I have always tried to keep a generous excess supply of pump supplies (reservoirs, infusion sets), so I’m prepared in the event something goes wrong (i.e. UPS delivery problems, loss of medical coverage, etc). Last night, I tried to organize this, and at the bottom of the pile, found a box of reservoirs that was sent to me in December of 1997 (!) – apparently, I didn’t rotate supplies properly and didn’t use the oldest ones first.
Apparently, these reservoirs and infusion sets have expiration dates on them. I understand the point of expiration dates on insulin, test strips, and glucagon, but on reservoirs? Infusion sets? Tubing?
Does something bad happen when these supplies “expire”? Does the tubing become brittle or porous, the lubricant between the plunger and the inside-wall (somewhere I read that it exists) of the reservoir become inactive? Or is it just a way for the supplier to limit their liability or pump up sales?
Of course I use more care with insulin and strips, paying close attention to their expiration dates (I also go through them much faster - not stretching out 2 days worth to last 4 days like I do with the pump supplies), so it’s not a concern for me there.