Sulfonylureas: Stimulating Insulin

What You Should Know About Sulfonylureas

Side Effects: Sulfonylureas increase the amount of insulin available in your body, so a potential side effect is hypoglycemia if your dose is too high, if you exercise vigorously without snacking, or if you skip a meal or don't eat as much as you usually do. Check your blood glucose regularly to see that you don't go too low and always be prepared with glucose tablets to treat a low.

Other side effects include skin rash and stomach upset. If you get a rash, contact your health-care provider immediately because it may be a symptom of an allergic response. Be sure to also let your pharmacist know so that it can be entered into your medical profile. These drugs may also cause weight gain because they help your body retain calories that otherwise are lost through the urine when blood glucose is high. Despite the chance for side effects, most people with diabetes can take sulfonylureas with good results.

Glipizide ER and Glucotrol XL use a special coated tablet (matrix). Instead of the tablet completely dissolving, it releases small amounts of medicine through a tiny hole in the shell of the tablet. The hard shell will pass undissolved through the intestine and appear solid in your stool. Don't worry -- the shell causes no harm.