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<DIV>I found the below article contains some good information on storing insulin
& other diabetes meds during the summer. It talks about both pens
& pumps...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Living with diabetes blog</DIV>
<DIV>Beware summer extremes with insulin</DIV>
<DIV>By </DIV>
<DIV>Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N.</DIV>
<DIV>and </DIV>
<DIV>Peggy Moreland, R.N., C.D.E.</DIV>
<DIV>June 17, 2011 </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Controlling Your Diabetes</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>With summer arriving in Minnesota and many other places, I'd like to talk
about how to manage insulin storage in extreme temperatures such as this
season</DIV>
<DIV>brings. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A number of years ago, I met with a client who used a rapid insulin pen for
meal dosing. She shared with me a story of how she attended the county
fair</DIV>
<DIV>on an exceptionally hot day, and had placed her insulin pen in the back
pocket of tight jeans and walked around the fairgrounds all day. She used the
pen</DIV>
<DIV>for covering meals eaten at the fair, and her blood sugars were running
higher than normal, but she related this to all the junk food. The next day
her</DIV>
<DIV>blood sugars continued to run high and when she took her (rapid) insulin,
it didn't seem to affect her blood sugar level at all; in fact, it was like
she</DIV>
<DIV>was taking water instead of insulin. She wondered if the heat had affected
her insulin, so she switched to a new insulin (disposable) pen, and soon
after</DIV>
<DIV>her blood sugars started to drop. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Has this or something similar happened to you? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I looked at insulin manufacturers' websites and found that for the majority
of all types and brands of insulin, the maximum temperatures recommended
are</DIV>
<DIV>as follows: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>list of 2 items</DIV>
<DIV>• Opened room temperature insulin should not exceed 86 F (30 C) with the
exception of Lantus, which should not exceed 77 F (25 C). </DIV>
<DIV>• Most manufacturers of insulin recommend discarding insulin if it exceeds
98.6 F (37 C). </DIV>
<DIV>list end</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Other non insulin diabetic injectable medications: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>list of 2 items</DIV>
<DIV>• Glucagon and Byetta should not exceed 77 F (25 C).</DIV>
<DIV>• Symlin should not exceed 86 F (30 C).</DIV>
<DIV>list end</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Avoiding potential problems</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>list of 1 items</DIV>
<DIV>• Temperatures exceeding manufacturer's recommendations for
insulin/medications </DIV>
<DIV>list end</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Store your insulin in the refrigerator, in an insulated case or cooler with
a freezable gel pack, or use a cooling wallet. Cooling wallets are
available</DIV>
<DIV>through many diabetes supply companies and keep insulin vials, pens and
pumps cool at a safe temperature without the need for refrigeration or ice.
The</DIV>
<DIV>wallets have a liner filled with crystals. The liner is immersed in cold
water for 10-15 minutes, and placed back into the wallet, along with the
insulin.</DIV>
<DIV>It works by relying on the process of evaporation for cooling, can keep
insulin cool for up to 48 hours, and is reusable. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Remember, after opening a vial of insulin or starting a new insulin pen,
the insulin loses its potency and should be thrown away after a certain
number</DIV>
<DIV>of days, depending on the manufacturer's guidelines. Generally, most vials
of insulin are good for 28 days after opening with the exception of
Levemir</DIV>
<DIV>(detemir), which is good for 42 days. Other pens are good for 10, 14, 28 or
42 days. Check the medication insert. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>list of 2 items</DIV>
<DIV>• Avoid temperature extremes</DIV>
<DIV>Never freeze insulin or expose it to extremely hot temperatures or direct
sunlight. Never leave it in your car. Never place it directly on ice or an
ice</DIV>
<DIV>pack. </DIV>
<DIV>• Watch for changes in insulin appearance</DIV>
<DIV>Throw away insulin that is discolored or contains solid particles. </DIV>
<DIV>list end</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What about insulin pumps? </DIV>
<DIV>Heat can make proteins like insulin harden, which increases the potential
for infusion set occlusions (blockage). If you live in a hot climate and
especially</DIV>
<DIV>if you work outdoors, you may need to pay closer attention to how the heat
can affect your insulin. A patient of mine, who is a roofer in Arizona,
found</DIV>
<DIV>that he needed to replace the insulin in his pump reservoir daily to avoid
having high blood glucose readings. Using a pump wallet could be another
option</DIV>
<DIV>for people concerned about the effects of heat on their insulin. Also, make
sure that the infusion set tubing is tucked in your clothing and not
hanging</DIV>
<DIV>out and exposed to the light and or heat. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Please share your stories. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Have a great week, </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Nancy </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>With </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sara J. Carlson, R.N., C.D.E.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Peggy Moreland, R.N., C.D.E.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Article obtained from:</DIV>
<DIV><A
title=http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-blog/diabetes-blog/bgp-20056534/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=controlling-diabetes
href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-blog/diabetes-blog/bgp-20056534/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=controlling-diabetes">http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-blog/diabetes-blog/bgp-20056534/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=controlling-diabetes</A></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>