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Should I throw it away?

cally

cally

Well-Known Member
Messages
232
Location
United Kingdom
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Came back from two weeks abroad to find fridge freezer not working. I think it was off for about 5 days and every thing in freezer had melted.
It is now working again but should I throw away all insulin that was in fridge?
 
Hmmm, it depends I guess. Insulin is OK at room temp for about a month, so this excursion in itself will not make the insulin bad.

If it were me, and I only had, say a months stock of insulin anyway, and the shelf life date was 2012 or beyond..i would just use it, and watch my BG...but, if teh expiry date is fast approaching, or, I had 6 months worth in there..I would throw most of it away. and keep using it for the next 6 weeks or so.

All thsi is based, on a a tiny bit of knowledge about how expiry dates, etc for maedication iscalculated and assessed, adn also, becasue I hat to cost the NHS even more than I already do. Obviously, if you notice your control going AwOL, get rid and restock.
 
Thank you for your replies.

I did go and ask the pharmacist and she said that it should be fine. She said that as it hasn't been in full sun or similar not to worry.
So I will bear it in mind if any problems arise. But am glad not to have to waste it.
 
Cally,

I would play it safe and throw all the insulin away and order fresh supplies, a fridge not working with the door shut in this weather will get pretty warm inside and is sure to spoil the insulin, I personally wouldn't use any of it!

Should you be short of insulin just ring your gp surgery and explain your circumstances and they'll hopefully rush through a prescription for you.

Nigel
 
Hi,

I agree with Nigel, if your fridge has malfunctioned you can't be positive that the fridge didn't malfunction and go higher then room temp.

I would chuck it and get a fresh batch just to be on the safe side.

If you do decide to use it and seem to get unusual high's it could be that the potency of insulin has been reduced slightly due to unknown temp changes so get it changed ASAP if you experience any problems.

I hate wasting things too but your health must come first :)
 
actually I think the pharmacist was right. If the fridge door was closed and not in full sun, everything will have stayed pretty cool.

I'd do what ebony suggests here:

ebony321 said:
If you do decide to use it and seem to get unusual high's it could be that the potency of insulin has been reduced slightly due to unknown temp changes so get it changed ASAP if you experience any problems.
Click to expand...

... keep an eye out, keep checking, and if you are concerned then chuck it and get some more. But I bet it's ok.
I remember being told that 'off' insulin goes cloudy, but that is a while ago.. anyone know if that is still the case with modern analogues?
 
Some mixed insulins are naturally cloudy.

Humulin is also cloudy too if i remember correctly.

If you notice anything odd, for example it looking cloudy if it's definately not meant to be then chuck it.

If in doubt, throw it out :wink:
 
I just noticed and the OP uses novorapid. That definately SHOULDNT be cloudy :)
 
Hi, oh dear, :shock: if it was me I definetely would throw out and start afresh, with fresh and safe new batch your health and peace of mind firstly matters more. Anna.x :D
 
Personally I'd chuck it straight away.

I would suggest that irrespective of whether you throw it away or use it, I'd get a new prescription anyway and keep that in the fridge. I would have to assume that it all would only be good for up to 28 days maximum and wouldn't use any of it after that.
 
I think it would probably be OK, but better safe than sorry.

Just don't ask for advice at the pharmacy I used to use... they dispensed my insulin and left it under the counter, in the summer, in a shop so overheated they kept front and back doors open all year. When I tried to collect it they couldn't find it. They'd made so many mistakes previously that I assumed they'd forgotten it and just requested it for the next time (I've never needed to order insulin every month). But a month later they found the old stuff and expected me to use it after being under the counter all that time!
 
LittleSue said:
But a month later they found the old stuff and expected me to use it after being under the counter all that time!
Click to expand...

They would never get my custom again, can't believe they still offered you the insulin! :shock:

Nigel
 
Oh dear.

One pharmacist once asked if i REALLY needed my insulin?.

errrrrrrrrrrr.....:shock:
 
noblehead said:
LittleSue said:
But a month later they found the old stuff and expected me to use it after being under the counter all that time!
Click to expand...

They would never get my custom again, can't believe they still offered you the insulin! :shock:

Nigel
Click to expand...

I couldn't believe it either and stopped using them. Was already pee'd off with their errors because they could never find my repeat slip. I'd give them a written list but still had stuff I'd ordered not being included on the prescription, my basal insulin ordered instead of bolus insulin, test strips for my previous meter etc. It'd take several attempts over 2-3 weeks to correct the errors, then the surgery told me off for (apparently) not ordering things in time. I'd only stuck with them because they were open late and I worked an hour from home. It had been hard to tell whether some errors were made by the pharmacy or the GP, as I had some 'old' items still on my repeat, but its so basic that insulin is stored in the fridge that I concluded the pharmacy must be to blame for all the errors.
 
I rember once that a major high street chemist left my insulin on the shelf for 2 weeks and when i refused to have it they got very shirty with me and i told them they would not have my custom again. The village chemist by me has been taken over and they are soo much better. When i had a change of insulin and test strips the chemist took me aside and asked if i had any problems and spoke to me about it. And he is always really helpful when i go in.......I know he would never advise me to use insulin that had been out of the fridge or any that i thought was damaged.

Little sue - it is a disgrace when chemist make such a simple mistake !!!!
 
Just logged back in and lots more replies! Thank you

I have been using the rest of insulin which I took on holiday, it was in a frio pack inside a cold box and seems ok. Was 35 degrees there though.
I think I will get another prescription. But I will try and use up what I have first and then I can throw it if any problems.
 
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