How long does insulin last out of the fridge?

[farmerfudge]

I've forgotton to bring my Novorapid insulin to work twice this week. As a result I've had to make dashes home to fetch it which is a 20+ mile round trip. So I was wondering if I can keep a pen needle at work, but how long would it be good for unrefridgerated? There is no where to store it below room temperature at work.

 

[john.t5]

Hi Fudge,

I was told when first diagnosed I could keep Novorapid at room temp for 4 weeks, I think room temp is considered as 21deg or below. The office I work in is constantly 21deg or above (apparently it's too expensive to use air con??) and I blame this for my insulin going 'bad'.
Do you inject directly from the fridge? - sounds painful

 

[farmerfudge]

Hi john,

No I dont inject straight from the fridge (hell no) but I was just wondering how long I could store it safely at the office so that I have some available when I inevitably leave my normal pen at home.

Cheers Ben

 

[shedges]

Hi Ben,

I've done this myself several times... including TODAY!
I'm thinking about getting a small fridge at work - others here will want to use it to store food, so it'll probably go on the department budget if I'm lucky. And as we're a department of 9 people, I can pretty much trust everyone not to mess with my insulin.

Any chance of you being able to do that at work?

Sam.

 

[cugila]

Here's a simple guide for Insulin storage.

http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/rl_dsl/Publica ... nsulin.pdf
You will have to convert F to C degs.
(86 deg F = 30 deg C which is damned hot for me )

You should be able to get more precise info from the Patient Information Leaflet with your Insulin, or try asking the Manufacturer on their website.

Hope this helps ?

Ken

 

[jopar]

In the main you can keep your insulin out of the fridge for upto a month...

Best practice is not to leve the pen in places such a direct sunlight, on window sill, or within in the car as these places tend to get really hot..

But normal ambient tempretures do little harm to your insulin in this country, and most people actually will use more than one cartidge of each type insuln per month...

I've managed camping under canvas with insulin with out the acess to even a cool box, I just kept my insulin pen with me as usual, then my spare supplies was tucked in under the trailer part of the trailer tent which kept pretty cool sealed in a waterproof container and just kept reblimishing cool water.. Now I use a frilo pouch that is activated by water, which is a brillient little item indeed, can any where in the world and will keep your insulin cool as you travel...

But generally under normal day to day situations there little need to worry about the tempreture of insulin in pens being out of the fridge I've carried my around for 20 years and never found a problem, even the day I left my insulin in the glove box of my car in the baking sun, didn't seem to damage it at all, the latter I have no desire of a repeat profermance though

 

[farmerfudge]

Thanks for all the info guys, v.handy. shedges I wont be getting a fridge for the office I'm afraid, nightmare bearucracy with electrical testing etc. :roll:

 

[totsy]

i keep my novorapid at room temp for 4 weeks

 

[readaboutdiabetes]

Here are some useful tips on storing insulin:
* For more comfortable injections, store your insulin at room temperature. Insulin may be stored at room temperature for up to a month.
* Refrigerate insulin that you're not going to use within a month.
* Do not freeze insulin.
* Keep insulin out of direct sun light.
* Never use expired insulin.
* If your insulin is supposed to be clear, and it is cloudy, discard it.
* If your insulin is supposed to be cloudy, but it also is clumpy or you're unable to mix it, discard it.

 

[vic hill]

one hell of a problem at moment in temp far above norm 30 deg
got a flat trye comeing home from a weekend away in hunstanton just outside Brandon hottest spot in the uk monday Santon downham 33.1 as per norm all stuff packed in boot from holiday but manage to steer car to a safe spot in fir trees spare on and away in 30 mins team work with wife sweat poured of me had got libre on keep up carbs lower the insulin with i had a vial insulin of in cool box.
but now used a little pouch to keep pump in the shade but do worry about insulin as temps are constant high ..
used to have a cool bag which used water to keep cool .
..wil lhave to look for a small cool box for use with car via the battery ..
stay safe in this heat vic 61 years on insulin

 

[porl69]

Insulin will be ok out of the fridge upto 4 weeks.....depending on temp!!! You could get yourself a Frio bag to store it??