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Travelling with Insulin

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Fif

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Hi everybody,

I'm off for a 2 week trip travelling around Costa Rica in January and then on to various parts of US for another 2 weeks meaning that will have to take loads of insulin plus pump and cgm supplies and emergency pens. In past have used Frio pouches but this time I probably won't have access to a fridge in Costa Rica. Am thinking of renewing my Frio pouches but wondered if anyone can recommend anything better. Would really appreciate any tips. Thanks
 
I have spent multiple weeks trekking and camping in India and Morocco and Venezuela (separate trips but all very hot) with nothing but Frio to keep my insulin cool and never had any issues. If you don't already have reusable (backup) pens, I woudl recommend them to reduce the volume of stuff you need to keep cool.
 
I was working for 6 years in the Carribbean and Venezuela with insulin pens and very poor access to electricity and refrigeration. Not once did my insulin 'go off'. With Firo pouches you'll be fine. And if you do suspect your insulin is bad you can buy more often than not cheaply and over the counter in many developing (USA??)countries.
 
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Fif said:
Hi everybody,

I'm off for a 2 week trip travelling around Costa Rica in January and then on to various parts of US for another 2 weeks meaning that will have to take loads of insulin plus pump and cgm supplies and emergency pens. In past have used Frio pouches but this time I probably won't have access to a fridge in Costa Rica. Am thinking of renewing my Frio pouches but wondered if anyone can recommend anything better. Would really appreciate any tips. Thanks
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I'd definitely go with Frio pouches, exactly because they don't need a fridge!
Also, chances are it won't be so hot your insulin needs cooling. It keeps well at room temperature for at least a month, and likely longer.
 
Oops I forgot to mention …
I am jealous of your trip. Costa Rica is definitely on my list.
Have an amazing time.
 
eventhorizon said:
I was working for 6 years in the Caribbean and Venezuela with insulin pens and very poor access to electricity and refrigeration. Not once did my insulin 'go off'.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry to wake up an old thread with a question only partly related.

For reasons that needn't be analysed here (to save me embarrassment) my kitchen fridge went without power from late yesterday till after dark today, let's say 20 clear hours. Unfortunately the door was opened several times in that interval (the light has not worked for years) and I believe at least one meat item in there, will barely be fit to eat...

...but what about the insulin? The interior of the fridge must have approached ordinary room temperature before midday, which wasn't very warm for early September in southern England. Now the fridge is cooling again, can I reasonably assume my packs of unstarted long-acting and fast-acting pens will survive the time-out, or must I treat them all as if I had begun to use them, and dispose of anything unused, after the two or three weeks that a single pen might last in use?

Many thanks for any views or similar experiences. :)
 
Personally I wouldn't worry. Insulin can be kept till its expiry date if between 2 and 8 degrees centigrade (https://healthify.nz/medicines-a-z/i/insulin-storage) and I've personally forgot to put my new insulin from the pharmacy in the fridge for 24 hours. I believe (possibly incorrectly) the 28 day out of the fridge particularly applies to insulin that has been opened/pierced....

Having said that, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. You could try asking your pharmacist?
 
Thanks so much, that's hugely reassuring. I believe I won't worry too much (I'll probably forget all about it). :D
 
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