Insulin storage in chemist?

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randomange

randomange

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Normally when I go to pick up my prescription, I hand it in and then go back later to pick it up. If there's insulin in it then when I pick it up, the chemist normally goes to the fridge and takes it from there, but the last two times I've picked it up, they've just taken the prescription off the shelf, including the insulin. On one of these occasions I had come back the next day because they had to order it in.

Now, I was always told to check my insulin in front of the pharmacist when they give you it, because if it's wrong they can take it back and then redispense it, but if you go away and then come back then they can't guarantee that's it's been kept in proper conditions, and so they have to throw it out.

It just makes me a little bit concerned because they had no way of knowing when I was going to come back, so how long would they have left the insulin sitting there out of the fridge?? Has anyone else noticed this?
 
Ours is always 'cold' when i get it - on the odd ocassion that i am not going straight home they keep it in their fridge for me until i collect it. If i were you i would tell them your worries and explain what you have said on here - i am sure its an oversight or someone hasnt realised.🙂Bev
 
When I worked in a chemist's, we had to store all insulin in the fridge, and only get it out of the fridge when the customer came in. They might have had a bag full of meds waiting on teh shelf, but the insulin was always refrigerated until the last minute.

Unless things have changed in the last 18 months, I think I'd be inclined to question them if this happens again.

xx
 
Hi ..

I would agree with Bev and HelenP on this .... Nathan's insulin is always collected out of the fridge and cold when picked up ... also when they pick out his prescription a form in the holder clearly states fridge on it.

Heidi
xx🙂
 
Hi,
Yes, i agree. On those occasions when i have collected my insulin early in the morning, the pharmacist has asked me if i have somewhere cold to store it. Yes, we have a fridge at the office. But it's good to know they are being attentive.

I would mention it next time you go in. You have to be confident your medicine is being properly stored prior to collection.
 
My insulin has always been in the fridge when I go to collect my prescription. Although something tells me that when I used to use Boots I am sure one time my insulin wasn't cold, but that was a few years ago.
 
I'd definitely query it with them. Whenever I collect my prescriptions my insulin is always in the fridge - causes problems if there's someone new in serving, so I always just tell them that some of my stuff is in the fridge.

My pharmacist is lovely though and I trust her completely - as soon as I pick up one lot of stuff she orders the next lot in so it's ready for next time 🙂
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. 🙂 Yeah, before it's always come from the fridge. The weird thing is that this was two different chemists - both Boots, but one in Glasgow and one in Cambridge! I have to go back on Monday to pick up the rest of my prescription, so I think I'll mention it to the pharmacist then.
 
May I ask about my Insulin storage please?....The Insulin that is kept in the the pen, the one that is in use...this is not kept in the firidge is it?

I keep my unused Cartridges in the fridge, but the one in the pen, I am sure I was told not to keep in the fridge...confused now :confused:


Ellowyne x
 
That's what i've been told as well. Don't keep the one in use in the fridge. That includes my Lantus, which i only take at night, so lasts a lot longer than the novorapid.
 
Hi

The reason insulin that is in use is not kept in the fridge ... is that injecting cold insulin can cause discomfort ... that is what I am led to believe .. by both Nathan and DSN

Heidi
xx🙂
 
randomange said:
Normally when I go to pick up my prescription, I hand it in and then go back later to pick it up. If there's insulin in it then when I pick it up, the chemist normally goes to the fridge and takes it from there, but the last two times I've picked it up, they've just taken the prescription off the shelf, including the insulin. On one of these occasions I had come back the next day because they had to order it in.

Now, I was always told to check my insulin in front of the pharmacist when they give you it, because if it's wrong they can take it back and then redispense it, but if you go away and then come back then they can't guarantee that's it's been kept in proper conditions, and so they have to throw it out.

It just makes me a little bit concerned because they had no way of knowing when I was going to come back, so how long would they have left the insulin sitting there out of the fridge?? Has anyone else noticed this?
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Next time you pick up your insulin, make a point of asking them if it has been stored in the fridge properly, as recommended by the the pharmaceutical companies. Remind them that insulin should be stored in a fridge when not in use, and incorrect storage can damage and lessen the life of the insulin.
 
Is the box cold when you pick it up? Are the vials/pens cold inside? Generally the cardboard packing will keep the produt cold for a while. Also there's probably a space of around a couple of hours where your insulin can be kept out of the fridge and put back in again and still maintain it's orginal shelf life. After all, lots of drugs have to be stored in a fridge and most are given over the counter to patients, who probably won't be able to put their meds in thier fridges right away.
The shortest "out of fridge lifespan" medication i know of is Lorazepam injection where it must be used within 2o minutes. I'll try to remember to ask someone on monday.

Rachel
 
Personally whenever I pick up my insulin, If i havent seen them get it out of the fridge, I always feel it to check its cold. So i know they have just got it out of the fridge.

Never had a problem, but if it wasnt cold i wouldnt take it, I would demand they dispensed out of the fridge in this case.
 
graham insuline is always taken from the fridge it has also a little sticker to remindyou that has to be kept in the fridge (looks like a little white snowflakes on blue background)
 
Hmmm.....it doesnt sound right, I think you need to query it.

My guy gets it out the fridge in front of me and its always cold.
 
I asked at work today and it turns out there's no deffinative answer of how long your insulin can be left out of the fridge before it's shelf life is compromised. It could be as long as several days. If you want to save yourself time you could try ringing the drug company that make your insulin and asking them. In some cases, the drug only needs to be kept in a fridge because it's the best way of stopping microbial growth. Twenty eight days could be the length of time it takes before, in a worse possible case senario, the microbial growth gets out of hand and the user "could" catch an infection. I'd think (and i've got no evedence to back this up so it's guesswork) that if insulin was denatured or changed at temperatures above 4 degrees then it would have much more strict instructions on it.

Rachel
 
grahams mum said:
graham insuline is always taken from the fridge it has also a little sticker to remindyou that has to be kept in the fridge (looks like a little white snowflakes on blue background)
Click to expand...

yes, my pharmacy uses those stickers too, but they stick it on the other bag of prescriptions to remind them that there is a prescription in the fridge that goes with it when they hand it over to me.😉
 
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