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Fridge temperature and insulin.

SueJB

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,325
Location
Heaven
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
cold weather
Here's an important question.
My fridge is running a bit cold. Mainly 2C but when I open it in the morning, it's at 1C
Both Novarapid and Levmir say to store between 2C to 8C
Do you think there will be a detrimental effect on the insulin being slightly lower or should I invest in a new fridge?
Really appreciate the input, thanks
 
I do not know what the affect will be on your insulin.
My gut feel is that it should be ok as I would expect the recommendations to have a level of contingency.

However, I have a few thoughts before you scrap your fridge:
- how are you measuring the temperature? I would not be overly confident on the accuracy of temperature your fridge tells you.
- many fridges have a temperature control which can be adjusted. Can you tweak yours to be on the safe side?
 
Speaking of fridges.
If you tell your electricity supplier you are storing insulin in your fridge you become a priority customer in the event of a power failure.
 
Thanks, I went and bought a fridge thermometer to check. I can't twiddle the temp gauge in the fridge any lower
 
SueJB said:
Thanks, I went and bought a fridge thermometer to check. I can't twiddle the temp gauge in the fridge any lower
Click to expand...
Please humour me whilst I state what you may think is the blindingly obvious ... but I want to mention it just in case ...
is the lowest setting on your fridge the coldest or the least cold?
It has caught me out in the past (despite being blindingly obvious).
 
That's really sweet of you and do you know you've put a doubt in my mind. Let me check with you. I've always thought that the lowest number is the least cold. I have mine on 1 and it goes to 3. I'm thinking this is the same for all/most fridges. It's always been set at 1 and it's that old that the only way to check would be to turn it up to 2 and see if it goes colder which I actually don't want.
 
SueJB said:
I've always thought that the lowest number is the least cold.
Click to expand...
Me too and doing a quick google the interweb seems to agree "a higher number probably represents a colder temperature."
Unfortunately, that suggests there may be one or two fridges out there that work the other way.
So much for being blindingly obvious

If it was me (and I am little paranoid/obsessive at times), I would remove anything I was concerned was sensitive to temperature (like insulin) and put it in a cool bag. Then twiddle the dial up and check the thermometer in a couple of hours.
 
You're brilliant!! I can be totally paranoid too and my sister thinks I'm obsessive so I'll give that a test and do what you suggest. Great idea. Then we'll be know.
 
Any more thoughts on this anyone please?
 
SueJB said:
Any more thoughts on this anyone please?
Click to expand...

Hi @SueJB

I have a Beko fridge. The temperature dial says "max 4 3 2 1 min" so higher the number coldest. I keep my insulin and thermometer together in a Tupperware and keep it around 4 to 5. The temperate is also quite different depending on where it is in the fridge.
 
Mine is colder, the higher the number.

It was suggested to me to keep insulin in the top of the door, as that’s the least frosty part of the fridge. Cold enough but rarely too cold.
 
Mine's the same, just found out through experimentation
 
Mel dCP said:
Mine is colder, the higher the number.

It was suggested to me to keep insulin in the top of the door, as that’s the least frosty part of the fridge. Cold enough but rarely too cold.
Click to expand...
I think that's probably true if you haven't got a fridge with an ice box at the top because I reckon that's going to be the coldest. I've got that sort. I am more interested really in the temperature tolerance of the insulin as mine is, as I said, being kept at 2C virtually all the time and probably 1C overnight when the given storage range on the packets is 2C to 8.
 
Helen, it was OK, the lowest number was the least cold. I reckon it's going to be a new fridge if people on the forum reckon the tolerance of the insulin isn't enough.
 
I have had a few Beko fridges over the years and have found their temperature control to be very poor. I usually go for cheap fridges so maybe that is the reason!
 
SueJB said:
My fridge is running a bit cold. Mainly 2C but when I open it in the morning, it's at 1C
Click to expand...
Have you tried adjusting the temps so it is at a slightly warmer setting?
 
Tipetoo said:
Have you tried adjusting the temps so it is at a slightly warmer setting?
Click to expand...
That's the problem, it's on the warmest there is. It's a very old fridge. I am more interested really in the temperature tolerance of the insulin as mine is, as I said, being kept at 2C virtually all the time and probably 1C overnight when the given storage range on the packets is 2C to 8.
 
SueJB said:
I am more interested really in the temperature tolerance of the insulin as mine is, as I said, being kept at 2C virtually all the time and probably 1C overnight when the given storage range on the packets is 2C to 8.
Click to expand...

One of our friends put his insulin my beer fridge when he come here to visit, he wraps it up in a sheet of news paper and puts it the egg compartment.

 
Daibell said:
I'm an engineer and I also find the thermostat settings unclear. They should indicate cooler/warmer and not use numbers - stupid.
Click to expand...
Our Fisher and Paykel fridges have a bar that moves when you press the temp control up and down buttons.
 
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