37 Comments
Have you ever used expired insulin? If so, tell us in the comments about your experience.
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Yes, I’ve used “expired” insulin. I was told by my CDE that as long as it was kept refrigerated while stored, it would be good 2 years past the expiration date.
Yes, but it was only barely expired and I wanted to see if it would still work, which it did. It is the same with insulin that has been out of the frig for longer than recommended – works fine for so much longer than they say. That being said, I don’t make it a practice, just in case..
I already used it after the recommended period for disposal. it gets very unstable. you need to increase the dose predicted to have the effect, as it gets weaker.
Long expired Lantus during a pump failure. It didn’t seem to do much good so I switched to MDI of fast acting only until my new pump arrived.
When I was preparing to retire and go on Medicare, I was concerned about the cost, so began to “stockpile” it (ordering it every time it came up for renewal even if I still had some left over). This was because my current employer-provided insurance had a much lower price for insulin. When I actually started on Medicare I still had more than a year’s worth, some of it already expired. I realize that was gaming the insurance system but by the same token the amount charged for insulin is way high compared to other medications that aren’t as critically necessary.
It worked just fine. I was given the insulin from a family who lost a loved one.
Last year I found a bottle of Novolog hiding in the fridge that was 4 months past expiration. We (T1s) pay too much for insulin, so I did decide to try using it: Just kept a close eye on how it was working. I noticed no difference in the amounts I needed.
Decades ago (literally) had my LANTUS last for 5-6 weeks. Took several months to finally read the fine print that explained poor levels every 6-7 weeks.
@Gene I refill my prescription every month even though I always have leftover. It’s not our fault that our prescriptions can’t exactly match what we use. Doctors can’t prescribe 1.5 bottles. I don’t feel like it’s gaming the insurance, it’s just how it’s packaged. I’m afraid if I don’t refill it every month, the insurance company will start wondering why my prescription is for more than I use.
Each vial is recommended to be used within 28 days. I often have some left after 28 days and it’s fine to use. That’s not quite the same as using expired insulin or perhaps it is!?!
We were given insulin once that was not refrigerated and it was unstable. If I go over 45 days with the Lantus, it becomes impotent too. I use the Humalog until gone and don’t seem to notice it not working. I keep all of my insulin in the refrigerator and take the insulin cold. We are all totally aware of the cost of insulin and it is so hard to toss it in the trash.
Yes and it worked fine.
Only a couple of times over the past 45 years. It was noticeable with my levels.
Yes, somewhat frequently and I’ve never had a problem. Also, I do keep it refrigerated and then remove the vial I’m using and don’t re-refrigerate and even though it often is in our un-airconditioned house at temperatures 90+ for 45 or more days, still no issues. Just lucky?!
When I lost my job in 2012, I also lost insurance so my Doctor cleared out his sample fridge and gave me ALL the Humalog he had at the time. Some of those vials were “expired” already when he gave them to me and even the newest vial he gave me was “expired” by the time I started using it. Some of those Humalog vials were up to two years past marked expiration when I used them, but they still worked just as well as the brand new vial of Humalog I bought when I had new insurance and employment and was about to again run out of Insulin.
Yes, worked just fine…
No, but I don’t change my pump insulin except once per week. Usually it is fine.
In the past I’ve used Levemir that had expired over one year ago (but remained in the fridge), and did not encounter any issues. In fact I’m currently using expired Levemir because for the past year all the pharmacies I’ve visited in Muscat, Oman were supplying me with Levemir with an expiry date of November 2020 (I suspect pharmacies in the country are using the same supply chain). Last month my pharmacy was unable to sell me any more Levemir because their stocks had expired; fortunately I still have a four or five month supply in the fridge, and even though it is expired, I’m confident it will work fine.
No, but I have used insulin far past the 30 days once initially “opened.” I use both a pump and pens. The pens I use only as needed because it gets my bs down faster by putting it in a fresh spot than through the infusion site. It will sometimes take 2 months to use up a pen. I have recently realized I can use up the insulin faster in the pen by using the insulin to load pump. The simple things….
A LONG time ago (1968?) I found that my NPH and my “regular” insulin’s worked just fine for months after expiration dates.
Yes I have used insulin(Humalog) that was expired by about one year. It seemed to work just fine. I use only 15-20 units of insulin each day so I use my opened vial for about 60-70 days far beyond the recommended 28 days. I have not noticed any changes in it’s activity.
Yes I have used u500 that had expired a year before. It had been it the refrigerator all that time before I used it.
In 1966 while on NPH I bought a vial that was not only expired but also not refrigerated, it was horrible but I was desperate.
I did and it didn’t make any difference.
I’ve not used expired insulin, but I have tried to use insulin that has been used and then sat in the fridge for I don’t know how long. It has lost its potency.
It was many, many years ago.i found it a little more variable in action than insulated, but since that varied between 60 and 120 of what I boluses, over 9 to 16 hours, another hour or two duration, or 80% effectiveness didn’t make any real difference
I used expired Humalog and it didn’t realize it
I am currently using expired insulin and have had no issues!! My last endo wrote my Rx for more than I was using so I have an excess. It has worked just fine. I think it is ok as long as it is kept at the right temp the whole time.
Yes I have, but only by a week or so. No difference in it. With the cost of insulin, no one can afford to just throw it away.
Have used expired fast actings by easily a year and did not notice any difference.
The expired insulin I’ve used was a year expired and worked just fine!
Yes I’ve used expired insulin when I’ve forgotten to renew my prescription especially when I was a teenager, I did never notice any difference but that was the time I used Actrapid and after that Humalog.
I’ve never used a bottle that was past the date written on the box/bottle, but I rarely throw out a bottle after only 28 days. I don’t want it to go to waste. I’ve never noticed a trend in my blood sugar’s as a bottle reaches its end, but I’m trying to track it now so I can see if it actually makes a difference.
Yes, and I didn’t see any change in it’s effectiveness.
Yes and it worked just fine. I keep the bottle currently in use at room temperature and store unopened or rarely used insulin (like short & long acting back-up pens when not using my pump) in the fridge. I second what Janis said in her comments – that insulin can remain stable for up to years past expiration date if it remains refrigerated when not in use. I do not discard insulin past 28 days after opening vial or use of pen. I use every unit – good to the last drop!
Glad to hear, that for the most part, it seems to work past the expiration date.
I just opened a bottle last night dated 10/19. I have gone without before.