Keeping insulin cold

[Winnifer]

When I go on short trips, I will take this small refrigerated insulation eva insulin storage box. It is easy to carry and has thermal insulation effect.

 

[Jordi77]

The problem with a frio pouch is you can't store a smart pen inside it because it shorts it out and then your left with just a pen and unable to use it with the app and check to see if you have had your insulin or not also on the pen because the battery has popped and it's no longer working and this is a major problem would be better if you could get a waterproof pen that way it would work still even in a frio pouch

 

[In Response]

Going slightly off topic here but just a comment if you change over to reusable pens. I always take 2 or 3 disposable syringes with me when on holiday, just so that if the reusable pens break or get lost (yes I've lost my pen a couple of times), I have an emergency method of getting the insulin from the cartridges into me....

I always carried a spare reusable pen when I went away overnight.
For those lucky enough to use both bolus and basal from the same manufacturer one spare pen should be sufficient.
(Sadly, I needed two spare pens with NovoRapid and Lantus).

 

[Antje77]

The problem with a frio pouch is you can't store a smart pen inside it because it shorts it out and then your left with just a pen and unable to use it with the app and check to see if you have had your insulin or not also on the pen because the battery has popped and it's no longer working and this is a major problem would be better if you could get a waterproof pen that way it would work still even in a frio pouch

I don't use a smart pen but I do use novopens 5, with the little digital screen on top.
I've used those without extra protection in a Frio for years without issue, the screen and batteries still work despite it being moist in a Frio.
If you don't trust it, you can simply put your pen in a thin sandwich bag before putting it in the Frio.

 

[Westley]

Some interesting studies on temperature degradation of insulin:

Heat-stability study of various insulin types in tropical temperature conditions: New insights towards improving diabetes care

Strict storage recommendations for insulin are difficult to follow in hot tropical regions and even more challenging in conflict and humanitarian emergency settings, adding an extra burden to the management of people with diabetes. According to pharmacopeia ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

It seems unless you're trekking through the desert with it for many months you really don't need to worry too much.

 

[Jordi77]

If you use a smart pen 6 a frio pouch is out of the question because of the battery and it will short as it tells you not to put it in the fridge either as it will do the same as the battery is one of the little button ones and it sits just under the digital display and I only made one go flat as I used it for a while and had to wait for my new one from the pharmacy and when I got it I had a look to see where it was and found it in a few minutes so that was easy enough but it only lasts for a few years before you have to get a new smart pen for your insulin or it's classed as a pen 5 and it's useless when you use it with the freestyle Libre app and sensor

 

[EllieM]

Can you just use the frio for your spare cartridges and keep your current insulin in the smartpen?