Dear Jenny.
Our fridge door is properly gasketed so it is give soft close. There are no instructions about how hard or not to shake the insulins. Still I worry about this, although the insulin molecules are small compared to polymers used for water treatment so they are less likely to be upset by shaking. I think going thru the syringe orifice would be more disturbing for the insulin.
Very Interesting I had no idea that insulin is supposed to be good for only 30 days. Personally in my 11 years of having this disease I have just used the vial until it wound up empty. If that means a month so be it, if its two well then so be it. I really never thought about insulin losing its potency. I have never had that problem. One time I threw out a vial that had gotten warm because I was afraid it may have gone bad but that’s pretty much it.
I have to say I almost think they say to throw it out after 30 days so they can make more money when someone rushes out to buy a brand new bottle.
There is no way I would ever use a full bottle of lantus in 30 days, one bottle of humalog lasts me longer than that too.
I am sorry but I have no suggestions on what to do with the left over insulin. Like others mentioned you cant really give it to someone else unless you are using a sterile syringe each time. I guess the only option would maybe be the pens that someone suggested? Anyway good luck 
Hi Tonya!
I was always told that your insulin will go bad after about 29-30 days. I just believed it, and would throw away my lantus vial each month with more than half of the insulin still unused in the vial. My dad didn’t believe it went bad really, so I started believing it didn’t go bad, either. I told this to my endo and she immediately begged me to believe it. She told me that she had a couple of her patients didn’t believe it either and didn’t listen to her, around day 31/32 of using the 24 hour insulin, their sugars would shoot up to a staggering 400+. They wouldn’t have any idea why, since they kept taking their fast-acting insulin and eating and exercising the same… they called my endo with this news and she told them to get a new bottle of 24 hour insulin (mostly her patients take lantus). Within the first injection of the brand new insulin, their sugar was back to normal. It does go bad! I’ve noticed too that around day 31, it’ll sting to take my lantus and my sugar will read very high the next morning (go figure!). I know your daughter probably won’t be able to tell you it’s stinging or feeling different but that’s just what happens to me.
Anyways, I just started using the Lantus solostar pen. I LOVE it. I get 5 pens, each with 300 units. And it’s the same co-pay price as one vial (that I would have to buy once a month)!!! I take 14 units a night. So one pen lasts about 21 days. And I buy my lantus now about every 3 months (because the unused/un-punctured pens stay in my fridge). My endo reminded me to write the start date on every pen though, so in case I didn’t take my insulin every night (or once a day) I’d know it goes bad every (approx.) 30 days. Oh and I think anytime you give yourself a shot, you should wait about 5 seconds to make sure all of the medicine has been injected. Since I was diagnosed when I was 18, my parents didn’t have to deal with a young child and diabetes. I don’t know how to help you with that one… I might ask her endo or if you know any other parents with young children who have type 1.
I understand how you feel though because I hated throwing away my unused insulin every month (my dad hated it even more, especially when I was first diagnosed and was prescribed only 1.5 units of lantus) but no insulin is the same thing as unused expired insulin because it doesn’t work. I might as well have not given myself the painful shot. Good luck! I wish you all the best.
Jessica,
I’ve had the same experience with Lantus. As it approached the 28 day expiration, my numbers would start creeping up & immediately come down with a new vial. I always kept it refrigerated, even though some people say that’s not necessary. Levemir does seem to last longer now that I was switched to this.
childrens hospital and naval hospital cam pen say only 30 days. once its punctured or opened it has a shelf life 30 days. MEH!!! THANKS FOR THE REMINDER! time to switch them out
Hmmm, here’s something the pen manufacturers should think about: How about including a set of little stickers and a pen so that you can mark the date you start your new pen? Or have a section of the pen that can take a piece of paper being slipped into it, like a key tag.
I don’t know why, but I was told to gently roll the insulin in my hands and never to shake it fiercely. I guess there must be some reason for it, although I started off with a Novomix pen, so it could have to do with the way the different types of insulin mix.
I found this while googling:
" “Insulin is not like Cinderella. At the stroke of midnight it doesn’t disintegrate.” says Cheatham, of Novo. However, he adds, “Our data on hand does not support recommendations of use beyond that point (the expiration date).”
Kirti Pandya, RPh, from Novo Nordisk says that insulin kept at room temperature is good for 30 days after the vial has been opened and good for 90 days after opening if it is kept refrigerated. She adds that 70/30 and NPH insulin in prefilled pens are good for seven days at room temperature and that Regular in prefilled pens is good for 30 days at room temperature."
From here. So the Novolog should last 3 months if kept in the fridge.
Dear Megan,
Thank you so much. I will check out the link you sent right away… =)
I have never had an issue with the insulin going “bad”. I know I have used insulin older than 30 days. If the insulin has crystalized…I will toss it, but again I don’t think I have ever had that happen. In my opinion they just want you to spend more. I will use every last drop. If I do notice sometime in the future that my bg is going up then I will assume the insulin has gone bad, but it hasn’t this far and I have been diabetic 17yrs.
Dear Preta. Good for you. Common sense vs paranoia.
Here are some tips I found: http://www.drugs.com/cg/what-is-insulin-discharge-care.html
Injectable insulin:
Unopened insulin: It is best to store unopened bottles of insulin and pen syringes in the refrigerator. Unopened bottles and pen syringes are good until the expiration date on the box or bottle if they are kept refrigerated. Always check the expiration date before using. Do not use insulin after the expiration date. Unopened insulin bottles can also be kept at room temperature if you cannot keep them refrigerated. Keep the insulin in a cool, dry place away from direct heat and sunlight.
Opened insulin:
Insulin bottles: Store opened insulin bottles in the refrigerator or in a cool, dry place at room temperature. Injecting cold insulin may make the injection more painful or cause irritation at the injection site.
Insulin pens: Store insulin pens that you are currently using at room temperature only . Ask your caregiver how long you can use the insulin pen once you have opened it. Keep the insulin pen away from direct heat and sunlight when at room temperature.
Traveling with insulin: Be careful to protect insulin from direct sunlight when you are traveling. It is best to keep the insulin in a cool pack to make sure the temperature of the insulin stays below 86° F (30°
Thank you. I checked out the site that Megan put in her message, and someone from Novo Nordisk said that refrigerated insulin is “good for 90 days after opening.” It is interesting to see the wide range of experiences and opinions out there… Thank you for replying. It will be 3 months tomorrow since our 2-yr-old daughter’s diagnosis, and I am trying to learn as much as I can about this very unpredictable disease.
We’ve kept our daughter’s Lantus out of the fridge for the month we are using it. Wrong? We haven’t had a problem…hmmm. We keep the extra Lantus and Novalog/Humalog in the fridge. Only keep out the current month’s vials.
Michelle - that is what I do… anything unused/unopened is kept in the fridge on a shelf waiting for me to use it… If I’m using it (like my bottle or pen of lantus and my humalog pens) then they are with me (either in my purse or in my side table next to my bed, since I take my 24 hr insulin: lantus at night.
I go through 70 units of Lantus a day using the pen. You do have to hold it in longer and it is kind of intimidating looking, it might scare a child at first. I run out every 20 days since my insurance won’t cover more then that, so I have to re up on my insulin every 20 days instead of once a month. That gets pricey. Since I don’t want to waste any, I syphon the remains of each vial with a syringe. My pharmasist doesn’t condone it, but I need to save where I can.
I realize that this discussion is three years old, but I was looking for information and found this. The link you referenced was actually written in 1997, at which time almost no one was on Humalog or Novalog yet - and the only insulins mentioned are Regular, Lente, NPH, Ultralente etc. So I'm not sure that the information would be the same. I think the newer ones are less stable.