54 Comments
Do extremely high temperatures outside impact whether or not you refrigerate your insulin after it has been opened?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
© 2023 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
Always keep it refrigerated even before open
I wouldn’t refrigerate the insulin I’m using, but I certainly would make sure it doesn’t get above 86F — either by simply not going outside with it when it is superhot (we have parts of our house that are always below 86F), or, if I had to go out (like on a vacation) I’d use a Frio pack — but that’s not refrigeration per se.
Extremely high temps are rare for me and hopefully continue to be so.
I live in a temperate zone, but don’t want to worry about the expiration of the insulin and keep it in the fridge while using it.
I learned from tandem that cold insulin can possibly damage their cartridges and so prepare a syringe a day in advance.
I have a box in the refrigerator where I keep all my insulin.
I always refrigerate my rapid insulin. I keep my long acting at room temperature.
The house has AC so the insulin is fine at room temp
I will also place my insulin in a somewhat chilled cooler if I lock up my car while shopping in a location where the car will get hot, and I know I will need a new reservoir that day.
So where was the option for always refrigerate insulin that’s was my other choice not presented
While at home it is stored in my refrigerator simply because I get about a year’s supply at one time. When I traveling, it is kept at whatever temperature I am located in at the time. I know some will carry a cold pack while traveling but I never have.
When I do car trips I keep my open and/or unopened insulin in a Medicool protector mini-cooler, or in a tray away from the ice in a regular cooler. I keep all my unopened insulin in the frig at home. We usually vacation with our RV that has a frig on line.
I never refrigerate it but I keep the vial in a small Frio bag and I keep it in my purse.
I am confused by the wording of the question. I always keep my vials of insulin in the refrigerator, whether opened or not. When I use a cartridge of insulin in my pump, it goes where I go, inside or outside. I still don’t understand what you are asking?
I agree some questions are confusing the way they are worded
I am taking for granted that they are are not talking about pump cartridges, just vials. Many people just put in their explanation whether they are talking about opened vials or vials that have not been opened yet. I think people put explanations since they are stating how they have interpreted the questions.
Thank you Anita and Sherrie.
I do not refrigerate opened vials of insulin at normal room temperature, but I do pack in a cooler when traveling. I store unopened vials in our refrigerator.
I put my whole pump in a cooler when I take it off and lock it in the car at the beach. In the past, I’ve left opened vials on ice in hotel rooms that lack air conditioning in hot places. Otherwise, I leave opened vials at room temperature.
I receive 4 bottles at a time and I refrigerate right away. They stay in the fridge as I use them.
Always keep my insulin refrigerated, opened or not
I always refrigerate Lantus because a vial lasts over a month. I do not refrigerate Novolog pens since it lasts only a few days and Is in an environment with air conditioning. If auto traveling, I use a small cooler.
I am on MDI and I keep pens in fridge. If going out I use a Frio pouch. I live in the desert. Makes me feel more secure I guess that insulin won’t overheat. It’s been 114 degrees. Won’t worry so much when it gets cooler.
I never refrigerate it in the US, but I have on occasion in the past when traveling in the tropics in countries with unreliable air conditioning. Both in the US and overseas when traveling in high temp areas I would use a gel pak in my kit to keep the insulin cool during the day and refreeze the gel pak each night in the hotel room fridge (sometimes would involve asking the staff to put in a kitchen freezer, which was never refused once the use was understood — even in some fairly dodgy lodgings!)
As I checked off, “I always Refrigerate my Insulin”, except when I am Traveling. However, I have not been to a hotel that doesn’t have a Refrigerator. I use a FRIO cooling pack in transit; it hasn’t failed me yet. I’ve traveled all over the world.
May I add a comment. If the Hotel does not have a Refrigerator, I will get Ice cubes and put them into the ice receptacle and put the insulin into a glass and place it into the ice. When home, my nine vials of NovoLog goes into the refer. until I used them.
When traveling with extreme temperatures I use insulated insulin packs.
I do not refrigerate insulin/Symlin pens “in use” while I’m indoors. As a Type 1, I go back and forth between the beach in CA and the desert in Las Vegas, which means sharp outdoor temperature extremes going from say 75 to 115 degrees in a single day, or consistent outdoor temps over 100 degrees through the day (Vegas). Using insulin and Symlin pens, I carry a tote bag with frozen gel packs (as necessary) in which I seek to keep the temperature IN THE BAG below the max tolerable by the pens in the bag. I do not have the gel packs touch the pens directly. Serves to maintain a degree of continuity between in-door and outdoor temps the pens are exposed to while remaining under the pens’ maximum tolerable temps. Works for me.
I have air conditioning at home so I do not usually refrigerate insulin after opening. When traveling during warm weather, I keep insulin in a thermos with ice.
the temperature is not an issue. I keep my lantus in the refrigerator because I always take my lantus in the kitchen and the refrigerator is convenient. I carry my novolog with me so it is not refrigerated.
I have experienced a heart wave like this one. But I live in an air conditioned rest home and have not gone outside during it’s impact on my area of Massachusetts, nevermind the country!
The answer is no, I do not refrigerate the insulin after opening.
During the summer if I am traveling I always keep my insulin with me or in the hotel to keep it cool and never leave it in car. But just at home, a/c keeps it cool and it’s a non-issue. Power outage during summer heat would be an exception.
I use a frio for my opened pens
I refrigerate unopened viles
I always keep my insulin out of the refrigerator after opening. However in the summer at the beach or pool I always put it in a cooler so it doesn’t cook. Years ago when my boys were younger and we went to Florida often to stay with friends their insulin in their pumps would go bad when playing outside in the heat.
I keep them all refrigerated or in a cooler at all times, learned the hard way that even at steady room temp I notice early, minute deterioration.
When it’s time for a new cartridge, I prepare a syringe an hour beforehand, allowing it to come to room temp before filling the cartridge.
I use a Frio wallet for my pump, works great.
I keep all insulin in a refrigerator except when traveling in which case it is in a Frio container if is opened. It is with a frozen cooler block in my suitcase when traveling. I always keep some extra insulin with me in Frio container.
I VERY RARELY refrigerate insulin after it has been opened.
It’s not often that we receive temperatures in the UK that warrant this behaviour [behavior].
Air-conditioned house so the NovoLog vial once opened stays at room temperature. I wish I knew how to protect the insulin in my Tslim pump when I’m outside doing yard work and the temperature is in the 90’s!
All unopened vials are in the refrigerator.
I keep all of my Novolog in the refrigerator, including what I’m currently using.
I always keep my insulin refrigerated
I will put opened insulin in a thermal pouch with something cold when the air temp get’s above 80.
I don’t normally refrigerate my insulin after opening as after I fill my pump cartridge, I usually just put my insulin back into my closet. If I need to take insulin with me, such as on vacation, I do carry my insulin vials in insulin holders that keep my insulin cooler.
Never refrigerate the bottle being used and one extra. Both are in emergency kit in the closet next to the extra bathroom. Others are all refrigerated.
It is known to be a bit hot in Florida. In fact, we skipped global warming and went straight to global heating many years ago. Just wish you guys in the other 49 states wouldn’t compete so hard to out do us. And toFahrenheit rub salt in our wound, you are doing it by 15 or 20 degrees fahrenheit. ( ͡> ͜ʖ͡< )
I don’t refrigerate after opening a new bottle, but if extremely hot make sure it is in a cool place
I usually keep my Humalog insulin in the fridge. When I get down to the last bits (~20u) that are not worth drawing up for my pump, I’ll carry that vial in my kit with syringes at room temp in case of emergencies. I rarely need, so have had vials in my bag unrefrigerated for months and have been happy to find they still worked.
I keep opened bottles at room temp. In 35 years as a type 1, I’ve never noticed insulin being affected by heat. Can anyone point me to an authoritative article on degradation of insulin due to heat? I’d love to read one. Thanks.
I answered “other”. I keep my insulin in the refrigerator until I open a vial. Then it kept in container with other supplies. When I travel in the car for a long trip I pack opened and and unopened vials with a cold pack in a thermal lunch bag.
I keep the insulin bottle currently in use in my pump change supplies carryall that lives in a hallway closet. Bottles not in use are refrigerated. When traveling away from home i carry insulin supplies in a Frio pack.
Some years ago during a trip I had to leave all my insulin supplies, short & long acting, in the trunk of a car for 15 hours of over 100 degree heat. Despite our fears the insulins were, or appeared to be, totally unaffected! Being in Panama City we’re doubted our ability to replace my insulin based on my Cape Toen prescription that I didn’t have with me
I keep the unopened bottles in the refrig but usually the opened bottle I keep in the bathroom, unless it is very warm outside.
I keep the opened vial with me. I don’t leave it in hot car, but hiking, biking it comes along. Rarely I’ll use a cool pack.
Living in Texas and being an active individual, I must pack a small cooler with ice packs and cushioning to keep my pens from getting too cold.
Have used a product called Frio (?) a pouch containing crystals that swell when wetted, then by dehydrating slowly uses evaporative cooling. Always in warm months, rarely during cool months. TSA has never pulled me up for the “gel,” in X-ray. It always keeps the insulin cool. I heard (maybe mistakenly) that once taken out of refrigeration, insulin pens should not be refrigerated again.
The recommendation is to keep insulin refrigerated until it is opened, then to use it within 1 month at room temperature. I label the open vial and pens for expiration in 28-30 days. My vials last 25 days; I carry insulin pens as backup to my pump, and am required to waste most of each syringe since my tandem pump seldom malfunctions. I always regret wasting the insulin.
I’ve kept ALL my insulin vials in the fridge for the past 56 years. I carry a vial when away from home, either on ice pack in high temps or in an insulated pouch if I’m going to be inside out of the hot temps.