Lantus storage

[drjsiems]

I am thinking of buying Lantus in cartridges instead of the vial since in the long run, it will be cheaper since unused cartridges can be stored for a long time until expiration date. The pharmacist at Costco, however, said that even though opened vials should be stored in the refrigerator, opened cartridges should not be kept in the refrigerator. Has anyone found this to be true? It doesn't make any sense to me.

Thanks,
Judy & Jake

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

In order to get the longest life out of Lantus store BOTH opened and unopened Lantus in the fridge always.

Yes, it's a known fact.

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

I've heard that you could store it out of the fridge and that some people do that because the cold insulin is more uncomfortable to them when the shot, but have never heard anyone say that you weren't supposed to refrigerate it. My pharmacist said either, but to keep the Lantus fresh and working refrigeration was best.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

I think the real reason that they do not want in-use pens (either disposable or the ones that used the cartridges) is the temperature cycling and resulting expansion and contraction of the insulin would result in some of the insulin leaking our or worse yet some introduction of air into the pen. Air in the pen, because it is compressible, will make the dosing vial the pen inaccurate.

 

[paige]

We store both the opened and unopened pens in the fridge always.