Glipizide Coupons & Prices

A glipizide coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter when you are paying cash or your insurance does not cover the fill. Glipizide is the generic form of Glucotrol and Glucotrol XL, a long-standing sulfonylurea used with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is already one of the lower-cost diabetes tablets, but the cash price still swings a surprising amount from one pharmacy to the next, even between stores on the same street. Rx.com compares prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, so you can see where your prescription is cheapest today and show the free coupon at the register. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price near you.

What is glipizide and how does it work?

Glipizide is a second-generation sulfonylurea, an oral medicine for type 2 diabetes. It works by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin, which helps move sugar out of the bloodstream. It is FDA approved as an addition to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is not used for type 1 diabetes or for diabetic ketoacidosis, and it is not approved or appropriate for weight loss or for prediabetes.

It comes in two forms. Immediate-release glipizide (the brand name is Glucotrol) is usually taken about 30 minutes before a meal, often twice a day. Extended-release glipizide (Glucotrol XL) is taken once a day with breakfast, and the tablets are swallowed whole, never split or chewed. In practice, glipizide is most often used as a second-line or add-on option after metformin, because it has been around for decades, works quickly, and costs very little.

Glipizide cost without insurance and how to save

Glipizide is available as an FDA-approved generic, and generics of long-established drugs like this one are typically inexpensive to begin with. That does not mean every pharmacy charges the same. Cash prices are set store by store, so the same 30-day supply can cost several times more at one chain than at an independent or grocery-store pharmacy a few blocks away. This is exactly why comparing before you fill matters, and why a coupon still helps even on an already-cheap drug. There is no manufacturer savings card for glipizide, which is normal for an older generic.

To use an Rx.com coupon, enter your ZIP code above, pick the pharmacy and quantity your prescriber wrote for, and show the coupon on your phone or a printout at the counter. It is free, there is no membership required, and it can be used again on refills. Coupons are for cash-paying customers and cannot be combined with insurance, but if your plan has a high deductible or does not cover glipizide, the cash price with a coupon is sometimes the lower of the two, so it is worth checking both. Prices change often, so check again before each refill.

Glipizide compared with other type 2 diabetes medicines

Glipizide belongs to the sulfonylurea family, along with glimepiride (Amaryl) and glyburide. They all work the same basic way, by pushing the pancreas to release more insulin, so all of them carry a risk of low blood sugar and some weight gain. Metformin is a different class entirely and is usually the first medicine tried for type 2 diabetes; glipizide is commonly added to it rather than used instead of it.

Newer classes work in other ways. Januvia (sitagliptin) is a DPP-4 inhibitor, and Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor. These are usually far more expensive than glipizide, and which one is right depends on your A1C, kidney function, heart history, weight, and cost. Only your prescriber can decide whether to switch or add a medicine, so bring the price comparison to them rather than changing anything on your own.

Safety information you should know

Glipizide does not carry a boxed warning. The most important risk is hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can be severe or long-lasting. The risk is higher in older adults, in people with kidney or liver problems, and if you skip meals, drink alcohol, exercise harder than usual, or take other blood-sugar-lowering medicines such as insulin. Learn the warning signs (shakiness, sweating, confusion, fast heartbeat) and keep a fast-acting sugar source with you. Beta-blockers can mask those warning signs. Take immediate-release glipizide about 30 minutes before a meal, take Glucotrol XL with breakfast, and swallow XL tablets whole; seeing the empty tablet shell in your stool is expected and harmless.

Like all sulfonylureas, the label carries a special warning about a possible increase in cardiovascular deaths, based on an older study of a related drug (tolbutamide). Glipizide should not be used by anyone allergic to it or to sulfonamide-type medicines, and it should be used with caution or avoided in G6PD deficiency because of a risk of hemolytic anemia. Other possible effects include weight gain, upset stomach, rash or sun sensitivity, and rarely liver problems (jaundice) or low sodium. Talk with your doctor before using it during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as insulin or metformin is generally preferred. This page is general information, not medical advice; discuss your own situation with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.