I am a strong believer in being prepared for emergencies. Since I have started using insulin I’ve kept 4 bottles each of R and NPH just in case there were any large scale emergency that caused the supply chain to be interrupted. Now that I’m using substantially more insulin than in the past I’m planning to increase my inventory substantially and could use some input from others. If you were going to stash a hoard of inexpensive R an NPH vials, what ratio of the two kinds would you keep? How long past the expiration date would you consider them still usable in a dire emergency? Any other pointers or ideas?
Honestly, if your thinking in those terms I would keep the sealed refrigerated bottles pretty much indefinitely. try not to keep it in the door of the fridge that alters the temp to often. keep it in a place where the temp is stable.
I stockpile insulin, and have a lunch bag full of insulin at the back of my fridge. some of it probably expired in 2008 or 2009. Also, non-analogue insulins are more stable I believe.
Since you mentioned this, I may ask for an RX of Regular and NPH just to stockpile, because I believe it is more stable. If my doctor thinks I am nutty I guess he can refer me for therapy.
I don't know about the ratios. I mean if it came down to absolute need NPH is more valuable than R in my opinion. If you did not know when insulin would be available again you would probably want to salvage as much as possible, and without a meter tasting your urine might be your only monitoring option. (Not being sarcastic about tasting pee)
But anyways, like I said I think the NPH would be the most utilitarian thing to have on hand. Cuts down on the use of syringes etc. If it was an earlier time I would say stock ultralente
I personally do not believe insulin is as fragile as we are lead to believe. Any item that is sterile has an expiration date. I don't necessarily believe it needs to be tossed at the 30 day mark either. (Lantus seems to be more finicky)
Its really terrible to have to worry about these things. I don't know how but I stumbled upon all these prepper videos on youtube and it really upset me and worried me.
I have to say, I do stockpile supplies, but if Armageddon hits we are all in a world of hurt. A large scale emergency that disrupts the supply of insulin would also likely disrupt any ability I would have to preserve my insulin. Instead, I simply keep things ahead. I try to have three months of insulin on hand ahead and I rotate my insulin so that it isn't expiring. If there is a global emergency wiping out insulin supplies and my three months don't last, a couple of extra expired vials of N or R won't help.
ps. I stockpile my supplies to protect against difficulties getting prescriptions and refills and to optimize my costs, not as a protection against emergency.
As a type 2 what will happen to you if you suddenly stop taking insulin ? Because as a type 1 my expectation is that in a matter of days I will become accurately ill and die in a matter of days.
Insulin that is significantly less potenent is better than no insulin at all.
I switched from R+NPH to analog insulins about ... 6 years or so ago I guess.
I tossed my stash of R+NPH well after its expiration date but still a long time ago.
I have built up a moderate stash of the analog insulins although in some calamity, without refrigeration, they might not last so long. You might be surprised how often we lose electricity for week or more, here near the nation's capitol.
I kinda miss R some days. Especially for things like pizza etc when the Humalog kicks in faster than the food gets absorbed and R was actually a good match. Humalog can be scary fast sometimes, and having a hypo right after I eat because the insulin was faster than the food, that is very disconcerting.
Living in Alaska I would have very little trouble keeping insulin chilled even in the summer… I actually have a shallow gravity fed well on my property in which the water never gets above 50 degrees even in the summer so I could easily keep refilling ice chests from it