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insulin supplies

S

sezabell

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australia
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just wondering .. is it worth buying a 6 month supply of insulin? or 3 month? do u think it would be better to buy a 6 month supply in one bulk box instead of heaps of boxes at once that makes up for 6 months? hope its not too confusing i just need to ask as part of my research assignment.. any feedback would be extremely helpful. thanx :)
 
Hi. This might help.

Insulin storage
Different types of insulin have different storage needs, so always read the information that comes with your insulin. The following tips are a good general guideline to ensure you are storing your insulin safely.

Always check the expiry date on your insulin bottle or cartridge before using it.
Injecting cold insulin can be uncomfortable, so keep the insulin you are using at room temperature. It is generally safe to store insulin at room temperature for up to four weeks.
Store your spare insulin supplies in the fridge at 4A8A°C (39A46A°F) to keep it fresh.
Don't put your insulin too close to the freezer compartment in the fridge because it cannot withstand temperatures below 2°C (36°F).
Don't expose insulin to strong light or heat, such as the sunlight in a car or the heat of a sauna. Insulin loses its effect when it is stored at temperatures above 25A30°C (77°F-86°F -).
If you find yourself in a hot climate without a fridge, keep your insulin cool by storing it in a cooled thermos flask or wrapped in a cold, moist flannel.
Never use insulin that has become discolored, has a frosty coating on the inside of the vial or is cloudy if it is usually clear.

Bulk long term storage would all depend on the expiry date of the actual Drug.

Ken.
 
in our country we dont have to pay for insulin so cant really help,sorry :(
 
Lantus is supposed to be chucked after a month.

Most of us can only get one month prescribed at a time, however I know a couple of Type 1s who use animal insulins and to guard against being taken off them again they have been gradually building up a stockpile in their fridges, this stuff appears to have a long shelf life so this is safe to do.
 
wow thanx ur posts have been extremely helpful
 
Hi...I don't buy insulin as it is "free" on the NHS, however, if I were to buy it I would have to consider how likely it would be that my insulin regie would change...I have been on the same ones fro 3 years now, but would be really annoyed if I had just bought soem and then my regime changed!
 
Is it really true that you are supposed to chuck lantus after one month? even if it is in the fridge? I get 10 of the solostar disposable pens at a time and they last me around 4 months or so as one pen lasts me two weeks. I keep the one I am using at room temp but the others stay in the fridge. Is this wrong? Also I have put them in refridgerator door to stop them getting too close to the back of the fridge where it freezes up but sometimes the door doesn't shut properly so I'm worried that it is not kept at a very low temp all the time
 
Is it really true that you are supposed to chuck lantus after one month? even if it is in the fridge?
Click to expand...
No, as long as they're in date, unopened and haven't got too cold they're fine.
(I have some Levimir and Apidra pens, just in case my pump packs up. I've had them for a year and they still have another 5 months to go before expiry)
 
phoenix said:
Is it really true that you are supposed to chuck lantus after one month? even if it is in the fridge?
Click to expand...
No, as long as they're in date, unopened and haven't got too cold they're fine.
(I have some Levimir and Apidra pens, just in case my pump packs up. I've had them for a year and they still have another 5 months to go before expiry)
Click to expand...

Good point, I should have said "unrefrigerated", it's a not uncommon complaint on US forums where people have to pay or copay for the stuff and then throw half of it out. Usually it lasts longer but depending on storage and how warm it got during transport it may lose potency.
 
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