i recently went on insulin, and i was wndering about storing the insulin on camping trips as well as time away from refrigeration. everyone i asked (ie dr. s, camping stores, rn's. ,etc.) did not know anything about insulin storage when camping and travelling. so i googled it. there was an american place that came up (i live in toronto ,canada) and they referred me to diabetes express. it is very close to yyz. (pearson airport) fyi
for camping trips and such, i just keep it in a zip lock bag in the snack cooler we keep in the car so I can grab it when needed, then move it to the big cooler that was in the trunk for the drive.
i haven't done a lot of traveling but i did once buy a FRIO once when i went to the Pemberton Music Festival to keep my insulin cold..it SUCKED. My mom ended up taking it back to the local JDRF store we got it from for a refund. My insulin got stuck in it, so I had to use tweezers to get it out(and sometimes get my friends or the medics at the festival to try if I wasn't successful) and it came with a pouch to keep it from getting the inside of your bag wet..but that failed so I had to keep it inside a plastic bag in my pack to keep it from leaking. it also didn't keep my insulin very cold. it always felt warm when I took it out, despite the FRIO pack being wet and cold.
I travel and camp a lot. I usually have no problems as long as I keep my insulin out of direct sunlight and heat. On camping trips, we have one of those 5-day coolers and it allows the ice to last up to 5 days and so I just keep my insulin in a ziploc bag and put it in the cooler. For shorter trips, my doctor said that insulin can be stored at room temperature without spoiling. If you're really concerned about it, you can just get one of those freeze packs and store your insulin next to it within a lunch cooler, ice chest, baggy, or whatever you have available. It works just as well or sometimes better than having to buy one of those expensive fancy insulin storage kits.
Scrappy is correct on not allowing it to be left in direct sunlight for very long. Insulin is good at room temp for up to 30 days per the various manufacturer's. I have not had any issues with leaving my insulin out of the fridge for many weeks. I would recommend storing any unopened bottles in the fridge until needed. Since I am on a pump, I just carry a bottle with me in my backup bag, and that bottle usually lasts me about 2 weeks.
I bought a Frio cooling back for my pump. They manufacure several different size packs for various purposed. It requires no refrigeration and its internal cooling component is activated by water. I believe it last for several days. I live in Florida so it more inportant to keep my insulan cool thna in cooler climates.
Hi flyerbid,
I usually keep insulin vials that I am not using in my fridge but ones that I do use I leave in a cabinet in my kitchen. I am on an insulin pump so it is not good to use refridgerated insulin when you are on a pump. It is better to use insulin that is at room tempature when you are on an insulin pump. When I have camped in the past, I too put my insulin in a zip lock bag and in a cooler. as long as it is kept cool and out of direct sun light it will be okay for a a couple of weeks. I hope this helps !!
-Courtney