Ive been using out of date insulin...

[katie]

For weeks 😱

I'm hoping that's why ive needed alot of insulin lately and why I went through a stage of being in the 10's and never being at a good level, grr.

Ive thrown it all away now and i'm using a in date one. Maybe that's why im hypo at 2.6, because it's actually working 🙄

Has anyone accidentally taken out of date insulin and noticed it wasn't working correctly?

Everyone go check their dates just in case

 

[shiv]

i did that a few weeks ago! fortunately i had just put in a new prescription so i had a new batch pretty much straight away!

and yes i definitely noticed my sugars went up. they sorted themselves out when i got the new stuff!

 

[ukjohn]

My insulin never lasts long enough to get out of date 🙂 My prescription is for 4x5 cartridges, the Novorapid lasts about 7 weeks and the Levemir lasts about 6 weeks, when dispensed it has about 12 months date on it.

 

[Northerner]

My insulin never lasts long enough to get out of date 🙂 My prescription is for 4x5 cartridges, the Novorapid lasts about 7 weeks and the Levemir lasts about 6 weeks, when dispensed it has about 12 months date on it.

I'm pretty much the same. My lantus lasts longer these days since I hugely reduced the doses, but even that will go in about 2 months (5x100unit catridges). I always make sure I get my prescription when I still have a boxful left in case I open that box and discover it's 'off' or something.

How long out of date was it, and how did you manage to still have it? Had you been using more recent stuff instead of using the older stuff first, then found out you only had this old stuff left?

Hope the 'fresh' stuff starts giving you more predicatable and better levels!🙂

 

[katie]

My insulin never lasts long enough to get out of date 🙂 My prescription is for 4x5 cartridges, the Novorapid lasts about 7 weeks and the Levemir lasts about 6 weeks, when dispensed it has about 12 months date on it.

I'm pretty much the same. My lantus lasts longer these days since I hugely reduced the doses, but even that will go in about 2 months (5x100unit catridges). I always make sure I get my prescription when I still have a boxful left in case I open that box and discover it's 'off' or something.

How long out of date was it, and how did you manage to still have it? Had you been using more recent stuff instead of using the older stuff first, then found out you only had this old stuff left?

Hope the 'fresh' stuff starts giving you more predicatable and better levels!🙂

They give me way too much each month, like 2 or 3 packets of novorapid, so I always make sure I have more than a month's worth, but would usually not get it every month. Ive been getting it every month so that I can take it to australia with me. The out of date stuff was some spare novorapid that I kept in the fridge at work incase I ran out there and I recently bought it home since the office has been closed down. I totally forgot to check it and it was just the nearest insulin 😱 it was dated 03/09.

I need to sort it all out so i'm using the oldest stuff first, im so unorganised lol.

 

[SacredHeart]

So far I've had about 100 units left on my NR when I've had to chuck it because I'm using such tiny amounts at the moment. I've got one NR pen left after the one I'm using, but I've still got 4 Lantus pens in the fridge. (Not frudge as I just typed!) I hate throwing my pens away when there's still units left, because it feels really wasteful

 

[Copepod]

I must admit, I'd hate to throw away filled pens, which is a reason why I prefer to use cartridges in reusable pens. I always check the dates on the cartridges in the fridge and use the one nearest to its use by date. I'm also careful to only collect insulin from chemist when I can take it straight home to fridge. As I collect 4 boxes of 5 cartidges each time, I removed the cartirdges from boxes, separate the cartridges, leave them in the foil / plastic capsules and store in a small cliplock food box to keep in veg section, as cardboard boxes become soggy if even slightly damp. Use by dates are also stamped on cartridges, not just on boxes. If I'd kept insulin in a functioning fridge, I probably wouldn't worry too much if I used an out of date cartridge, but have never had to.