Insulin can be a life-saving medication for people with diabetes — but taking proper care of your needles and insulin vials is a must. And that could cause an issue, since improperly stored insulin can lose potency, making it less effective at lowering your blood sugar levels , says Shannon Knapp, RN, CDE, the manager of diabetes education at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
The study also found that fewer than half of the participants properly mixed their insulin before taking it, and more than 90 percent improperly disposed of their syringes. Are you storing and taking your insulin correctly? Learn more about these and other common insulin mistakes, and ways to avoid them. Mistake No. Storing unopened insulin in the fridge can help preserve it until its printed expiration date — just be sure to keep the vials that will expire first toward the front of your refrigerator shelf so that they're the easiest to access, she suggests.
Once opened i. If the insulin has broken down, it will be less potent, and not give you the blood sugar control you need. This could lead to high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. There are also a few conditions that can cause insulin to expire early.
This can happen if the insulin is not stored properly or has been exposed to room temperature or light, both of which can degrade the insulin.
Before you inject insulin, you should check the insulin's appearance. If you notice any of the following signs, it should be returned to the pharmacy. In order to make sure that your insulin doesn't go bad before it's expiration, following these storage recommendations, says Fernandez de Fiore.
Insulin is lifesaving for many people, but in order to work effectively, it should never be used past its expiration date. To reach that date and be fully effective, insulin must be stored properly. It's not worth the risk to use expired insulin. If your insulin expires and you are unable to afford more, talk to your providers about insulin assistance programs that can help. Be aware that refrigerator temperatures fluctuate.
If you think your refrigerator may be too cold, check with a separate thermometer and take action as required. Ask for better dated insulin. Also, make sure the insulin has been adequately stored, refrigerated. Elizabeth Snouffer is Editor of Diabetes Voice. Tags: access DKA insulin storage expired insulin linsulin lifespan. You may also find these interesting. No related posts. Do you like what you see?
You must sign in to post a comment. Lilly: Sanofi-Aventis: Novo Nordisk: Insulin contained in the infusion set of a pump device e. Insulin contained in the infusion set of a pump device and exposed to temperature exceeding Switching insulin should always be done in consultation with a physician and requires close medical supervision, and if possible, close monitoring of blood glucose.
If medical supervision is not possible under emergency conditions, the following recommendations may be considered. Make sure to closely monitor your blood glucose and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
One brand of regular insulin e. Regular insulins are to be injected approximately 30 minutes before the start of each meal. Rapid-acting insulins begin working more rapidly than regular insulin and are to be injected no more than 15 minutes before the start of each meal to avoid dangerously low blood glucose levels.
One intermediate-acting insulin product e. Likewise, these intermediate insulins may also be substituted for long-acting insulins e.
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