Can Insulin Go Back In The Fridge?
After removing insulin glargine (Lantus) from the refrigerator for use, can it be refrigerated over and over again after having warmed to room temperature, or does this degrade it? Continue reading >>
Storage Of Unopened Insulin:
Insulin is very sensitive to sunlight, indoor lights, and to extremely hot or cold temperature. Insulin is not OK to use if exposed to very hot or cold weather. The three drug manufacturers of insulin in the United States say UNOPENED insulin is best stored inside the fridge [2° to 8°Celcius (36° to 46°Fahrenheit)]. UNOPENED insulin stored in the refrigerator is good until the expiration date printed on the insulin box. The expiration date will usually be 1 year from the date of purchase but you have to check the box to find out. Storage of OPENED insulin: Once open there are different storage needs for insulin. What does OPEN mean? This does NOT mean removed from the box. OPEN means the insulin cap is removed and the rubber stopper was punctured. Vials and pens have different needs for storage. These differences can lead to confusion. Therefore, it is very important for you to become familiar with the recommendations for the insulin product that you use. What is an OPEN vial? Vial: Once the vial is punctured, it is OPEN. Once you stick a needle in the vial, it is OPEN. OPEN vials can be stored in the fridge or at CONTROLLED room temperature. Regardless of where it is stored, OPEN insulin will only last 28 days before it must be thrown in the trash. Insulin kept in the fridge should be removed and allowed to reach room temperature before injection. PEN: Once used for the first time, insulin pens should not be stored in the fridge. Instead, they should be stored at CONTROLLED room temperature. The number of days you can use the pen will depend on which pen you use. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Pens last 7-28 days if stored at CONTROLLED room temperature. The number of days depends on which pen you use. PUMP: Once 6 IMPORTANT Storage tips for all insulin: Do not Continue reading >>
Can I Use My Insulin Past Its Expiration Date?
A certified diabetes educator answers whether older insulin is still safe to use. Integrated Diabetes Services (IDS) provides detailed advice and coaching on diabetes management from certified diabetes educators and dieticians. Insulin Nation hosts a regular Q&A column from IDS that answers questions submitted from the Type 1 diabetes community. Q: Should I really worry about using insulin after its expiration date? What about using it for more than 30 days? I think the insulin companies promote that just to make us throw out good insulin. A: When it comes to insulin, we have to make darned sure that the stuff is at full potency, or blood glucose levels can go dangerously high. The insulin manufacturers are required to test their products rigorously before bringing them to market. They can more or less guarantee that their products will work as indicated if used within the expiration date and for not more than a month after the seal on the vial, cartridge, or pen is broken. This is, of course, assuming that the insulin has been stored properly and not exposed to extreme heat, freezing cold, or direct sunlight. sponsor Does this mean that insulin suddenly goes belly up at the stroke of midnight on the expiration date, or 28 days after being put into use? Hardly. Many people, including clinicians with diabetes, have used insulin beyond the “deadlines” without a hitch. It simply means that the manufacturer has not tested their product beyond the dates indicated, so there is no guarantee — no way of knowing exactly how long the insulin will remain at full strength. Read “Can I Get Insulin Over the Counter?” This is where common sense comes into play. For those with good insurance coverage and plenty of insulin on-hand, it’s best to follow the rules and discard i Continue reading >>
Storage Of Insulin - Consumer Med Safety
Insulin is very sensitive to sunlight, indoor lights, and to extremely hot or cold temperature. Insulin is not OK to use if exposed to very hot or cold weather. The three drug manufacturers of insulin in the United States say UNOPENED insulin is best stored inside the fridge [2 to 8Celcius (36 to 46Fahrenheit)]. UNOPENED insulin stored in the refrigerator is good until the expiration date printed on the insulin box. The expiration date will usually be 1 year from the date of purchase but you have to check the box to find out. Once open there are different storage needs for insulin. What does OPEN mean? This does NOT mean removed from the box. OPEN means the insulin cap is removed and the rubber stopper was punctured. Vials and pens have different needs for storage. These differences can lead to confusion. Therefore, it is very important for you to become familiar with the recommendations for the insulin product that you use. Vial: Once the vial is punctured, it is OPEN. Once you stick a needle in the vial, it is OPEN. OPEN vials can be stored in the fridge or at CONTROLLED room temperature. Regardless of where it is stored, OPEN insulin will only last 28 days before it must be thrown in the trash. Insulin kept in the fridge should be removed and allowed to reach room temperature before injection. PEN: Once used for the first time, insulin pens should not be stored in the fridge. Instead, they should be stored at CONTROLLED room temperature. The number of days you can use the pen will depend on which pen you use. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Pens last 7-28 days if stored at CONTROLLED room temperature. The number of days depends on which pen you use. 6 IMPORTANT Storage tips for all insulin: Do not keep in hot places. Do not leave insulin in a hot closed car. Heat Continue reading >>
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Storing And Traveling With Novolog Insulin | Novolog (insulin Aspart Injection) 100 U/ml
Selected Important Safety Information for NovoLog Do not share your NovoLogFlexPen, NovoLogFlexTouch, PenFillcartridge or PenFillcartridge compatible insulin delivery device with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them. your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia) or you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Read the Instructions for Use and take exactly as directed. NovoLog is fast-acting. Eat a meal within 5 to 10 minutes after taking it. Know the type and strength of your insulin. Do not change your insulin type unless your health care provider tells you to. Check your blood sugar levels. Ask your health care provider what your blood sugar levels should be and when you should check them. Do not reuse or share your needles with other people. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them. What is NovoLog (insulin aspart injection) 100 U/mL? NovoLogis a man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes mellitus. Important Safety Information for NovoLog Do not share your NovoLogFlexPen, NovoLogFlexTouch, PenFillcartridge or PenFillcartridge compatible insulin delivery device with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them. your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia) or you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Before taking NovoLog, tell your health care provider about all your medical conditions including, if you are: pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. taking new prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including supplements. Talk to your health care provider about how to manage low blo Continue reading >>
How Long Should You Keep Your Open Insulin Vials?
With so many different insulin and insulin-like products out there these days it can be hard to keep track of when your vial should be tossed. Depending on your dose, you may still have insulin left in your vial by the manufacturer-recommended time to throw it away. If this sounds like a familiar situation, know that it is important to throw away your vial regardless of whether you have any leftover. You might think it is wasteful to throw out what you may consider “perfectly good insulin,” but using the medication past the recommended time can actually do you more harm than good. You may notice that if you continue to use insulin from a vial past the manufacturers discard date, your blood glucose could be higher or a greater dose may be needed to achieve a normal blood glucose reading. There are several different types of insulin and a variety of other injectable diabetes medications, and the recommendations for how long they keep varies. For a quick overview, the different categories of insulin are: Rapid-acting Short-acting (regular) Intermediate-acting Long-acting So how long can you hold on to your insulin after you start using a vial? Rapid-acting insulin Short-acting insulin Humulin R: use within 31 days after puncturing vial Humulin R U-500 concentrated: use within 31 days after puncturing vial Intermediate-acting insulin Long-acting insulin Other injectable diabetes medications in vials A glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a preferred screening test for diabetes. Done easily with a fingerstick in your physician’s office, it eliminates the need for fasting (not eating) prior to the test. The diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed if two consecutive A1c levels are greater than or equal to 6.5. What is the HbA1c? Red blood cells are permeable to glucose (sugar)—so Continue reading >>
How Long Should Insulin Be Used Once A Vial Is Started?
Editor’s comment: The commentary by Dr. Grajower has such important clinical relevance that responses were invited from the three pharmaceutical companies that supply insulin in the U.S. and the American Diabetes Association, and all of these combined in this commentary. The commenting letter and individual responses were authored separately and are completely independent of each other. Diabetic patients treated with insulin, whether for type 1 or type 2 diabetes, are prone to often unexplained swings in their blood glucose. These swings can vary from dangerously low to persistently high levels. Most diabetic patients, and most physicians, will adjust insulin regimens so as to avoid hypoglycemia at the expense of hyperglycemia. Among the “textbook” reasons for variable glucose responses to any given insulin regimen are 1) site of administration, 2) exercise, 3) bottles not adequately mixed before drawing the insulin (for NPH, Lente, or Ultralente), and 4) duration of treatment with insulin (1). A new insulin was marketed by Aventis Pharmaceuticals about 1 year ago, insulin glargine (Lantus). The manufacturer seemed to stress that patients not use a started bottle of this insulin for >28 days (2). Two patients of mine highlighted this point. L.K. is a 76-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes, diagnosed at 55 years of age, and treated with insulin since age 56. Her insulin regimen was changed to Lantus at night together with Novolog before meals. She monitors her blood glucose four times a day. She used a bottle of Lantus until it ran out; therefore, a bottle lasted for 2 months. Her recent HbA1c was 7.6%. I retrospectively analyzed her home glucose readings by averaging her fasting blood glucose levels for the first 15 days of a new bottle and the last 15 days of tha Continue reading >>
Shelf Life Of Refrigerated Insulin?
I know I have about 30 days once the insulin is out of the fridge, but I am wondering, how long does insulin last in the fridge? at least until the expire date.with all things considered. When properly refrigerated (do not freeze) insulin will keep until expiration date on package. Insulin expiration dates are usually 1-2 years form date of purchase. I have a bottle that I got in July,09 and it expires 10/2011. But as always, it's probably safest to say...If in doubt - throw it out. (glad my parents hadn't heard this saying years ago). Once opened, if always refrigerated the insulin should last as long as any vial is needed . . . . in my opinion the expiration dates are artificial and created by the government, and mean little . . . . . So, I suppose if you open a vial, keep it refrigerated and take seventeen years to use the single vial, perhaps it's time to throw it out . . . . otherwise just use it, certainly if it has lost its effectiveness your blood sugar meter will alert you.... I use a pump so I only have fast acting insulin, Humalog in my case. I get it mail order, 90 days at a time. My CDE overwrites the prescription to ensure I have enough in case anything goes wrong. When I was cleaning out my fridge I found an entire shipment of 9 vials that had just expired (November 2007). I decided to use one. No problems. I used the entire shipment, which took 5-6 months to do. One vial I brought in to leave in the fridge at work and had opened it at some point. I would dip into it every so often and it was a full year past expiration when it was finally finished, and had been first opened at least 6 months earlier. It was refrigerated the whole time. I seem to be one of the lucky ones who rarely has a problem with bad insulin. The only time I was convinced I had bad i Continue reading >>
Safe And Effective Use Of Insulin Requires Proper Storage
Safe and effective use of insulin requires proper storage Insulin is a naturally occurring, glucose-lowering hormone used by many people with diabetes to control their blood sugar . In people with type 1 diabetes, supplemental insulin makes up for the insulin that is not produced by the body. People with type 2 diabetes may need to take insulin if they cannot maintain adequate blood sugar control with other medications. Insulin is manufactured to be identical to the insulin produced by the human pancreas. These synthetic insulins can work from a few hours (rapid-acting insulin) to a whole day (long-acting insulin). They are typically injected via a needle or pen. All insulins must be stored with care to ensure that they remain safe and effective. Improper storage could result in the breakdown of insulin, affecting its ability to effectively and predictably control your blood sugar level. Depending on the type of insulin you are prescribed, there may be some subtle differences in how best to store it and how long it will last once open. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator for specifics on how to store your own insulin prescription. Here are some general rules that reflect best practices for properly storing insulin: All insulins are sensitive to temperatures that are too high or too low. Once you receive your insulin prescription, you should store all the supplies youve received in the refrigerator. Once you open a new vial (meaning once you stick a needle in the vial) or pen, use a Sharpie to note the date you opened it right on the packaging. This will help you remember when to stop using it. Throw the insulin away 28 days after opening it. Once you open a vial, keep it stored in the fridge or at room temperature. Be aware that injecting refrigerated insulin may be p Continue reading >>
How Long Should You Keep Insulin Pens?
Did you read our blog on insulin vials and think to yourself, does this apply to my insulin pens too? If so, this post is for you! With so many different insulin and insulin-like products out there these days it can be hard keep track of how long each of these pens stays good. Depending on your dose, you may still have insulin left in your pen at the manufacturer-recommended time to throw it away. If this sounds like a familiar situation, know that it is important to throw away your pen regardless of whether you have any leftover. You might think it’s wasteful, but using the medication past the recommended time can actually do you more harm than good. You may notice if you continue to use insulin from a pen that’s past the manufacturers discard date, your blood glucose may be higher or a greater dose may be needed to achieve a normal blood glucose reading. There are several different types of insulin and a variety of other injectable diabetes medications, and they don’t all have the same recommendations. As a quick reminder, the different categories of insulin are: Rapid-acting. Short-acting (regular). There are no short-acting insulin pens available Intermediate-acting. Long-acting. So how long can you hold on to your insulin pen after you start to use it? Rapid-acting insulin Novolog FlexPen: use within 28 days after first use Novolog cartridge (for use in a re-useable pen): use within 28 days after first use Humalog KwikPen: use within 28 days after first use Humalog cartridge (for use in a re-useable pen): use within 28 days after in-use Apidra SoloStar: use within 28 days after first use Intermediate-acting insulin Long-acting insulin Lantus SoloStar: use within 28 days after first use Toujeo SoloStar: use within 28 days after first use Levemir FlexTouch: use Continue reading >>
Storing Insulin And Prefilling Syringes
Insulin can become damaged and ineffective if it is not stored properly. Unopened insulin that is packaged in small glass bottles (vials) should be stored in the refrigerator. Liquid insulin that is packaged in small cartridges (containing several doses) is more stable. These cartridges are used in pen-shaped devices (insulin pens) with attached disposable needles. Keep unopened pens and cartridges in the refrigerator. After you open them, store them at room temperature. Powdered insulin cartridges are packaged in blocks of three on cards sealed in foil. Keep unopened foil packages in the refrigerator. After you open a foil package, use the contents within 10 days. And after you tear off and open a block of three, discard any unused insulin after 3 days. Always read the insulin package information that tells the best way to store your insulin. You can keep open bottles with you if you keep them in a dark place. The bottles should not be exposed to temperatures below36F (2.2C) or above86F (30C). Never leave insulin in the sun or in your hot car, because sunlight and heat reduce the strength of the insulin. Avoid shaking insulin bottles and liquid insulin cartridges too much to prevent loss of medicine strength and to prevent clumping, frosting, or particles settling out. Follow the storage information provided by the manufacturer. The first time you use an insulin bottle, write the date on the bottle label. Always store an extra bottle of each type of your insulin in the refrigerator. If you cannot prepare an insulin dose but can give the injection, you may need someone to prepare your insulin dose for you. A family member, friend, or health professional can prefill insulin syringes for you. If you prefill syringes: Store the prefilled syringes in the refrigerator with Continue reading >>
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How Long Does Insulin Last Once It's Been Opened?
A fellow caregiver asked... My mother has type 2 diabetes and needs help with her insulin injections. After I open a new bottle, how long does insulin last for, how should I store it, and how do I know whether it's gone bad? Expert Answers As a general rule, most bottles of insulin are good for 28 days once they're opened. Of course, how quickly a person goes through a vial is highly individual. Some may go through a bottle in a week or two. Others, on a lower dosage, may not use all the insulin within four weeks. But the drug's stability and potency is only guaranteed for 28 days. Opened insulin pens typically last 14 days, though some last only 10 days. If you're uncertain, check with your mother's pharmacist to find out how long her insulin should last. When either of you opens a new vial or pen, make a note on the calendar -- and note the date when you'll need to throw out any remaining insulin. It's best to store an opened bottle of insulin at room temperature, even though manufacturers often recommend refrigeration for opened containers. It's usually less painful to inject insulin when it's at room temperature than when it's cold. Store unopened insulin vials and pen cartridges in the fridge, though, where they should last until their expiration date. Insulin shouldn't be exposed to extreme temperatures, so don't leave it in the car, next to the stove, in the freezer, or in the bathroom. If the bottle freezes, it must be discarded. Two typical signs that insulin has gone bad: poor performance and unusual appearance. If your mother is following her treatment plan and her glucose levels stay stubbornly, inexplicably high, her insulin may have lost its potency. Insulin that's cloudy when it's supposed to be clear or that contains particles, crystals, or small clumps Continue reading >>
How To Store Insulin
Insulin is measured in units. Most bottles, cartridges, and pens of insulin sold in the United States have 100 units of insulin per milliliter of fluid and are labeled U-100. Different strengths, like U-500, also are available in the U.S. Different strengths are used in other countries. It's important to know the type of insulin you take and whether it should appear cloudy or clear. When you prepare to use a bottle, cartridge, or pen, check the insulin: NPH should look uniformly cloudy after you gently roll the bottle or pen. All other insulin should look clear. If your insulin doesn't look right, don't use it. Take it back to your pharmacy. Don't shake your insulin. Gently roll it. Don't toss it around or handle it roughly. If you don't handle your insulin correctly, it's more likely to clump or frost. Don't use the insulin if you can see clumps after you gently roll the bottle or pen, or if the sides look frosted. Storage Guidelines Take steps to store your insulin correctly, or it might not work. Keep your insulin away from heat and light. Any insulin that you don't store in the refrigerator should be kept as cool as possible (between 56°F and 80°F.) Never let your insulin freeze. If your insulin freezes, don't use it, even after it's thawed. Keep unused bottles, cartridges, and pens of insulin in the refrigerator (between 36°F and 46°F). If stored properly, these will be good until the expiration date listed on the insulin. Keep insulin cartridges and pens that you're currently using at room temperature (between 56°F and 80°F.) Expiration Guidelines An open insulin bottle, cartridge, or pen is only good for a limited time. Follow these guidelines for discarding insulin: Glargine (Lantus): Discard opened bottles, pens, and cartridges 28 days after you've starte Continue reading >>
Insulin Pens Welcome Back To The Fridge!
We all know that unopened insulin must be kept in the refrigerator. But once in use, it cant go back? The story of origin and quiet disappearance of a confusing guideline. All manufacturers explicitly recommend to Not refrigerate insulin pens in use. Why? It was kept in the fridge before, how can it hurt the insulin now that its open? Lets imagine it was a hot summer day. Is it worse to put my insulin pen in the fridge or expose it to heat? What is even more confusing, the guidelines start changing now! Lets take a step back and look at the basics: If you want to know what to do in order to keep your medication effective, just take a look at the package or the leaflet. Should it be in the fridge, is it sensitive to light, can it be at room temperature? For insulin in particular, there are two different situations: storing and in-use. Before Opening: keep it in the fridge and it lasts until expiration date. During Use: Once a vial, a cartridge or a new pen are used for the first time, the insulin can be kept at room temperature. But it needs to be used within a few weeks. It makes sense: higher temperatures and an open product mean a shorter shelf life. Duh, we know this from our milk carton. But there is one more sentence on insulin pens packages, which has caused quite some confusion: When a pharmaceutical manufacturer wants to bring a new product to market, they need to provide a huge amount of data. From clinical findings, proof of efficacy and safety, side effect warnings and dosing guidance down to storage recommendations. For these, they do extended stability testing at different temperatures with their insulin pens, vials and so on, over months and years, to finally say: If you follow this, your medication stays safe, effective and at optimal quality. Great! Thi Continue reading >>
Storing Insulin In Home Fridges May Lower Effectiveness
TUESDAY, Oct. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Many diabetes patients store their insulin at the wrong temperature in their fridge and that could reduce its effectiveness, a new study says. Insulin should be stored in a refrigerator at between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 8 degrees Celsius), and at 30 to 86 degrees F (2 to 30 degrees C) when carried by the patient in a pen or vial, the researchers said. Even though diabetes patients often store insulin in fridges at home for several months before they use it, little is known about how this affects insulin quality, the researchers explained. Scientists Spot Unexpected Player in Fibromyalgia This study included 388 diabetes patients in the United States and Europe who placed temperature sensors next to their insulin in the fridge and/or their diabetes bag. The sensors measured temperatures every three minutes (up to 480 times a day), and data was collected for an average of 49 days. An analysis of 400 temperature logs (230 for refrigerated and 170 for carried insulin) showed that 315 (79 percent) had deviations from the recommended temperature ranges. On average, insulin stored in the fridge was out of the recommended temperature range 11 percent of the time (equal to 2 hours and 34 minutes a day), while insulin carried by patients was only outside recommendations for around 8 minutes a day. Freezing was an even bigger problem, with 66 sensors (17 percent) recording temperatures below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C), equivalent to 3 hours a month on average, according to the study. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, which concluded Oct. 5 in Berlin. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. "Many people with diabet Continue reading >>
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