faulty insulin?

[charliemcloud53]

Hi, first time here. Last sat eve my pre bed BG read 22.5, no illness, hadn't eaten any differently. Short story my ketone maxed out and I was admitted to A+E barely able to walk, vomiting, diaohrea etc.
Was stabilised v quickly and sent home on Wed (yesterday)
Pre bed check read 21.3! took a 10 units and best it got after 4 hours was 19.6.
I suspected my insulin batch as the first event had occurred on starting a fresh batch on the Saturday so at4. 30am I took 10units using one of the disposable pens they gave me in hospital, now 7am and BG is 11.1, feeling OK.
Anyone had probs with faulty insulin or does it even happen?

 

[In Response]

Yes, faulty insulin does happen. Rarely but it does happen.
More common (but still not very common) is a faulty or damaged/dying insulin pen.
You mention that the hospital gave you disposable pens so I assume your usual pen is resusable. I recommend checking that your usual pen is working correctly and changing to your backup pen and requesting a replacement.
I assume you have a backup pen - this is always recommended as pens do fail.

 

[EllieM]

Anyone had probs with faulty insulin or does it even happen?

It definitely happens, as does faulty pens. Can I ask what kind of insulin you are taking? Basal/bolus or just bolus? If you're taking two different insulins then it would be unlikely for both to go off at once....

 

[Gafspa]

I was struggling the other week to get my bloods in a normal range, I usually have good control.
I wasn’t sure if it was because I was due my period. Someone on here suggested throwing away both my pens and starting again. They were both near the end so I did. Which seemed to help.

We were both using novorapid and they’d rung them and there had been a faulty batch...

 

[oldgreymare]

Yes, faulty insulin does happen. Rarely but it does happen.
More common (but still not very common) is a faulty or damaged/dying insulin pen.
You mention that the hospital gave you disposable pens so I assume your usual pen is resusable. I recommend checking that your usual pen is working correctly and changing to your backup pen and requesting a replacement.
I assume you have a backup pen - this is always recommended as pens do fail.

Whether a reusable pen plus cartridge or disposable pen, the insulin is contained in glass, so dropping a pen can crack the glass as well as jarring the mechanism. Also it is quite easy to spoil insulin if kept in too warm conditions - especially sitting in sunlight!

 

[searley]

Most insulins are ok for about 30 days out of the fridge.. but i have read many cases of people struggling with some insulin like FIASP after being out of the fridge for only a couple of weeks

Also if your insulin is stored in a hot place its life span will be reduced

 

[chrisbug]

I've experienced insulin 'gone bad'. I now try to keep my insulin in a small cool bag within my lunch cool bag that also has ice packs in at work. The small cool bag for the pen prevents it from getting really cold from the ice packs.
Its much cooler than the normal room temp I keep my current pen at home but I'd prefer that than it getting hot in the van at work.
I've also had a glass cartridge crack, that wasn't noticeable until you pointed pen down and pressed the plunger, then the insulin leaked into pen and dispersed without me knowing. Took about 3 consecutive highs for me to realize something wasn't quite right.
Im a lot more careful these days!

 

[Fairygodmother]

I can confirm that Fiasp tends to lose its oomph after about two weeks. I keep my insulin pens in a Frio but even then both Fiasp and Levemir can decline in effectiveness as time out of the fridge passes. It also seems to vary from cartridge to cartridge; outdoor and indoor temperatures aren’t constant and the Frio is also subject to and affected by varying external conditions.
The lovely Consultant I now see has a good mantra: if in doubt throw it out.
In my earlier diabetes-days I spent a few years in West Africa here I became adept at using pee tests to judge an insulin’s strength and adapting dosages accordingly (insulin was harder to source and thus very very precious). It still needs a few deep breaths to throw a cartridge in a bin if there are visible, if ineffective, doses left in it.

 

[Heathero]

Yes, faulty insulin does happen. Rarely but it does happen.
More common (but still not very common) is a faulty or damaged/dying insulin pen.
You mention that the hospital gave you disposable pens so I assume your usual pen is resusable. I recommend checking that your usual pen is working correctly and changing to your backup pen and requesting a replacement.
I assume you have a backup pen - this is always recommended as pens do fail.

I’ve had insulin for 55 years. Never until last few years considered that insulin could be faulty from production. I would hope a medical warning would be sent out ! But never seen / heard of one ?
storage/ temp is important re lifespan. Have seen faulty insulin mentioned several times now. So last time strange change in BG much higher. I changed pump / insulin with good effect. Also injected dose via insulin pen . However Omnipod. can also be faulty without a warning . Guess we all have to be aware of this now. I have informed company but say no batch problem.
Sorry re rant but think common faults reported should result in notification/ recall . But laws vary according to country.

 

[Heathero]

I can confirm that Fiasp tends to lose its oomph after about two weeks. I keep my insulin pens in a Frio but even then both Fiasp and Levemir can decline in effectiveness as time out of the fridge passes. It also seems to vary from cartridge to cartridge; outdoor and indoor temperatures aren’t constant and the Frio is also subject to and affected by varying external conditions.
The lovely Consultant I now see has a good mantra: if in doubt throw it out.
In my earlier diabetes-days I spent a few years in West Africa here I became adept at using pee tests to judge an insulin’s strength and adapting dosages accordingly (insulin was harder to source and thus very very precious). It still needs a few deep breaths to throw a cartridge in a bin if there are visible, if ineffective, doses left in it.

Yes I too have noticed this with Fiasp.