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Insulin in warm climate. All advice welcome.

D

Daniel_Libre

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi!

I have gotten a new job where I will be living and working in a warm climate. 30+ degrees Celcius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) is standard and sometimes more than 40 degrees Celcius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
I will not always be able to have my insulin in a fridge.

Has anyone experience from this?
What solutions are there? Are there insulin-types more resistant to heat?

I also have a libre-sensor and I am thinking that it will maybe get affected from the heat as well. Any solutions to that?
Insulin is most important, however.

All the best!
 
Antje77 said:
Congratulations on the job!
Will you have the opportunity to keep your stack of insulin in a fridge?
You can keep the insulin you have in use in a Frio bag, that way it will keep for about a month.
Click to expand...

Thank you! :)
There might be times (even weeks) where I will not be close to any fridge or even electricity...
Therefore the question. So some kind of bag that needs to be cooled down with the fridge is not useful sadly. Maybe there are some bags/cases that keep heat out a bit just from the material?

Also, as said, are the insulins different in sensitivity?

Personally I have never had insulin become useless from heat, but that might be a risk? Is it not just that the insulin might get a little bit less effective?
 
Daniel_Libre said:
There might be times (even weeks) where I will not be close to any fridge or even electricity...
Click to expand...
Sounds like my solution will be perfect, provided you'll return to the same place every couple of weeks with a month maximum.
Frio bags only need water, so you can keep insulin for up to a month in them and replenish when you return to your fridge.

I'd buy 2 of them, one for the in use insulin, one for the extra so you won't be stuck without if something happens to your bag.
 
Thank you Antje!! :)
I would rather not say what kind of job, bcs I prefer to be totally anonymous online.
My job concerns helping people and I travel a lot.
I currently live in Denmark. Can I get the Frio there?

All other advice is also welcome. The thread don't need to die here.
 
Daniel_Libre said:
Hmm it says "remaining cool for up to 45 hours."
Thats not very long...
Click to expand...
You can just refresh it with more water I believe - and to be honest I reckon that's not bad going for something that needs no power or cold temperatures to achieve :)
 
Rokaab said:
You can just refresh it with more water I believe - and to be honest I reckon that's not bad going for something that needs no power or cold temperatures to achieve :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, sure it's a good thing! But if I am in an environment where I have limited access to water and electricity it's not a solution.
Are there no cases that at least lower temperature without the need for anything else?
 
Daniel_Libre said:
Yeah, sure it's a good thing! But if I am in an environment where I have limited access to water and electricity it's not a solution.
Are there no cases that at least lower temperature without the need for anything else?
Click to expand...
It only needs a bowl of water every other day, say a large mug. You will have access to water or you will die from dehydration within 2 days. It doesn't even have to be drinking quality water.
 
Antje77 said:
It only needs a bowl of water every other day, say a large mug. You will have access to water or you will die from dehydration within 2 days. It doesn't even have to be drinking quality water.
Click to expand...

It´s a good thing. I am still interested in other solutions as well.
Do you work for them? :P
 
Does anyone know if there are any differences between insulins when it comes to temperature?
Tresiba VS Humalog etc etc.
 
I've moved from England to North Africa, where it gets pretty hot. keep insulin in fridge but if I'm out and about during the day I keep my pen in my handbag and have not had any issues. Short periods really though.
I also bought frio wallets because travelled for 4 days with no fridge. Excellent and very easy to use. Just need a bit of water.
As for the libre, for me I've had no issues with the heat, its been up to 40 degrees here over the summer
 
I wonder if there are solar powered units available? I remember a student from Loughborough won an award for developing a solar powered pack to transport vaccines in hot countries where refrigeration was sparse.. might be worth searching the net?
I spent three and a half years in West Africa in my younger days and the insulins we had back then were pretty bomb proof - Actrapid, a porcine insulin, seemed to be able to withstand a lot. I’m not sure if porcine insulins are still available, they all seem to be built on an ecoli base now.
 
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