HealthInfo Canterbury
Storing & handling insulin
Keep any vials or cartridges of insulin you are not using in the fridge until they reach their expiry date. Keep them away from the freezer and freezer coils, at a temperature of 2 to 4ยบ C.
Keep any vials or cartridges you are using at room temperature. Cold insulin may sting when you inject it and take longer to work. Four weeks after you have opened a vial or cartridge, throw away any left over insulin.
When travelling, keep your insulin in as cool a place as possible, and keep it in your hand luggage when flying. You should store your insulin in an insulated container to protect it from extreme temperatures.
Do not:
- keep insulin in a very hot or very cold place, as this could stop it from working properly
- keep insulin in the glove box of a car
- freeze your insulin
- expose your insulin to strong light or heat.
Handling your insulin
Before you use cloudy insulin, you need to mix it well. If you are using a vial, gently roll it between the palms of your hands or move the vial up and down 20 times.
If you are using an insulin pen, turn the pen up and down 20 times before you use it, to mix the insulin well.
If you are using a syringe and draw up more insulin than you need, throw away the left‑over amount. Don't squirt it back into the vial, as this could contaminate all the insulin in the vial.
Always check the expiry date on the insulin vial or cartridge before you use it.
Important
Don't use a vial, cartridge or prefilled pen if:
- the expiry date has been reached or passed
- clear soluble insulin is cloudy (it must be clear)
- the insulin is discoloured
- the insulin has been frozen or exposed to high temperatures
- the insulin contains lumps or flakes, or sticks to the glass.
On the next page: Diabetes equipment
Written by Christchurch Diabetes Centre.Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2019.
Sources
See also:
Review key: HIDIA-21832
