Having Diabetes. On Glipizide. High Fasting Glucose Levels. Dosage Change Needed?

Posted on Tue, 12 Jun 2012

Question: Hello I am a 67 years old male, diabetic. I have had diabetes since the age of 45. I am currently on glipizide (minidiab) pills 5mg. I take one at lunch time and half a pill (2.5mg) at supper time, total 7.5 mg/daily. My glucose level two hours after eating ranges from 4.8-7 but my fasting glucose in the morning is always high between 8-10.5. What can be done about this? Should I change my medication dosages or replace the medication I am taking with another. I am an active person. I try to do speed walking/ 2 or 3 times a day for 15-20 min. I have stopped smoking 7 years ago. I smoked for about 27 years prior to that. Kindly give me your advice. thank you

Answered by Dr. V. Kumaravel (5 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

I do understand that you are a 67-year-old male suffering from diabetes for more than 20 years and on Glipizide. Your concern seems to that your fasting sugars are still high.

Though your post eating glucose is normal, your fasting glucose should ideally be around 6 mmol. Your fasting sugars are dependent upon various factors like your previous day glucose, stress, sleep, supper and many more.

If your fasting glucose were persistently high, you would require a change in medication. The best is to get an HBA1c (That reflects your previous 3 months sugar) and a midnight 3 am blood sugar. Based on these reports we can decide whether the night dose Glipizide has to be increased or to add other drugs like metformin or gliptins.

Considering your age and duration of diabetes, i feel you would require complete diabetes end organ work-up to assess lipids, kidney, eye, heart, foot and other nerve damage if any.

Hope I have answered your query. I am available to answer any follow-up query.

Regards

Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D