HealthInfo Canterbury
Storing & handling insulin
Whakarapa me kawe i te taiaki huka
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.
Keep any vials or cartridges of insulin you aren't using in the fridge at a temperature of 2 to 4ยบ C until they reach their expiry date. Keep them away from the freezer and freezer coils.
Keep any vials or cartridges you're using at room temperature. Cold insulin may sting when you inject it and take longer to work. Throw away any leftover insulin four weeks after you've opened a vial or cartridge.
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 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're using a vial, gently roll it between the palms of your hands or move the vial up and down 20 times.
If you're using an insulin pen, make sure the insulin is well mixed by turning the pen up and down 20 times before you use it.
If you're using a syringe and draw up more insulin than you need, throw away the leftover 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.
On the next page: Diabetes equipment
Written by Christchurch Diabetes Centre. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2022.
Sources
See also:
Review key: HIDIA-21832
