Do you keep your current insulin in the fridge?open it

[Radders]

i've always kept my current vial out of the fridge but now that my total insulin requirements have dropped, a vial lasts longer than a month, and if I refill the pump five times I definitely notice that the insulin in the last refill is less effective. That means I would have to throw away the vial after 24 days, still containing 400 units which seems wasteful.
I'm wondering whether the insulin would last longer if it was in the fridge, or whether it is the time when you first open it that counts? I just know I will forget to get it out in time to warm up before refilling though.

 

[Redkite]

No, we were told that when you start a vial, that starts the clock ticking, and after 28 days you should discard any remaining. You say you've already noticed that it becomes less effective towards the end of a vial, so don't risk it!

 

[SB2015]

I was also told to keep the current one out of the fridge and discard after 28 days. Since I am quite often more than an hour from home I just carry a small bag with cannula, infusion set, cartridge, pusher in, and vial in my handbag so no time for it to be in the fridge. I have got caught out so glad to have these with with me.

I too often have some left over as I don't use a lot of insulin, but I want my diabetes to fit round my life so I just accept that. I have tended now to fill my pump with a little extra so it allows me to remove any big bubbles that appear without any concerns about running out.

With FIASP I am changing cartridge every three days so with the set priming there is only a little left.

 

[HOBIE]

Why is this in Pumping section ? Same as Pens ? Have never stored Insulin anywhere else but fridge. Apart from holiday 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Always stuck mine back in the fridge after using it whether it was for jabs a million years ago or for my Combo pump. Never noticed any difference re effectiveness but whatever - if you are supposed to chuck it - chuck it!

 

[Radders]

Why is this in Pumping section ? Same as Pens ? Have never stored Insulin anywhere else but fridge. Apart from holiday 🙂

It's not quite the same though Hobie if you only fill the pump every six days.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Mine has always been kept in the fridge and have always used past the 30 days. From reading the instructions with Fiasp it does imply to keep open vials in the fridge, with my bovine insulin it always stayed stable no matter where it was kept.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Why is this in Pumping section ? Same as Pens ? Have never stored Insulin anywhere else but fridge. Apart from holiday 🙂

Hobie what is it with you and your criticism of where posts are put? You have been guilty on many occasions of placing posts in the wrong forum yourself 🙄
This post is exactly where it's meant to be and for a reason. 😛

 

[Radders]

Always stuck mine back in the fridge after using it whether it was for jabs a million years ago or for my Combo pump. Never noticed any difference re effectiveness but whatever - if you are supposed to chuck it - chuck it!

The reason I don't keep my current vial in the fridge is because I was told that filling the cartridge from a cold vial would lead to bubbles - is this a myth, do you reckon? Interested to hear from the fridge- keepers on this one!

 

[Radders]

No, we were told that when you start a vial, that starts the clock ticking, and after 28 days you should discard any remaining. You say you've already noticed that it becomes less effective towards the end of a vial, so don't risk it!

Yes you're right Redkite but I was thinking that if it's in the fridge in between uses it might last longer than 28 days. I'm sure I have read other comments on the forum from people who have used it for longer by doing this.
I suppose the air we inject into the vial might be what starts the deterioration. I'm always looking for ways to avoid waste if at all possible though!

 

[Radders]

I was also told to keep the current one out of the fridge and discard after 28 days. Since I am quite often more than an hour from home I just carry a small bag with cannula, infusion set, cartridge, pusher in, and vial in my handbag so no time for it to be in the fridge. I have got caught out so glad to have these with with me.

I only carry a spare pen - I worry I would break the vial if I carried it everywhere!

 

[HOBIE]

The reason I don't keep my current vial in the fridge is because I was told that filling the cartridge from a cold vial would lead to bubbles - is this a myth, do you reckon? Interested to hear from the fridge- keepers on this one!

Hi Radders. I always keep my insulin in the fridge like you are suppose to. I have never had probs with bubbles like some. That's half bottles full ones. No difference since being on pens inc Glass syringes. Prob before fridges where common 😉

 

[stephknits]

I always take mine out and about so that I can change if needed. The DSN has always said to keep current one out of fridge and with you.

 

[Radders]

Hi Radders. I always keep my insulin in the fridge like you are suppose to. I have never had probs with bubbles like some. That's half bottles full ones. No difference since being on pens inc Glass syringes. Prob before fridges where common 😉

When you say "like you are supposed to", would you mind explaining why you say that please Hobie? I have always been told not to!

 

[HOBIE]

I was told to store Insulin in the fridge. It gets delivered from the chemist in a different bag from tablets because they store it in a cold bit of the van. Ask your chemist 🙂

 

[Radders]

I was told to store Insulin in the fridge. It gets delivered from the chemist in a different bag from tablets because they store it in a cold bit of the van. Ask your chemist 🙂

Ah, I see! Yes of course I keep it in the fridge before it's opened but that instruction doesn't apply to the cartridge or vial currently in use, so I was told.

I was just looking at the instructions for my insulin and apparently I should be changing the whole set every 48 hours! Well I don't think that's ever going to happen.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Why is this in Pumping section ? Same as Pens ? Have never stored Insulin anywhere else but fridge. Apart from holiday 🙂

I was on Ultratard basal for around 20 years until 2006. 10ml vials and injected via a syringe. I always kept it in the fridge when in use and at 1000 units per bottle and using around 20-25 units per day this lasted 40-50 days. Never had any problems with it.

 

[Radders]

I was on Ultratard basal for around 20 years until 1986. 10ml vials and injected via a syringe. I always kept it in the fridge when in use and at 1000 units per bottle and using around 20-25 units per day this lasted 40-50 days. Never had any problems with it.

Thanks Matt. Isn't it odd how we have all been told different things!

 

[trophywench]

I've never had less bubbles initially when filling either type of syringe or plastic pump reservoirs whether it was kept in the fridge or the latest one left out. It is true that doctors invariably used to tell us to keep animal insulin in the fridge between jabs, and when I changed to synthetic stuff and pens I only kept the 'in use' pens of bolus insulin in my handbag - the basal pen when it was one jab at night again in the fridge, only later using 2 x Levemir a day did I start leaving that basal pen in my bag too. I've never ever noticed any difference when jabbing cold insulin or room temp insulin.

I have had two whole occlusions in pumps - first with the Combo - I'd changed the whole caboodle one day somewhere where there was no light, me thinking at the time I could see ok. Ooops - I'd entirely omitted to prime the tubing! The second time with the Insight when I'd somehow managed to fold the tubing in two and trapped it somewhere it couldn't escape from. That's in 8 years of pumping and both times it was 'User Error'.

Like I said Radders - if you think it deteriorates after 28 days out of the fridge - then sling it. Or keep it in the fridge!

However what's 'normal room temperature' ? and how can we ensure easily that every room either us or our insulin is in during every period of 28 days is 'normal' ? - we can't, can we?

 

[trophywench]

Ultratard was an insulin zinc suspension, much as a number of older ones were - and they DID have to be fridged else they went crystalline - Humalin I does that too if it's out too long. The one or two a day older animal insulins did that too.