Refrigerating Insulin and Byetta

By David Mendosa, Health Guide Monday, August 21, 2006

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Like everyone with type 1 diabetes and almost half of the people with type 2, my wife uses insulin to control her diabetes. When we vacation, we always used to make sure that our room has a refrigerator or at least had ice that we could use to keep the insulin cold, but not freezing. Several years ...

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Kathleen Weaver

8/21/06 1:45pm

I found out the hard way that Symlin is extremely stable in heat. I received a warm shipment and as long as I chilled it first, it was fine. Also, the Symlin people say if you are having questions about Symlin's shelf life and viability after it gets warm, you can call their 1-800 number and if you have the temperature and the duration, they can tell you if it is still good. I wrote about that experience in my blog recently.

Debbie

8/21/06 4:01pm

Sadly, the Frio will not maintain the temperature needed for Byetta. I wrote to CoolerConcept, as they are advertising these wallets for use with Byetta and I got the reply below; basically, she is using it as a very short-term temperature "buffer." There are many, many other ways to accomplish this without the expense of the Frio. For insulin, however, it may be ideal. The reply: "Frio® cooling products, used correctly, will maintain an internal temp. range between 58°-69°F. Amylin Pharmaceuticals states by phone that Byetta can be carried for a MAXIMUM of 144 hours per month at temperatures under 77°F. I use my Frio® to carry Byetta from home to a restaurant, etc., but do return it to a refrigerator when I return home." David's Response: You are so right, Debbie! In fact, my wife just told me the same thing on the basis of a web page at Dr. Bill Quick's site that I hadn't read completely. It's at http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/m77.htm and has some other good suggestions for travelling with Byetta.

greyked

8/23/06 6:42am

Back in the early 70ies I consulted a hospital pharmacologist because I wanted to walk in the mountains of Norway and would not be carrying a refrigerator in my backpack. He told me quite the same thing: if the insulin (I was using Lente back then) is kept above freezing point, and out of the sun, it would keep its activity pefectly for at least a month, but probably longer. Since then I keep insulins in the refrigerator only at home, and only the spare vials. I've been traveling all over Europe during vacations, and never have experienced any problems in that respect. Also not with the vials that weren't used during the vacation, and which I used when being back home again. As a note on the side I must add that insulin right out of the refrigerator is often causing much pain when injected directly. Another reason for keeping opened vials out of the refrigerator.

karen lavine

8/25/06 9:36am

the pharmaceutical company that makes Byetta will send you for free a nifty zippered travel pack that will keep the byetta cool @ the right temp for several hours. go to www.byetta.com/welcome or call 1-800-868-1190

karen lavine

8/25/06 10:12pm

At amylin/lilly's Byetta web site, www.byetta.com/welcome, you can order a nifty free Byetta travel pack that will keep a byetta pen at proper temperature for several hours. (one per customer) David's Response: I should have mentioned the Byetta travel pack. Thank you for your comment, Karen. I use one myself.

XB77--XB Sev

9/ 1/06 2:31pm

I wonder if anyone has any experience traveling in the tropics, where ambient temps rise above 85 degrees F. Of course, this would be off-label use and no medical or industry types could comment, but don't insulin using diabetics ever travel where temps are 85+? I used to travel to the tropics. Now it will be an experiment as to whether or how long my insulin will work at say 100 degrees, or whatever. Or I will have to pop for luxury accomodations and hope the maids don't tamper with my in-room fridge. Any insulin-using travelers to (or residents of) the tropics out there?

John

9/29/06 8:30am

I had a conversation with the Frio representative prior to traveling with the kit and she mentioned the announcement that room temperature is adequate for Byetta for 30 days. That's reassuring, but I still keep it refrigerated when not traveling, and then in a refrigerator in the hotel room while traveling. On a recent four-day trip, I used the Frio pack for the first time and found it an excellent way to transport the medication. It is much smaller than the drug-company-provided pack, which only keeps the temperature low for a few hours. I inserted a small thermometer into the Frio pack and the temperature was consistent, between 50-60 degrees F. for several hours in the airplane and on the road. I carried the pack in a small mesh bag clipped to the handle of my carry-on luggage, and everything worked perfectly. Just be sure to not over-hydrate the Frio - 8 minutes only in cold water for the small pouch; 3 minutes to recharge after three or four days. Byetta really can be kept in the pouch for several days at 50-60 degrees F., with periodic recharging in cold water, if no refrigerator is available.

3/12/08 8:27am

David, I was just admitted into a research trial for Byetta where I live (England). At the end of May I'm flying back to the states with a new unused pen which has to be kept at fridge temperature (or so I have been told).

Should I buy a Frio case?

I panic early because I'm a Virgo.

By the way, I love your new book. It came out a week and a half before I was prescribed the Byetta so I've been busy reading and reading it and taking notes. It's a shame at the end of each chapter you didn't do a recap.

Thank you,

Carol

David Mendosa, Health Guide

3/12/08 11:17am

Dear Carol,

No need for the Frio, which is a great product for insulin users who travel. But, as the update to this article indicates and my book further elaborates, Byetta no longer has to be kept refrigerated.

Best regards,

David

3/12/08 11:45am

The pen I will be taking will be unused and I thought that pens like that had to be kept in the fridge.

Oh, and I'm passing the word about your book on all the message boards I belong to.

Carol

David Mendosa, Health Guide

3/12/08 3:01pm

Dear Carol,

No. Pharmacies should keep new pens in the fridge until they sell them. But consumers don't have to.

David

3/12/08 3:50pm

Thank you David.

Carol

carolyn

3/17/08 9:19pm

I JUST BEGAIN TO USE BYETTA.I KEEP MY PEN AT ROOM TEMP.

I ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF BYETTA IS INSULIN OR WHAT?DO I

HAVE TO USE THIS THE REST OF MY LIFE?WILL I LOSE WEIGHT?

WILL IT GIVE ME ENERGY?

CAROLYN

David Mendosa, Health Guide

3/18/08 12:32pm

Dear Carolyn,

Byetta is absolultely not insulin! I think that your confusion is that, like insulin, it has to be taken by injection. That's because both Byetta and insulin are large hormone molecules that otherwise your stomach acids would destroy.

You will lose weight on Byetta -- if you pay attention to it and stop eating like you (and I and most other people who were overweight did). When you get down to a normal weight for your height, you can indeed stop using Byetta, because then your blood glucose levels will be in control. You will, of course, always have to watch what you eat and control your weight -- and will have to continue to exercise.

Best regards,

David

Mona

6/19/12 11:21pm

What happens if i still use the insulin after the 28-30 day period at room temp?

David Mendosa, Health Guide

6/21/12 10:25am

After that much time exposed to high tempertures it might not be as potent.

Refrigerating Insulin and Byetta

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