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In and out of the fridge?

SueJB

SueJB

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,336
Location
Heaven
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
cold weather
Hi
Here's something that's crossed my mind and wondered if anyone has any thoughts.
When I go away for a short break 3 or 4 days, either UK or Europe, I always take a spare set of insulin pens.... novoslug and
levemir, put them in my Friobag to travel. If I stay with friends I'm fine and they go into the fridge. I'm lucky, there's a fridge in the hotel room and they go out of the bag and into the fridge, if not they stay in Frio
I know that pens are OK out of the fridge for 28 days and when I come back, I put them back in the fridge at home.......................
So the question is: has their life expectancy changed or if they've been out of the fridge even for 3 or 4 days, have I started a countdown?
So far, I've just assumed they're OK to be used as "new" and "straight from the fridge"
Hope this makes sense.
S
 
SueJB said:
Hi
Here's something that's crossed my mind and wondered if anyone has any thoughts.
When I go away for a short break 3 or 4 days, either UK or Europe, I always take a spare set of insulin pens.... novoslug and
levemir, put them in my Friobag to travel. If I stay with friends I'm fine and they go into the fridge. I'm lucky, there's a fridge in the hotel room and they go out of the bag and into the fridge, if not they stay in Frio
I know that pens are OK out of the fridge for 28 days and when I come back, I put them back in the fridge at home.......................
So the question is: has their life expectancy changed or if they've been out of the fridge even for 3 or 4 days, have I started a countdown?
So far, I've just assumed they're OK to be used as "new" and "straight from the fridge"
Hope this makes sense.
S
Click to expand...


Im not sure I understand your question but I will try to answer. I have been told once I take insulin from the fridge and it ever reaches room temperature, not to put it back in the fridge, and it is only good for the 28 days. If you have had it cool and then put it back in your own fridge, it should be fine, as it hasn't gone higher than the storage temperature stated on the box.

Doing what you have done once shouldn't affect the 28 day out of fridge lifespan. But if they have been outside the fridge at room temperature for 3-4 days, I would assume there's 24-25 days left on them.
 
I use the pens I've taken as spares as my next pen to make sure. I use enough insulin not to go over the 28 days even when I have to take 2 new pens from the fridge at the same time.
 
Dixon1995 said:
Im not sure I understand your question but I will try to answer. I have been told once I take insulin from the fridge and it ever reaches room temperature, not to put it back in the fridge, and it is only good for the 28 days. If you have had it cool and then put it back in your own fridge, it should be fine, as it hasn't gone higher than the storage temperature stated on the box.

Doing what you have done once shouldn't affect the 28 day out of fridge lifespan. But if they have been outside the fridge at room temperature for 3-4 days, I would assume there's 24-25 days left on them.
Click to expand...
@Dixon1995 Thanks, I thought it wasn't a clear question. Think I might need to field this question with the powers that be ie NHS people here
 
Dixon1995 said:
Im not sure I understand your question but I will try to answer. I have been told once I take insulin from the fridge and it ever reaches room temperature, not to put it back in the fridge, and it is only good for the 28 days. If you have had it cool and then put it back in your own fridge, it should be fine, as it hasn't gone higher than the storage temperature stated on the box.

Doing what you have done once shouldn't affect the 28 day out of fridge lifespan. But if they have been outside the fridge at room temperature for 3-4 days, I would assume there's 24-25 days left on them.
Click to expand...
But
Antje77 said:
I use the pens I've taken as spares as my next pen to make sure. I use enough insulin not to go over the 28 days even when I have to take 2 new pens from the fridge at the same time.
Click to expand...
@Antje77, I don't understand. Perhaps it was the way I posed the original question, let's try it another way.
I take my normal pens on holiday with me, ie the ones I'm using at the moment. They don't go in a Frio bag
I take a set of spares too. No fridge in the hotel room but they stay in the Frio bag for 3-7 days depending on the holiday. I don't need to use them
When I return home, I put the spare ones back in the fridge. I don't mark them in any way as having been out of the fridge for a short period of time so I don't know which ones they are.

So the question is should I throw away the ones I've taken as spares or can I put them back in the fridge at home?
 
SueJB said:
But

@Antje77, I don't understand. Perhaps it was the way I posed the original question, let's try it another way.
I take my normal pens on holiday with me, ie the ones I'm using at the moment. They don't go in a Frio bag
I take a set of spares too. No fridge in the hotel room but they stay in the Frio bag for 3-7 days depending on the holiday. I don't need to use them
When I return home, I put the spare ones back in the fridge. I don't mark them in any way as having been out of the fridge for a short period of time so I don't know which ones they are.

So the question is should I throw away the ones I've taken as spares or can I put them back in the fridge at home?
Click to expand...

My mother tongue is Swedish, so maybe I understand you :)

I have noticed with my insulins, that they are OK to put back and forth in the fridge. But - take into consideration, that all the time you have them in warmer temperatures, they slowly but surely loose effect.
I also use NOT synthetic insulins, so they could react in another way, but I have tested a few synthetic also.
So to sum up: They should be OK, but to be absolutely sure, I suppose you just have to test...
 
SueJB said:
But

@Antje77, I don't understand. Perhaps it was the way I posed the original question, let's try it another way.
I take my normal pens on holiday with me, ie the ones I'm using at the moment. They don't go in a Frio bag
I take a set of spares too. No fridge in the hotel room but they stay in the Frio bag for 3-7 days depending on the holiday. I don't need to use them
When I return home, I put the spare ones back in the fridge. I don't mark them in any way as having been out of the fridge for a short period of time so I don't know which ones they are.

So the question is should I throw away the ones I've taken as spares or can I put them back in the fridge at home?
Click to expand...

Well, I have never used a Frio bag, but like I said above, if they reach room temperature they can't be put back in the fridge, as it is not recommended by insulin manufacturers. If the Frio bag keeps your spares below 8 degrees celsius then yes they can be put back in the fridge when you get home no issues.

It apparently doesnt affect the insulin though read more here

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/nov/can-insulin-go-back-in-the-fridge.html
 
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Personally, I’d stick it back in the fridge, and make sure I used those pens next. But I don’t like wasting insulin! I’m using some that’s just gone out of date by two months at the moment, and it’s working just fine.
 
Mel dCP said:
Personally, I’d stick it back in the fridge, and make sure I used those pens next. But I don’t like wasting insulin! I’m using some that’s just gone out of date by two months at the moment, and it’s working just fine.
Click to expand...

I just can't confess about everything I'm doing wrong here yet - I'm too much a newbie :D
 
Dixon1995 said:
Well, I have never used a Frio bag, but like I said above, if they reach room temperature they can't be put back in the fridge, as it is not recommended by insulin manufacturers. If the Frio bag keeps your spares below 8 degrees celsius then yes they can be put back in the fridge when you get home no issues.

It apparently doesnt affect the insulin though read more here

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/nov/can-insulin-go-back-in-the-fridge.html
Click to expand...
Thanks @Dixon1995 I think I've got the idea
 
Mel dCP said:
Personally, I’d stick it back in the fridge, and make sure I used those pens next. But I don’t like wasting insulin! I’m using some that’s just gone out of date by two months at the moment, and it’s working just fine.
Click to expand...
THanks @Mel dCP I don't like waste full stop but I think I'm going to have to mark the pens in some way when they come back from holiday
 
Mel dCP said:
Put them in the box the other way up, or pop a bit of tape/nail varnish on them :)
Click to expand...
Thanks Mel, just had a look at what there is, only 2 Novoslugs left, I'm not sure which has been on holiday so I will have to take them both on the next outing!!
 
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