Frio, anyone using them?

1

I’m thinking about buying a Frio pouch for keeping insulin when I’m traveling.

Your experience with this product is highly appreciated.

Thanks.

2

Love my Frio pouch! I’ve used it on many occasions - vacationing in Mexico, traveling across Canada, and while camping and working in the wilderness. You just soak it in water until the crystals are completely hydrated. I re-soak mine every 4 days or so. I keep my insulin in a small plastic sandwich baggie inside the Frio.

I’ve never had a problem taking it through security in airports - I pack it in a shaving kit type bag along with all the rest of my diabetes supplies.

3

Hi, I recently bought a Frio and kept my insulin in it while my husband and I were traveling through the Mediterranean this past fall. Then I bought another one (same size, different color) for our trip to the Caribbean last month. I am on a pump and use Humalog, but always take Lantus with me whenever I travel. I kept two vials of insulin in the Frio (1 Lantus, 1 Humalog) while we were out (we were on a cruise) and then kept another vial of Humalog in the fridge in our cabin on the ship. I did not have any trouble with any of the vials, but I would offer the following advice about using the Frio:

  1. Follow the instructions VERY carefully while soaking it. I over-soaked my first Frio and had to use the new one (it took forever for the first Frio to flatten out!)
  2. If you are in very hot temperatures, I would keep a bottle of cool water or juice or something beside the Frio in your bag. This is what I did in the Caribbean, because the temps down there were around 80-90 degrees. In my experience, my Frio would feel like it’s the same temp as its surrounding environment by the end of the day.
  3. Get the largest size Frio if you want to keep your vials in their original boxes. You have to smash the boxes down a little to fit two vials in boxes inside the Frio pouch. I wanted my vials to stay in their boxes because we were traveling outside the U.S. and I didn’t want to get any questions in the security line.
    Hope this helps, and good luck!
    Katie
4

I haven’t used the FRIO but I got my diabetes supply pack from Diabetesandmore.com. I paid like $24.95US for it. I did find a lot better one at a local pharmacy that is a lot larger and can carry more things and makes it so my meter will not get cold too like with the one that I have now. I heard that the FRIOs are very good though.

5

I also use the Frio products often and LOVE them!

I agree with Katie— follow the instructions carefully. I often oversoak it (but I don’t think that it loses effectiveness, it is just HUGE when oversoaked).

The other great thing about the Frio products is that they are reusable AND that they keep cool for a long time, after 2-3 days, if you just get it wet every couple days, even for weeks! (I just splash a little water around it every couple days).

This makes traveling with insulin a breeze! I HIGHLY recommend this product!

6

I just ordered one to travel through Europe this summer, so I’ll let you know how it goes! Also, they have to be better than an ice chest as my whole “diabetic debris” bag fell into water in a cooler last weekend and fried my meter.

9

Thanks for posting Emmy! How did you make the Gel pack? OR did you buy it?