Frio cooling bags

[rossi_mac]

Hi has anyone got experience with the Frio or similar cool bags for storing insulin whilst travelling in hotter climates?

It seems pretty straight forward how they work, but I'm curious to how long they last in peoples experience?

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

 

[Einstein]

Hi,

I have two Frios, one for a pen and the other for two pens and a few cartridges.

They worked well in Corfu a couple of years ago. You must 'charge' them as per the instructions.

Well worth the investment, just trying to think how long ago I bought them, 5 or so years!

 

[Copepod]

I don't bother with Frio bags. Over the years, I have managed fine with a small stainless steel thermos flask (about ?5) while leading a 1 month expedition round Costa Rica (June - rainy season), travelling for 3 weeks in Ecuador (October), 6 weeks in Chile / Argentina, 3.5 months in Chile, Falkland Islands and South Georgia (Sept to Jan), 1 week in Morocco (hiking in Atlas Mountains in May), 2 weeks trekking round Sardinia (twice, September), 10 days trekking in Finland (Aug), 1 week in Jordan (March), plus other shorter trips to mainland Europe and all over UK and Ireland. When I got the chance to put insulin in a fridge, I did or collected some chilled water for the flask. Also, kept flask out of direct sunlight. The flask has the additional advantage of protecting insulin cartridges from physical knocks, which the soft Frio pouch doesn't.

 

[Admin]

Marvellous!

I used frio packs when I went travelling for a year (in 2000) and they were invaluable. I am still using the same packs today - last week on a trip to Morrocco in fact!
They completely protect your insulin ? the gel swells up so much and my rucksack is so battered and been knocked about - but in 9 years I have never lost a vial of insulin!
Another good thing is that unlike the flasks you do not need water in the pack - so no trouble going through customs.
These really are the most useful product I have ever used in relation to my diabetes - which I have had for 35 years.

 

[sofaraway]

I have a frio that fits 2 insulin pens in it. It worked well for me and lasted 2-3 days before it needed re-soaking. It doesn't keep insulin as it was in the fridge but does keep it cool. i've used it for 2 holidays.

 

[Patricia]

This is going to sound stupid but I'll say it anyway: can I just celebrate how much people are doing here! Being in the throes of early days it feels necessary but sometimes impossible to imagine the more extreme experiences for a person with diabetes. I worry about my son not being able to do everything, and all the ins and outs of travel, time alone, etc... And reading a thread like this just helps so much. So thanks.

 

[Copepod]

BSES Expeditions

Patricia - not sure how old is your son just now, but keep in mind this organisation if he's interested in expeditions to arctic, tropical, mountainous and coastal regions - www.bses.org.uk for young explorers aged 16 to 20 years. I've been on expedition to East and South Greenland, Svalbard, Canada, Chile, Falklands Islands and South Georgia with them - last 3 locations with Type 1 diabetes myself, and South Greenland as leader of a group which included 1 lad with Type 1 diabetes. Both myself and the South Greenland lad (now a qualified doctor) act as advisors to BSES (not for profit, been going since 1932, in case anyone wonders) and potential applicants with diabetes.

 

[Sugarbum]

Patricia - not sure how old is your son just now, but keep in mind this organisation if he's interested in expeditions to arctic, tropical, mountainous and coastal regions - www.bses.org.uk for young explorers aged 16 to 20 years. .

Patricia, can I mention to you aswell that he loves active independant holidays I went on a fabulous holiday last year with the Jubilee Sailing Trust. You sail on tall ships on either long on short trips (ie short trips to france or long trips across the waters to the carribean). The idea is everyone has a "buddy". A doctor and nurse are also on board (the doctor on our crew also had Type 1 diabetes!) and everyone, whatever their impairment, has the oportunity to be fully active members of the crew. They have an excellent junior crew programme too. Everyone on my trip had a fabulous time. Take a look at the website, www.jst.org.uk

 

[Patricia]

Thank you so much Copepod and Sugarbum -- so fantastic. He is just thirteen, but it's in his nature to feel a little hesitant faced with everything -- even though he loves walking. We are headed to the Lakes for the first time since diagnosis this Easter. He's desperate to go, but I know he feels a little nervous. Just letting him know what's available -- and possible -- will be such a help.

 

[rossi_mac]

Wow, thanks for all your answers and more! Will defo come back if I have any other queries.

keep smiling!

 

[Freddie99]

Hi Patricia,

I like my walking too. I've recently done a few Duke of Edingburgh's expeditions and loved them. The Lakes expedition was a disaster (not in diabetes terms, we failed the expedition but not due to my diabetes) as we failed. You will need to change his insulin regime a little, in retrospect a lower back ground insulin would have been better for me. I was halving my meal time quick acting insulin or cutting it by even more. Bear in mind though that I was walking with an eighty pound pack at the time. I hope you have a great time in the Lakes, they are such a wonderful area despite destroying my knees!

Tom H

 

[Copepod]

Reducing weight when backpacking

Tom - Sounds like a massive miscalculation to start with an 80lb pack on a D of E expedition (maximum 3 nights) - 20kg or 1/3 body weight (whichever is less) should be maximum for teenagers. You can reduce weight by using dried food (no need for special camping food - supermarket muesli for breakfast, noodles / cous cous / flavoured rice / soup for evening meals and savoury biscuits and cheese in tubes for midday, plus fruit, muesli bars, sweets and drinks throughout day etc are fine), efficient stoves and fuel (ie not Trangias with meths), tent(s) shared between several people, appropriate sleeping mat (not a lilo or mattress!) and sleeping bag. On mountain marathons, the leading 2 person teams carry around 10kg between them for 2 days and 1 night out in the hills. Admittedly, that's taking it to extreme, with expensive kit, but for example, I have a 2 person tent, weighing 1.8kg, which I bought second hand for ?80 in 1988 and a larger 2 / 3 person tent, 3.5kg, bought for ?100 in 1994 - and I'm still using both, including when assessing Bronze and Silver expeditions in Shropshire and Peak District, having gained my Bronze and Gold pre diabetes.

 

[gerryberry]

i have never heard of these bags before, i will have to get one!! where do you get them? not going on holiday till june so no hurry i suppose.....great idea

 

[Freddie99]

You've just found all the areas where my group cocked up Copepod! We should have thought alot more about stuff. It was **** awful navigation that caused us to fail in the end though. I was quite happy to carry that much weight in all honesty. Even enjoyed the challenge of it.

Tom H

 

[Munjeeta]

I used the frio bags in India for 4 months and am planning on using them again when I go back over easter. It's been a while since I used them but they were great, really easy to activate the crystals and they kept the insulin much cooler than without. Would definitely recommend them!

 

[rossi_mac]

gerryberry -
I'm sure there are a few places to get them but I used the following:
www.medicalshop.co.uk
Just fired mine up tonight (so to speak) in preparation, seem pretty cool! Oh and kinda chilly too which is cool. I'll stop now.

 

[Admin]

The orginal site...

http://www.friouk.com