Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Related Stories
34 Comments
Have you ever used insulin that was unrefrigerated for more than 28 days? Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I put yes. I have used one bottle of insulin for a month at a time, which means every month except for February I have used the insulin for more than 28 days.
I doubt I’ve ever used insulin that was unrefrigerated for more than 28 hrs let alone 28 days. I’ve had a bottle go bad in less than 12 hours in a warm room.
Not 28 days, but once due to crazy set of circumstances, I left all my insulin in a car trunk at a Panama airport for a full day at maximum temperature, at least 33 degrees centigrade. But the insulins survived and worked fine thereafter. Maybe insulins are more stable than we fear.
Insulin is so precious to me – it keeps me alive! – and so expensive, that I try to use every tiny drop. Lantus lasts me more than a month. I pay attention to my numbers, and there’s been no drop in effectiveness up to 37 days (from a pen). Humalog pens last me up to 18 days, so I haven’t had a chance to test that yet.
when Lantus first came out, as an RN,CDE I started many people on it and their blood sugar records many times reflected loss of effectiveness if used over 28 days, especially noted for those on small doses.
I also noticed this with Lantus when I traveled. It seemed more susceptible to degrading at room temp.
I routinely use my humalog bottle all up, and it often takes more than a month. I am careful to keep it at as constant a temperature as possible, inside a thermos away from windows and heat sources and air conditioners. But I did, a few years ago, have insulin that became useless after a long car trip.
Yes long ago and on a planet far far away – 1974
Rick–I luuuuuv interstellar transportation myself, a field I used to work in. But so far, planetary pharmacies are far from prodigious. (|||❛︵❛.)
When on vacation. Yes. But, at home, my insulin is refrigerated all the time
For 51 yrs. Issues are rare.
It’s been a long time but I used to keep in a drawer in my bedroom before I had my own place. Didn’t have the tech to monitor sugars as close then and couldn’t tell if they were adversely affteced.
I use MDI and carry my short term insulin around with me. I change vials at the first of each month, rather than after 28 days, so at the end of each month (except February) I use insulin unrefrigerated for over 28 days.
Driving cross country years ago, my insulin and I survived heatwaves, and many fluctuations in temperature over a month long trip. I think back then it was NPH, and it survived camping in national forests, being injected through denim, and, of course, used with glass syringes, sterilized in alcohol. Over nearly 70 years, I think I’ve given it rigorous testing and am still amazed. I don’t recommend that, but it’s nice to know.
Same for me about 70 yrs… camping, trips, alcohol, glass, etc… From Sweet Charlie !!
I’m on MDI, it takes me about 28-30 days to go through my pens (Tresiba, Novolog). I haven’t noticed any issues with them being out of the fridge longer than 28 days.
The longest I’ve ever kept my Insulin out of the refrigerator was 30 hours, but in my FRIO cooling pack. A 30-hour working trip to the Orient. No problems.
Unopened insulin should be stored in a refrigerator. I keep an open vial of insulin in my medical bag, as you should not put cold insulin in an insulin pump.
Why not?
I’m OCD about my insulin. Don’t take chances.
A vial of NPH I bought from a dumb pharmacy in 1967 while in college in TX
I answered no as I have always had good insurance coverage, and am careful with all supplies.
When I was injecting insulin vs. pumping and using first NPH and then Lantus, the daily amount used was small so I used them for longer than 28 days. I could not be strick with accuracy at that time since keeping track of your BG was not as easy as it is now, plus I didn’t know what was actually affecting the fluctuations.
Also on long trips before FRIO bags I kept in my purse and not refrigerated.
I used to swap my insulin out exactly every 28 days after I first starting using insulin, but for the last few years I use all of it regardless of how long it takes. It does work after 28 days.
I store it in the fridge and take a bottle out every time I need a new one. I don’t put the bottle back in after that. I continue to use it filling the reservoir in my pump when it needs to be refilled. I don’t know how long it takes do use it up.
Knowing a bottle of unrefrigerated insulin is only good for 28 day, @ 100 U per ML and 10 ML per bottle, using 3 ML every time I refill it (300 U), I would assume I go thru a bottle about a lot sooner than 28 days. So I’m not too worried that it’s gone bad.
I keep my “opened” container of insulin aspart in the fridge and let the syringe of insulin come to room temperature before insertion into my pump. I do not use much insulin and don’t want to waste it at the end of a month.
Basically since I use a pump and carry an “extra vial” and syringes in my bag there is a potential of using unrefrigerated insulin.
Did not notice any problems
Yes and it did not work well
On insulin pump, I fill 3 cartridges, 300 units each an put 1 in pump an 2 back in the fridge with what’s left,Seems to work fine. Humalog U-100. What is left goes in the next cartridges I fill, and so forth.
No all insulin pens in frig except 1 ,I am using
I’m a long term pumper, but carry the tail end (last ~10-20 units) of a Humalog vial at room temp and a syringe in my purse for emergencies. Almost never need, so I don’t change out regularly. At least once in a pinch I injected insulin that had been unrefrigerated for at least 2-3mo and was surprised it still worked.
I try to keep my insulin in the refrigerator until I open a bottle, which I use up in less than a month. However, when I am away for 5 weeks at a time (to visit one of the children), I keep the two bottles of insulin at room temperature. It can take 6 weeks to use up the second one, and I have never had a problem. This happens about once every other year.
Until recently I replaced vials (glargine and lispro) every 28 days. It’s simpler to just start a new vial of each of the first day of each month. I keep them refrigerated until until I start using. Acc to pharmacist and looonnnggg instructions accompanying each vial, there is no need to refrigerate once you start a vial, if kept at room temperature. Using cold insulin can cause some pain when injecting.