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 >>
Insulin Pens Are Welcome Back To The Fridge!
We all know that unopened insulin must be kept in the refrigerator. But once in use can we put it back in the fridge to protect it from excessive heat? The answer to this simple question is not as easy as one might think. All manufacturers explicitly recommend to ‘Not refrigerate’ insulin pens in use. This guideline that causes confusion among users is now being revoked by one manufacturer. Let’s try to understand the reasoning behind it and what it means for users now. What? I shouldn’t put my insulin pen back in the refrigerator? When it comes to storing medications, it is recommended you follow the leaflet or packaging instructions. For insulin in particular, there are two different situations: storing and in-use. · Before Opening: When insulin is to be stored long-term and has not been opened, keeping it in the fridge ensures it lasts until expiration date. · During Use: Once a vial, a cartridge or a new disposable pen are used for the first time, the insulin can be kept at room temperature. But it needs to be used within weeks. It makes sense: higher temperatures and an open product mean a shorter shelf life. But there is one extra sentence on insulin pens packages, which has caused quite some confusion: Pens in use — ‘Do not refrigerate.’ What does ‘do not refrigerate’ mean for users? Let’s take a trip back to 2003, when the recommendation to not refrigerate opened insulin first appeared. Take Lilly’s Humalog for example, for which the label was first altered 14-years ago: What was the reason behind this? People started to speculate this warning was a result of preventing any kind of temperature extremes from affecting the insulin once it is in use. Many insulin users know from experience that high temperature can lower the effectiveness of 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 >>
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 >>
