[onaughmae]

Hello all,

So,I would appreciate answers to the following questions:

Is it safe for insulin to be hot before it is opened?
Once opened, must it be refrigerated or is room temp ok?
Does insulin have to be discarded within 28 days of being opened?
Is it a bad idea to take insulin before eating a meal?
How long can you safely wait to inject insulin after eating?

Thank you so much,

Cherie

Hi Cherie

INsulin should not be hot. It should be kept below 85 degrees. I get mine in 3 month batches, I keep it in the fridge until I open it. Once I open a vial (or pen if thats what you use) that one can be kept at room temperature for around 28 days. You will use most vials or pens before 28 days. As for timing, depends on the type of insulin. Lantus or Levimeir are long acting basal insulins that are usually taken once day (sometimes twice). That one it doesnt matter when you eat because they dont peak like fast acting insulins do. For an insulin like Humalog or Novolog (fast acting insulins) they should be taken about 15 mionutes before you eat. I do know sometimes people take them after eating, but for better control, its better to take them 15 minutes before you eat. That way it is peaking just around the time you are spiking.

 

[onaughmae]

Thanks so much, Pam! That helps a lot. I still wonder a bit about taking insulin before eating. I took mine once just before we were going to eat, and a minor family emergency came up, and we had to leave in a rush. By the time we got where we had to go, I was shaking and felt like I was going to pass out. We ended up having to get candy out of a vending machine, which is not a good thing for a diabetic, but there was nothing else we could get to, and about 5 minutes later I felt a lot better. Scared me though, LOL

Thanks again for the information!

Cherie

I always keep some sort of "rescue" carb source with me. Never know when you might need it