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Type 1 How long does insulin last out of the fridge?

baffour2057

baffour2057

Newbie
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4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hello, I am Joseph, 24 years old and newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic. Just wondering how long does insulin last out of the fridge. Any help.

Thanks
 
I always assume a month so long as it's not subjected to anything over room temperature. So not left in a hot car or even carried in a pocket at body temperature.
 
baffour2057 said:
Hello, I am Joseph, 24 years old and newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic. Just wondering how long does insulin last out of the fridge. Any help.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Normally 28 days, have a read of your patient leaflet enclosed in the box with your insulin :)
 
baffour2057 said:
Hello, I am Joseph, 24 years old and newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic. Just wondering how long does insulin last out of the fridge. Any help.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Novorapid: 28 days (4 weeks)
Levemir: 42 days (6 weeks)

If you're ever in doubt about how old it is or whether the potency has been impacted, throw it away and start a new pen/cartridge.
 
barrym said:
I always assume a month so long as it's not subjected to anything over room temperature. So not left in a hot car or even carried in a pocket at body temperature.
Click to expand...
To be more precise, insulin starts 'spoiling' rapidly at temperatures of 25C or above - the higher the temps, the faster it goes bad and the faster it stops working. My apartment reaches 30C indoors during the summer so I keep my insulin pens in a Frio case 24/7 during the summer months so it doesn't exceed those 25C.
 
Assuming you're in the U.K. I'd also say a month. I tend to take one out of the fridge when the one I'm using starts to run low as I find it stings more if it's cold!
 
To be honest, I think people worry about this too much. Not going to gainsay what the manufacturers say, but I once went trotting around Asia backpacking for six months and Eastern Europe for four months with my insulin randomly stuffed in my backpack, it didn't see a fridge for the whole time, just stayed in the backpack which spent most of its time in hostel rooms with maybe a roof fan to keep temps down. It was still working fine at the end of those trips. Mind you, that was almost 20 years ago. Maybe modern insulins have become so sophisticated that they get a bit delicate if you try that sort of stuff. I'm still perfectly happy going off for a few weeks without bothering about fridges.
 
claire1991 said:
Assuming you're in the U.K. I'd also say a month. I tend to take one out of the fridge when the one I'm using starts to run low as I find it stings more if it's cold!
Click to expand...
It dies sting better if you let it warm up a bit
 
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