In fact, about 25 percent of people who use insulin store it improperly, according to research published in the September 2016 issue of the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome. The study also found that fewer than half of the participants properly mixed their insulin before taking it, and more than 90 percent improperly disposed of their syringes. Are you storing and taking your insulin correctly? Learn more about these and other common insulin mistakes, and ways to avoid them. Mistake No. 1: Losing track of expiration dates. Expired insulin may not control your blood sugar as well as it’s supposed to, according to Vanessa Ghaderi, MD, chief of endocrinology at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center in Harbor City, California. “When insulin expires, it begins to break down, which means it becomes less effective,” she explains. Storing unopened insulin in the fridge can help preserve it until its printed expiration date — just be sure to keep the vials that will expire first toward the front of your refrigerator shelf so that they’re the easiest to access, she suggests. Once opened (i.e., the seal has been punctured), insulin is only good for a limited time. How long can vary depending on the type of insulin you use; it can be as short as 10 days or as many as 56 days. Make sure you know how long the type of insulin you use lasts; ask your pharmacist or another healthcare professional if you’re unsure. When you open a new bottle, consider writing the date directly on it in large numbers so that you can easily keep track of how long you’ve been using it, Dr. Ghaderi suggests. And remember: Any open vial or pen should be kept at room temperature — avoid storing it in areas that get too hot or cold. Mistake No. 2: Storing insulin on the refrigerator door. If insulin is stored on the door, it will be more likely to move around every time you open and close the fridge. (Although you should gently roll your insulin to help mix it, lots of shaking isn’t ideal.) “Shaking the bottle can cause the insulin particles to stick to the vial itself, which can sometimes make it look frosted, and reduces the effectiveness of the insulin withdrawn from the vial,” Ghaderi says. Vigorous shaking can also cause clumping or create threads in the insulin. Mistake No. 3: Using insulin that has an unusual appearance. “NPH insulin (a type of intermediate-acting insulin) should look uniformly cloudy after being gently rolled,” but all other types of insulin should be clear, Ghaderi says. If you spot insulin that appears to be frosted or discolored, or has threads or clumps, return it to the pharmacy for a replacement vial or pen. The insulin won’t be as effective, which can negatively impact your blood sugar control. Mistake No. 4: Confusing short-acting and long-acting insulins. These two medications work in different ways, so it’s important to keep them straight. Try color-coding your vials, or consider storing them in two separate places, Ghaderi recommends. One suggestion: Keep the short-acting insulin in a kitchen cupboard if you take it before meals, and the long-acting insulin in the bedroom if you take it at bedtime, Knapp says. Or request one type of insulin in a vial and another in a pen. If managing both types of insulin is overwhelming, Ghaderi suggests talking to your doctor about using a pre-mixed insulin that contains both types. Mistake No. 5: Re-using syringes. Generally speaking, you should use a new pen needle or insulin syringe for every injection to both minimize pain and decrease infection risk. If you’re worried about costs, talk to your doctor about whether or not re-using syringes is a safe choice for you, as well as how to prevent infections from this practice. Your doctor may also be able to provide alternative suggestions for saving money on your diabetes medications and supplies. Mistake No. 6: Disposing of needles improperly. When it’s time to discard your syringes, be sure to do so safely. Invest in a tool that carefully clips and stores the needle so no one else can use them. Don’t cut it with scissors, which can send the needle flying and can hurt someone, or get lost, according to the American Diabetes Association. If you don’t feel comfortable destroying your needles, be sure to recap the syringe and store it in an opaque bottle or box that securely closes. Then contact your local refuse company or city or county waste authority to find out how to safely dispose of needles in your area.
