity, Victoza, Saxenda, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Farxiga, and Jardiance can all have side effects including, but not limited to, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, hypoglycemia, and allergic reactions. Glipizide and metformin HCl tablets can cause lactic acidosis. Before taking any medication talk to your provider or pharmacist and read the medication guide so you’re aware of all possible side effects, contraindications, and  drug interactions.