[MelodyL]

I was supposed to get my supply of Lantus which they shipped on 1/24, well I was supposed to get it in two days. It was shipped 2 day air via UPS.

Well, as I live in Brooklyn, NY and we got hit with blizzards last week, UPS did not make any deliveries in my area at all.

I would check on line, and it said "weather emergency conditions, etc.

I then phoned my insurance company's pharmacy department and they told me "it has to be over 12 days lost and then we will replace it, so call after Friday". UNLESS it comes before Friday but way after the 2 day expected delivery time, and then we will consider it damaged and don't use it, and we'll replace it.

So guess what? It just came. I opened it up and the cold pack was thawed out. It has been sitting who knows where since January 23rd.

I just now called the insurance company and got a patient advocate. She read my file and she said "hold on, I'll speak to the pharmacist".

She came back with "okay, he says it still might be good and if you want to use it, you can". I said "are you serious, I don't know if this thing was frozen, re-frozen, thawed or whatever". She agreed and wanted to replace it NOW, but I said 'hold on, we are getting hit with another blizzard or something tomorrow"

She then checked her notes and said 'okay, I have it noted and call us when you think it's not going to snow". which will probably be next week.

So I'll see what the weather is doing by the end of this week. I have enough insulin to last me, but what is with that pharmacist telling her to tell me that if I felt comfortable enough I could use that insulin.????

Would any of you use insulin that has been on a truck since January 23rd and might have frozen, thawed out, WHATEVER??

I'm not taking any chances.

Melody

[mrsD]

If you are out totally, I would use it until the replacement comes.

You have a monitor and can see if it is working, no?

There are travel parameters built into many drugs... since you use a small amount anyway, it probably will still work.

I would still insist on a replacement tho... just in case. But for now it might still be good enough until that happens.

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by mrsD

If you are out totally, I would use it until the replacement comes.

You have a monitor and can see if it is working, no?

There are travel parameters built into many drugs... since you use a small amount anyway, it probably will still work.

I would still insist on a replacement tho... just in case. But for now it might still be good enough until that happens.

They are going to replace it, that's not the problem. I CAN STILL USE THESE? They are room temperature now. I can still use these?? Really? What if they were frozen and thawed out?

I don't know anything about how insulin keeps after it has been frozen (possibly), or maintained at room temperature.

Very confusing.

melody

[mrsD]

It is not likely they were frozen. When frozen they would probably have some precipitate in them showing that damage.
Freezing it may break the bonds of the peptide, also and inactivate the insulin molecule so it cannot work at the cell receptors.

What happens is the insulin may be inactivated. For someone needing 50 units at a dose, that would be critical. For someone like you taking 10 units or less, it would be less so. You would see a change in your blood glucose the next day, when you test and if you do NOT change at all or much, then the insulin is working... right?


Of course, you don't have to try it at all. If you have some left, of your last order, just use that.

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by mrsD

It is not likely they were frozen. When frozen they would probably have some precipitate in them showing that damage.
Freezing it may break the bonds of the peptide, also and inactivate the insulin molecule so it cannot work at the cell receptors.

What happens is the insulin may be inactivated. For someone needing 50 units at a dose, that would be critical. For someone like you taking 10 units or less, it would be less so. You would see a change in your blood glucose the next day, when you test and if you do NOT change at all or much, then the insulin is working... right?


Of course, you don't have to try it at all. If you have some left, of your last order, just use that.

Oh, FYI, I checked the bottles, the insulin is clear, not cloudy, and there are not crystals and nothing is floating inside the vials.

You know what confuses the heck out of me. That when I get these they are refrigerated in an insulatled styrofoam thing and when I get them (all the other times, I mean), they are nice and cool.

When I went to Cornell and received it, they were given to me (from wherever they were stored) and they were never cold. THEY WERE ALWAYS ROOM TEMPERATURE.

Now I'm told that lantus is kept cold and when you get it, you put it in the refrigerator and then once it's opened IT'S KEPT IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

Been doing this for 7 years.

So what the heck is the correct way to store this item. In the fridge (like I've been doing, or out of the fridge?

Thanks much
Melody

[mrsD]

We had this discussion before, if you recall.

The bottom line is that even doctors and pharmacies may be confused about Lantus.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ghlight=lantus

When I went to Cornell and received it, they were given to me (from wherever they were stored) and they were never cold. THEY WERE ALWAYS ROOM TEMPERATURE.

Make you wonder doesn't it? Not a confidence building fact.