"out of fridge time" revisited...

[Bonnie & Kyndra]

I was just rereading my (panicked) thread about not refrigerating my very first vial of Lantus and all the confusion and stress it gave me on top of giving Kyndra her first shot and trying to get her first reading! Boy, it brought me back and I now feel I need to reach out to every newbie!!! What an incredibly overwhelming time that was! confused_cat

I have since left my Lantus out on the counter for a couple/few hours at a time and always worried but have been able to keep my Lantus for many months with no trouble. However, I have now left it out for a full 10 hours! I was here the whole time, just a space shot and was simply blind to it! It is a new vial about a month old (I make mine last 4- 6 months). I know I need to watch for all the signs, but this is the longest I have ever left it out. The room temp was upper 60's -70 :-/ Any thoughts? I am NOT panicking, but once again out of work and just paid $115

thanks for (I hope) reassurance! I think we all go back to newbieville from time to time! nailbite_smile

 

[mybuddybinks]

I can only share our experience...

I left a pen out overnight during the summer...house temp was 74 degrees F...

no problem.

hope it is the same for you!

 

[Libby and Lucy]

from our "Proper Handling and Storage" sticky:

From two of the leading researchers in the field of lantus use with feline diabetics, Jacquie S. Rand BVS, DVS and Rhett D.Marshall BVS (University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia):

"Glargine should be refrigerated because it has a shelf life of 4 weeks once opened and kept at room temperature. We have found that opened vials kept refrigerated can be used for more than 6 months. If using an insulin pen, the manufacturer recommends that once a vial of insulin is used, the pen be kept at room temperature because temperature changes associated with refrigeration alter the volume administered by the pen."
http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/index.html?page=43599&pid=0

We use U100 syringes to draw Lantus from cartridges and pens. We do NOT use needle tips which can be attached to the pens to administer insulin. Therefore, refrigeration will not alter the volume administered by the pen apparatus. Refrigeration combined with the use of syringes to draw insulin (versus using the needle tip made for the pen) from the opened pen has been found to extend it's life well beyond the 28 days suggested by the manufacturer.

I don't think you need to worry about ruining your Lantus vial by leaving it out, but you might find that the insulin doesn't last as long. I know I have forgotten and left mine on the counter before, but I was using pens and they usually didn't last me more than a few weeks anyway (higher dose cat) so it wasn't a big problem for me. We refrigerate the insulin to try to get the longest shelf life possible.

 

[squeem3]

Here's the Human prescribing information for Lantus:

http://products.sanofi.us/lantus/lantus.html


How should I store LANTUS?

* Open (In-Use) vial:

Once a vial is opened, you can keep it in a refrigerator or at room temperature (below 86°F [30°C]) but away from direct heat and light. Opened vial, either kept in a refrigerator or at room temperature, should be discarded 28 days after the first use even if it still contains LANTUS. Do not leave your insulin in a car on a summer day.

* Open (In-Use) cartridge system:

Once a cartridge system is opened, you can keep it at room temperature (below 86°F [30°C]) but away from direct heat and light for 28 days. Cartridge system in OptiClik® insulin Pen must be discarded 28 days after the first use even if it still contains LANTUS. The opened cartridge system in OptiClik® insulin Pen should be kept at room temperature (below 86°F [30°C]) and away from direct heat and light for up to 28 days. For example, do not leave it in a car on a summer day. Do not store OptiClik®, with or without cartridge system, in a refrigerator at any time.

As long as your house doesn't go above 86 F or under 32 F (freezing), Lantus will be fine if you forget to put it back in the fridge.

 

[Bonnie & Kyndra]

ok, thanks. Just need a little reassurance, I guess. She only gets 2units 2x/day so I try to make it last a very long time. Hated to throw out that first vial with so much left in it (but even made that one last 3 or 4 months with the encouragement of my vet tech).

thanks!!