They have my husband on vials instead of the pens. Would it be ok to just fill a couple of syringes with 10-12 units each and put them in the small cooler instead of taking the whole vial all the time? It would be less of a financial waste if you lose 20u to heat instead of risking losing the whole $200 vial to heat.
He works road construction (as a boss), so he is out in the heat each day. He doesn't have to get out of his vehicle to work, but he is on site each day. He just tells the workers what to do, and does mostly paperwork and makes phone calls, schedules, etc. Taking a vial of insulin in the cooler each day puts it at risk of being ruined due to heat if they are out 14hr or more. I was just curious as to how anyone else handles this type of situation? Do you just take a little in syringes, or do you take your whole vial all the time?
Thank you.
Hmm, I don't think that's recommended however I never tried it. What I'd do for things like amusement park excursions is keep empty bottles lying around, overpressure them and blow the insulin all out and then use that for a "daily" bottle for amusement parks, golf, etc. where I'd be outside for whatever reason, so I'd just have 20U or whatever in the one bottle taken off of the backup bottle. That being said, I don't think that is recommended either.
Once we drove from Chicago to St. Louis, it was like 80 here but, by the time we got to StL, it was 105 there and, right as we topped the hill where you can see the Arch, I remembered my insulin was in the trunk and it worked fine despite having been "cooked" for several hours (the heat bubble went to Springfield, IL!) in the trunk. Not, again, recommended though.
It is certainly possible to prefill syringes and simply take them along during the day. They should be kept at the same environment as the open vial, below 86 deg F and out of sunlight. It is preferable to store the syringe needle up (and cap on) to avoid clogging. The conditions inside a vehicle may be too extreme for the use of Frio, but you could certainly use a cooler with a freezer pack. There are debates about how long the prefilled syringes last. Some references suggest that prefilled syringes last up to 30 days, but I've also seen studies which found visible degradation within a week. A day should be fine.
Could you request a preseiption for pens for him? They are very portable and can easily fit in the cooler we the rest of his lunch. I find them highly favorable over vials and syringes. I reuse the pen needles for several injections. When it starts to hurt, I change it. I also use up a pen faster than 30 days so I don’t worry about tossing them after a certain date. In the past, instead of a box cooler, I have used one of my kids’ insulated lunch bags to carry insulin to the beach. I just put my whole case in the lunch bag with an ice block and it keeps for the day.
I have never had insulin spoil on me and I feel like I have pushed the envelope plenty over the years when it comes to heat and freshness. I wouldn’t use insulin that sat around open and unrefrigerated for a year, but for a day, no worries.
I also recommend he get a Frio. They are a lot easier to carry than a cooler and they don't run the risk of freezing if the insulin is next to ice in a cooler. You can find a link to them on here. You just "reenergize" them by soaking them in water, but they last a couple days without needing to do that. I love them.
I agree with Brian here. I think it should be fine.
I am not familiar with a "frio"?
Thank you all
It's a cloth container that keeps things cold. It has crystals inside it and you just soak it in water to energize it. There should be a link on here somewhere to order one. They come in various sizes. They are a lot smaller and a lot more convenient than carrying a cooler.
I'm sorry I don't see the link, but I'm sure someone else can provide it or you can google Frio
The Frios can be bought at a discount on the DHF Store: https://store.diabeteshandsfoundation.org/SearchResults.asp?Cat=55
I've been using a size Medium, which holds my opened pen and opened vial nicely. Do check the sizes to make sure you get one that holds your syringes.
Just wanted to add my two cents to the Frio discussion...go for it! They are amazing. I've used them for years, and my insulin stays good even when packed in the trunk of a car for eight to ten hours in 90+ degree weather.
Ruth
Thanks, Trudy; I knew someone would find the link!
You're welcome. It's down on the bottom right-hand corner of all or most of the TuD pages, I think.