Insulin Storage
The Hows and Wheres of Insulin Storage
Taking care with your insulin includes proper insulin storage. Insulin doesn't work at peak efficiency if it sits for too long or is exposed to extremely high or low temperatures. If you buy a few bottles of insulin at once, store unopened bottles in a refrigerator. Do not store them in a freezer. Insulin will get clumpy in temperatures below 36F. When you open a new bottle, check the date on it. If the insulin is past that date, do NOT use it. It won't be effective if it's past the date.
If you use up one bottle of insulin within a month or less, you can do your everyday insulin storage at room temperature. You can keep insulin unrefrigerated for a month. If you prefer to store all your insulin in the refrigerator, be sure to warm it up before it is administered. Colder insulin may make the shot uncomfortable. The proper way to warm up insulin is to draw it into the syringe, and then roll the syringe in your hands until it's warm.
If you have any doubt about how to store your insulin, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for insulin storage. Check each bottle of insulin before you start using it, and before each use thereafter. Short-acting and rapid-acting insulin should be clear, with no floating little bits, no change in color and no cloudiness. Intermediate-acting insulin should look somewhat cloudy, but there shouldn't be any floating clumps in it. If you see any of the signs mentioned, throw that bottle away.
Insulin is a hormone that has effects on metabolism and some other systems of your body. It causes the cells of your body to take glucose from the blood and store it as glycogen in the muscles and liver. It also stops your body's use of fat as a source of energy. When your insulin is low or absent, most of your body's cells won't take up glucose, and your body will begin to use your stored fat as a source of energy. When the insulin level controls fail, the result is diabetes mellitus.
Insulin is used to treat some of the forms of diabetes mellitus. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you will need to depend on injections of insulin to regulate the glucose levels in your blood. Type 2 diabetes patients may have to use external insulin, or they may be able to control their diabetes with proper diet and exercise.
In order for insulin to work to its best advantage, it must be stored in the proper place. If you use the wrong type of location for your insulin storage, you may be hindering the affects of the drug, or eliminating them altogether.