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Travel

michaela2015

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, im going away next week to Spain in our lovely VW campervan for 10 days, we bought a little plug in fridge for my insulin but there isnt enough power in the old girl to keep it going unless we hook up, so my question is, what else could i use to keep my insulin cool for a couple of days in between hook up.
Thank you
 
Hi @michaela2015

I was in Spain a few weeks ago although it was not too hot then (mid 20s mostly).

A lot of us use Frio cool packs which work by evaporation to keep insulin or pens cool.

I'd be very wary of using ice packs... if you freeze insulin it will lose it's potency. For the same reason you should never put it in your hold baggage on planes.
 
Hi @michaela2015 ,

Some great advice so far.
Not sure what type of camper fridge you have?
If it runs off a 12v system, you could invest in a split charge relay & leisure battery to power the fridge whilst parked/wild camping? This would keep insulin within safe storage temp if the van gets hotter during the day...?

I must admit to not knowing much about the VeeDubs. I'm Mazda Bongo guy myself..!

Have a fantastic trip.
 
Definitely use a Frio wallet. Taking mine next week around the Canaries.
 
I keep my insulin pen in its own case and the spare cartridges in a frio wallet and then when I am going to be going anywhere I can take it with me both of them and I have also got the rest of the cartridge's in the fridge so all I do is fit back the cartridge's I use when I am out back in the frio wallet and I put it to one side and if it gets to hot I put the wallet in the fridge for a hour and take it out and leave it as it is cold again and it is like that for as long as I need it and I use the case during the winter months as it is cool for it then but that is how I do it anyway
 
I used a couple off Frio bags last year in Spain and worked perfectly well
 
Antje77 said:
I understood insulin keeps well for a month when not kept cool. Is this wrong?
Click to expand...
That's right but somewhere warmer like Spain it's worth putting it in a Frio Bag to make sure it stays below 25°C
 
I've been in Spain the last week and I've only had to refresh my Frio bag once. It has kept cool and feels cool 3 days after refreshing it today. Temperature at highest has been over 26°c here the last few days.

For spare insulin I transported it with a frozen gel pack in a separate compartment which worked well over 12 hours.
 
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