Fridge door left open....

[Redkite]

My fridge door somehow got left open (probably 6pm-ish by son getting yoghurt out, but I didn't find it till 10.30pm, by which time the temp in the fridge was 20 degrees). Will the insulin still be ok for long-term storage, or do I need to use it up now within 28 days?

 

[Scotia]

I would be careful.

Check it out, go to a shop that sells a fridge!!!

 

[Northerner]

My fridge door somehow got left open (probably 6pm-ish by son getting yoghurt out, but I didn't find it till 10.30pm, by which time the temp in the fridge was 20 degrees). Will the insulin still be ok for long-term storage, or do I need to use it up now within 28 days?

I think it will probably be OK. The fridge will have taken a while to warm up to room temperature, so the insulin probably won't have been exposed to much of a rise - similar maybe to the time it might spend out of refrigeration during some periods of its transport.

My fridge would probably not rise above 10 degrees at this time of year, your house is nice and toasty!

 

[Redkite]

Thanks. Yes I hate being cold, but dread to think what my heating bills will be this winter 😱

The fridge has taken all night to get back to almost normal (it's still 7 or 8 degrees though). Hopefully the insulin will be ok - I didn't think about transporting it home taking a few hours, I always rush it straight home from the pharmacy to the fridge!!! Paranoid 🙄

 

[delb t]

Yep weve done this twice now!- but it was open overnight Ive always played cautious - and given it 28 days- the docs were fine I explained what had happened!- we now do a fridge check before bed.Will H when hes at Uni?.......

 

[Redkite]

Thanks, I think I might order some more insulin, but not throw away the ones I have - I'll put labels on them so if he starts getting problems I can throw it away at that point. Our fridge is in a really stupid place, behind the kitchen door (wasn't me who designed the kitchen layout!), so unless you're actually going to the fridge for something you can't see if it's shut or not 😡

 

[DeusXM]

You don't need to worry.

Insulin lasts AT LEAST 28 days at room temp. If the insulin is unopened, then whatever is in your fridge will last in the fridge up to the expiry date on the packet. Once it's open, it's 28 days minus however long your fridge was open for.. So if you take a cart out now and open it, that cart will last maybe 27 days and 20 hours as a minimum.

Insulin is lot tougher than people think. When I lived in the Middle East (where average summer temps are in the 40s) I would keep insulin pens in my pocket for a couple of weeks without any problems.

The only time I've ever had temperature problems with insulin has been when I've fretted it's not been kept cold enough, put the fridge on too cold and semi frozen a few carts.

 

[Redkite]

Thankyou DeusXM, that is reassuring 🙂

Good point as well - must make sure I don't let it go too far the other way, as I've turned the fridge dial right up....

 

[Clarkey]

My fridge door somehow got left open (probably 6pm-ish by son getting yoghurt out, but I didn't find it till 10.30pm, by which time the temp in the fridge was 20 degrees). Will the insulin still be ok for long-term storage, or do I need to use it up now within 28 days?

I know others have responded, but I would say don't worry about it. The reason I say that is because when you put a new cartridge in your insulin pen it stays there for several days whilst you are using it right? Therefore the insulin in your pen would be at room temperature but it is still ok to use.

So based on that i'd say several hours out of the fridge and then put back in shouldn't be a concern. I hope that helps.