30 Comments
When you travel for an extended period of time away from your house, do you keep your spare insulin in a unique case to keep it cool?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
© 2022 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
Insulin is safe at room temperature for 1 month. Mine is used up in 3 weeks so never needs to be cool, just not sitting in the sun.
I was told years ago by my pharmacist that the insulin shipped to his store was not refrigerated in transit. I also know that when I put my insulin in my pump it sits there for up to four days with no cooling provided. Now that I’m retired, if we plan to go on a multiweek vacation, I’ll probably ensure my hotel or cruise cabin has a refrigerator. For shorter periods, I’m not worried.
I have traveled for up to three weeks at a time which meant many insulin changes in my pump. I have never refrigerated the insulin while traveling and never had any problem with it working properly.
I put it in a lunchbox with an icepack when I go on day- long bike rides.
Some times frio and some times insulin case with cooling pack
for a long period of time I will carry two sets, one set that I leave where it can be refrigerated and another that I take with me. That way I always have an emergency backup in case I need to have it replaced. With the way the patient/insurance company interactions work these days it can take F-O-R-E-V-E-R (a week or two) and the support people that need to approve the replacement are not trained well enough to understand that type 1 diabetics need insulin to survive. Otherwise….
Insulin is fine at room temperature for up to 30 days. So I don’t worry about it when it’s with me.
Always try to find lodging with a fridge. Cooler with icepack, stored between suitcases for insulation for summer. Traveling in Iceland was really easy. Always cool, so I didn’t have to worry about the insulin heating up in the car.
I use a Frio pack when traveling.
Vial currently using doesn’t need refigeration. Backup does if gone for extended time or as a backup. Carry that in a cooler with a cold pack from freezer.
No, but I do not let my supply bag in hot environments nor sitting in sun even if ambient temp is cool.
Room temperature is good enough for insulin on any trip under 1 month, and I don’t take those.
I put my extra insulin in a Frio gel bag. It stays cool with just water. I’ve had hotel refrigerators that freeze the contents so I stay away from them. I’ve traveled to Africa where My lodging didn’t have full time electricity let alone a refrigerator. My insulin has always been fine.
I have always used a Frio to carry my insulin on trips (Novolog), as I was told it needed to stay cool. But as other people noted, I have been recently told by a pharmacist it doesn’t need to be refrigerated for up to 20 days. Then the logical idea that it’s attached to my warm body in a pump for days. I may get brave and not worry about it staying cool. However, the Frio does protect the glass bottles :). It is shipped to me in a cooled container. I do always request a fridge in hotels.
I use a Frio when I travel on extended trips away from home. That hasn’t been happening lately for me due to the pandemic.
If a small ice chest is a unique case then I would answer yes.
I use a FRIO evaporative cooler pouch.
Frio
I put an extra vial in a FRIO for backup.
When traveling for a few days I always carry my insulin in my purse. It’s going to be with me and I’m going to be in a cool place.
Unique like a cooler maybe
Everything goes into a Frio when the temperature goes above 86 F on a trip. I try to avoid trips to particularly hot climates.
I use a Frio. Works perfectly.
I have a Frio case. It works GREAT!!!
I rarely go where there won’t be an easily accessible refrigerator. Until I get there, my insulin is usually kept in my purse (never in the trunk of the car). The rare times I go somewhere without a fridge, I’ve kept it in a lunch bag with some ice packs seperated by a washcloth so it doesn’t freeze.
Frio for over night. I have a small electric cooler for longer. Goes in car and hotel. I have had insulin freeze in hotel refrigerators. I have also used a small yeti. The costs of being diabetic that isn’t counted.
I use a Frio bag until we reach out destination. Then I put it in a refrigerator if possible.
I keep it in a waterproof case and try to keep it in a cooler or refrigerator when possible on the road or traveling.
I wasn’t sure what cool meant, so I chose other.
I do not keep it with an ice pack where it would last more than 28 days, but it is kept in an insulated container that keeps it safe not to rise above room temperature or freeze.
We often travel internationally and I find it easier to pack prefilled cartridges along with bringing my vial of insulin.
If I don’t have access to a fridge (road trip, in between hotels, during flights) I love using a Frio bag, it provides a ton of peace of mind