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Storing insulin in fridge

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SB2015

SB2015

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
We purchased a fridge thermometer and positioned it amongst the insulin In the door of our back fridge. The temperature varied a lot and ranged from 3 to 11, so at times is not in the required range for insulin storage.

We tried the other fridge, a lard fridge, and the door reads no lower than 11, but is constant. At this setting the stuff in the back of the fridge is frozen, so we cannot turn it down any lower.

Has anyone else checked and come up with a solution? Is there quite a bit if leeway on the storage temperature?
 
Personally, I keep insulin in the salad box at the bottom of the main part of my fridge, as temperature is fairly stable there.
 
I'd be more worried about your food and milk storage with temperatures like that. 11 degrees is warmer than open air at this time of year, and too high for insulin storage, which should be between 2 and 8 degrees. Copepods suggestion is ideal, because the temperature won't vary if you open the door.

But I hate to say this, the solution is to get a decent fridge.
 
mikeyB said:
I'd be more worried about your food and milk storage with temperatures like that. 11 degrees is warmer than open air at this time of year, and too high for insulin storage, which should be between 2 and 8 degrees. Copepods suggestion is ideal, because the temperature won't vary if you open the door.

But I hate to say this, the solution is to get a decent fridge.
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Your right Mike. The insulin is in our 'Beer fridge' so we did not think to bps lend too much on it.
PS do you work for Curry's?
 
LOL - years ago the egg rail at the top of the door was the place just everybody kept their insulin, and now it's always the top shelf in the door. Mines lived in those places for over 44 years so far. Frankly it would drive me bats if the fridge wasn't reliable, though I have never, ever measured the actual temperature in any of the fridges I've owned or used whilst on holiday - and never really had that much of a prob with it.

Any of your kitchen cupboards got an airbrick at the back? How about in a Frio, in the dark, in there?
 
I've always kept mine in the top shelf of the door of my fridge, which does have a cover, so similar to conditions in a salad drawer, I suppose. Have never checked temperature, but don't appear to have had any problems over the past 8 years, even though the insulin can be in there for up to three months (I always have at least one 'spare' box of cartridges, sometimes end up with two, in case of problems, so they can take a while to come into use)
 
LOL - I'm just in the middle of a box dispensed in July! I accidentally ordered even more than double what I'd need prior to our last long holiday! The previous box of the same date had done a fair bit of transferring between home and motorhome fridges and didn't appear to be working well at all (unreliable despite changing sites more frequently than ever, etc) so I slung what was left and started this box. Trouble is I'm never certain whether it IS the insulin or yet another iffy site that doesn't absorb. Hey Ho.......
 
I've never checked the temperature of our fridge and have never had a problem. We keep the insulin in the top shelf in the door, and have built up a reasonable stock so it's usually in there for a few months before use.
 
You're all going to hate me for saying this, but my fridge tells me what the temperature is inside. So does the freezer. The instructions tell me that the salad box at the bottom is approximately 2 degrees lower than the general 4 degrees, so the insulin sits quite happily on a shelf🙂
 
Slightly off topic, but did anyone else have a gas fridge in the 1970s? My Mum worked for British Gas for a while and got it cheap, I think! 😱 🙂 Can't imagine they even exist these days!
 
Northerner said:
Slightly off topic, but did anyone else have a gas fridge in the 1970s? My Mum worked for British Gas for a while and got it cheap, I think! 😱 🙂 Can't imagine they even exist these days!
Click to expand...
OMG yes! We had one in our student flat in Balham ( before Balham had up and come) in 1976! It worked very well, but I was always nervous about it, particularly when we found a notice on the gas geyser in the bathroom that had been removed and hidden that said 'Unsuitable for conversion to natural gas. Do not use!' ...We survived, though ( obviously!)
 
We had one of those at home eventually, but for years it was just the marble shelf in the larder, and a meat safe hanging from the ceiling in front of a window with wire mesh over it. Those were the days!
 
mikeyB said:
You're all going to hate me for saying this, but my fridge tells me what the temperature is inside. So does the freezer. The instructions tell me that the salad box at the bottom is approximately 2 degrees lower than the general 4 degrees, so the insulin sits quite happily on a shelf🙂
Click to expand...
Very posh!!
We are now looking at getting a new fridge in the sales! Mad that it is warmer inside than out, but you just don't know unless you get inside. It is the variation that was worrying in ours, which the thermometer was in the same place. So thanks Mikey we will take your advice.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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