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Have you ever used insulin that was unrefrigerated for more than 28 days?
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I don’t know, but probably
Information about insulin deterioration at room temperature is very hard to find, but results were published in 2001-2002 by the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust that quoted the study “Galenics of Insulin” by J Brange M.Sc et al: [Novo Research Institute, Denmark] Springer-Verlag, 1987. At 25° C (77° F), Actrapid will lose 2% of its activity in 12 months and 5% in 31 months.
Yes, and without any apparent problems.
This only applies to my use of analog insulin formulation and not to rDNA formulations – of course I kept high-spoilage animal extract insulin cool / refrigerated as often as possible.
No. I always keep my insulin refrigerated. When I travel, I keep it on ice.
All the time. A bottle lasts me about a month. I fill my pump every three days. I store the current bottle in a drawer in my desk with my other supplies. My house is normally 68 degrees. Cool SF bay area, in a canyon. Sweatshirts and sweaters all year around.
I keep all my insulin in the refrigerator or when traveling I have a Frio and also a plug in cooler
Yup, for the last 50 T1D years, another pharma myth broken.
New studies make it clear that 28 days means little.
Real world insulin Download .pdf (1.71MB)
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(23)00028-1/fulltext
Insulin Storage and Africa, Dagahaley refugee camp study
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/news-stories/news/msf-study-shows-some-insulin-can-be-stored-warmer-temperatures
Insulin Durability – 2012
https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/insulin-may-withstand-high-temperatures-better-than-you-realize-700059/
thanks for the references.
thanks!!
Always. I haven’t refrigerated my insulin since the early 80’s. If we’re traveling, I use common sense and don’t leave it in a hot car, but don’t specifically pack it in a cooler.
Do not count days and have never noticed a problem with insulin efficacy.
Since using insulin pumps, my insulin usage of only the one type of insulin is about 1 vial every 30 days, so I rarely use a vial longer than 28 days anymore, but before I started using insulin pumps, and was using two types of insulin on MDI dosing, one vial would routinely last me longer than 90 days and back then my insulin in use was rarely, if ever, stored in the fridge yet I never noticed any effectiveness difference between the last bit of insulin from my vial that had been out of the fridge longer than 90 days and the new vial freshly opened and removed from the fridge.
I have heard that at least one pump manufacturer is planning for a pump with a 7 day span before site changes. Does this mean the pup reservoir would be filled only at the beginning, or would a refill be done in situ? How do people feel about this?
I answered “no,” but wouldn’t have an issue in doing so as long as I knew the circumstances (time/conditions). I’ve participated in discussions with people I trust, who have tested use of insulin’s refrigerated, frozen, left in cars in the heat of summer, etc. for various periods. While there has been some noted deterioration of longer term frozen/heated products (less impact to BG), they have still worked to control/lower BG to a large degree. Note: tests included validating insulin’s were discolored, cloudy, bits floating around, etc. That said, I still keep my supply refrigerated until I need to use it or travel short term and refrigerate/cool it (Frio case, etc.) until I need it.
Tom, I had an experience where we had a hurricane. My wife turned up the refrigerator as cold as it would go before the storm. All of my insulin froze. That insulin did not work well enough afterward. I ended up throwing out all of my insulin, and buying new insulin.
I answered IDK but I probably have. My needs are pretty low so I likely don’t get through a whole vial in 28 days all the time, but I never actually keep track of when I open the vial.
Back in the day when we didn’t know anything like 1967 I went to Europe for three months with a girlfriend, and I had all my medicine with me never knew where I was kind of archaic. It’s amazing I made it.
I go through a vial in less than 30 days.
Yes. Our son was diagnosed at 18mos. We often used a vial for up to 40 days, and, even then, discarded half a vial. Obviously, if we had concerns about the efficacy of a vial, we pitched it immediately. Now, age eleven, he goes through a vial in about 23 days, so no longer a consideration.
Your answer implies that you don’t refrigerate the insulin?
During the years I lived in Alaska and bought my insulin from small, local pharmacies, I have no way of knowing if it had been refrigerated the entire time from being manufactured to my purchase. I’ve always kept it stored in the refrigerator or a cooler/frio.
I was actually advised to leave my insulin at room temp for tandem Tslim pump.
I have just got my DEXCON G 6 yesterday I am newbie
Hello Kimberely. This website is a good place for you to be. Best wishes to you.
Way back 60 to 70 years ago, I camped out a lot and I had no way to keep it cool… But I keep it cool all the time since then… I am very carefull with food also… “use what you want and put it back in the fridge” !!!!!!!
Yes, but never longer than 35 or 36 days.
One time, I went to pick up an order of insulin at a pharmacy and saw the person behind the counter take the insulin off the shelf – – not refrigerated! I told him I could not use that insulin and he proceeded to argue with me that it says “does not need to be refrigerated” on a sticker on the box. I took this issue up with the pharmacy management and got no where. So, I also contacted the manufacturer, who verified that it should be refrigerated in the pharmacy. Per the manufacturer rep, the sticker refers to a vial once you have started using it. I sent an email to the pharmacy with this information as well. I then found a new pharmacy on my plan that did refrigerate the insulin.
Daily! No valid need to refrigerate ever where I live. It never lasts much longer than 30 days once its started though.