I have a large frio and I carry my insulin in it all the time. In the summer and winter. It is cold to the touch, mine is anyway... you let it sit in water for a set time, it swells up and then it is cold to the touch. You're supposed to let it dry out a bit before using.
I think mine may have a problem since it has condensation inside- the paint on my novopen junior started to peel off. The gel is a bit sticky too and part of it does not seem to absorb the water very well. When it starts to evaporate too much it shrinks and then you know its time to put it back in water,it's usually good for a few days. I like it overall, but it is heavier to carry around if you have it in a handbag/purse. I think it could work for a small amount of insulin while in transit as long as you make sure it stays cool, but I would use a cooler and then a fridge for longer storage of unopened insulin. I did use it for some extra insulin to keep with me during Sandy as well as my opened insulin. It was fine. That was for a few days. The rest I put in a neighbor's generator operated fridge.
When insulin freezes it damages the formulation, most vividly in basal insulin. If you see any crystals or clumping in the insulin, it is clearly bad. Even still, it may have degraded/variable potency and the only way you can discover this is by using it.
I would test them out to see if they work. I think the novolog insert says to store it at under 50 degrees. I read another post where someone mentioned their insulin insert instructions said to keep it between 36 and 46 degrees and they thought that insulin freezes at a lower temp than water, which is why it is ok to store it near ice. I'm not sure if this is true or not but I did have mine in a fridge/cooler with ice and it didn't freeze as far as I know.
They do feel a little bit cold to the touch--- but interestingly, they aren't actually cold. Just as a room temperature wet washcloth on your forehead feels cold and cools off your head, even though it is the same temperature as the air it is in this is how the frio works on the insulin. Also-- note that the same wet washcloth no longer feels colder than its environment when you are using it in the shower, because it is not able to evaporate in the wet environment.
The same concept is used in weather observations to determine relative humidity--- A thermometer which is wrapped in fabric and saturated in air-temperature water will read lower than a regular thermometer in the same air-- because the water is evaporating and cooling the thermometer--- the difference between the two is used to determine how fast the water is evaporating, which is inversely proportional to the relative humidity of the air.
Try this for an experiment--- take your frio outside on a warm sunny dry day--- it will feel cold. Then take your frio outside on a day when it is raining hard, or even better, in a dense fog--- it won't feel cold to the touch in that environment, as it won't be evaporating into the air that has already reached saturation---- as evidenced by another experiment that if a frio was actually cold, it would make a glass of water colder if you put it into one, but if you do this the evaporation would immediately stop and the water wouldn't get colder.
Sorry I'm a bit of a meteorology geek. I guess where I was originally going with that was to try to say that the frio won't actually cool anything that its not directly touching, and only if it is in open air. to allow for evaporation--- used inside a closed pack in place of an ice pack, would not be effective at all
Interesting Sam, I will try that test... so far my frio just feels cold all the time to me... I usually carry it in a medium size lightweight backpack/purse with all my other supplies so I guess there is enough air around to keep it working.
Yeah the seem to work fine even in a cargo pocket of my pants.. They'd most effective in wide open air, though, and zero percent effective in a ziplock back--- everything in between would be a matter of degree. they are a pretty brilliant design actually-- I just find it interesting how they work. I mainly use mine at work to store the pens I am currently using in during the hot months, while I keep the unopened ones in the fridge
I am a Frio pack user ,using same pack for numerous years ...and received the one for FREE from my Pharmacist :) I have traveled to much warmer temperatures , than at home ,without complaints . If I am clear I can trust the refrigerator where I am staying , I put spare insulin in fridge and I write myself a reminder note to take out of the fridge before departure ...It only takes once to leave spare insulin behind and that was NO fun :( http://frioinsulincoolingcase.com/howitworks.html
I think you mentioned once before (maybe to one of my blog posts?) that you got one for free ... I asked the pharmacist at Safeway where I go about one and she had no idea what a Frio even was!
If you are traveling to multiple cities or even countries, your replacement pump might encounter extreme difficulty finding you. In which case, you might end up being on injections for weeks. Second problem is that, in Hawaii at least, they would not accept my Canadian prescriptions. I carry 5 new basal insulin pen cartridges in a gen pack just for the duration of my flights or train trips. With overhead this can be over 15 hours if you are flying intercontinental. I put the basal insulin in the hotel fridge and put a thermometer in with it. I've have had cartons of milk freeze solid in hotel fridges. I set the temperature to about 42°F.
During the day I carry a couple of syringes and a vial of my pump insulin in a Frio Pack. Like Sam, I carry the Frio at least partially exposed to the air for most of the time.
When I get home I put the unused basal insulin in the fridge and it lasts for at least another 6 months.
Try asking your CDE. They have tons of freebies. Our DEC is like a gift shop. My Frio is quite old and it's beginning to look quite tatty and faded. It's time to get a new one. Sometimes the drug stores still have some sample Frios that they may give out.
