r/diabetes_t1 • u/PieterPieterson • 16h ago

Insulin-pen durability

Does anyone have experience with how long Humalog insulin pens last unrefrigerated and unopened?

I am a student and would like to store a backup insulin pen at the university in case I forget my active one at home. Unfortunately, I don't have the possibility to refrigerate it. there.

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u/MysticMarbles 16h ago edited 13h ago

Most of us on here who don't explicitly follow the rules will advise that it will still be at 95% strength, and safe to use, after at least 4 months.

I've found and used year old pens subject to 25C temps and they've all worked, and not far off original strength either.

If it's an emergency pen who cares if it works exactly the same, it just needs to do something right?

1

u/sponge255 14h ago

I can agree with the above.

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u/Zoro3sw0rd 2010 | t:slim X2| Dexcom G7 16h ago

as long as it stays at a 'normal' temp it should be good for up to 28 days. I always have a backup pen in my bag with me that lives there and its always been fine.

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u/thejadsel 16h ago

A lot of the standard warnings seem to be based on older generations of insulin that weren't nearly as stable. I've had Novorapid out for up to a year with no apparent decline in efficacy. Longer than that just hasn't come up yet, but I'd feel pretty confident with Humalog too up to a year or so.

Another Interesting data point: https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/the-great-unrefrigerated-expired-insulin-demo/5132