# Bad Batches of Insulin



## admc26 (Dec 4, 2020)

So, I am just curious as to how many people experience batches of insulin that your body perhaps doesn't respond well to. This week, I've had to order some more NovoRapid rather quickly because a particular batch that I was using with my pod didn't seem to be working and my BGs were running high because of it. 

Has anyone else had this problem with particular batches of insulin not agreeing with them? If so, how often?


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## helli (Dec 4, 2020)

I have experienced this.
Once in over 15 years. 

Make sure you report it to the pharmacist you got it from so they can report the risk to the manufacturer and distribution chain.


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## rebrascora (Dec 4, 2020)

I am on MDI and I get the odd injected bolus that you wonder where it went because you don't see any effect from it but never had a whole cartridge or batch be a problem. Usually if I am running high, it is because my basal insulin needs have changed.


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## admc26 (Dec 4, 2020)

helli said:


> I have experienced this.
> Once in over 15 years.
> 
> Make sure you report it to the pharmacist you got it from so they can report the risk to the manufacturer and distribution chain.


Thanks for the advice! Will be sure to do this at my local pharmacy!


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## Paulbreen (Dec 4, 2020)

I never had a bad batch, maybe I left a pen lying around too long and not stuck it in the fridge and it didn’t work as well as normal, it really screws you up though when something like that happens, trying to decide to pop more insulin in or not


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## nonethewiser (Dec 4, 2020)

Only once, sure insulin hadn't been stored correctly in transit. Had insulin degrade in warm temps on few occasions, that was own fault.


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## Pumper_Sue (Dec 4, 2020)

admc26 said:


> So, I am just curious as to how many people experience batches of insulin that your body perhaps doesn't respond well to. This week, I've had to order some more NovoRapid rather quickly because a particular batch that I was using with my pod didn't seem to be working and my BGs were running high because of it.
> 
> Has anyone else had this problem with particular batches of insulin not agreeing with them? If so, how often?


It's probably more the case of you have an infection or not as active as you are normally. It's very rare for insulin to be faulty unless you haven't stored it correctly, ie., frozen it in a faulty fridge.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 4, 2020)

I once had an issue where my fridge was on the fritz and the insulin being stored in it had been too warm for too long (though it did take a while). 

I suppose these is a theoretical risk that it may have been improperly stored or transported before it got to you? Though I would hope any transport would have some nifty temperature monitoring to ensure appropriate transport?


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## admc26 (Dec 8, 2020)

Pumper_Sue said:


> It's probably more the case of you have an infection or not as active as you are normally. It's very rare for insulin to be faulty unless you haven't stored it correctly, ie., frozen it in a faulty fridge.


You've raised a very good point! It might be that my fridge is on the brink!


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## admc26 (Dec 8, 2020)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> I once had an issue where my fridge was on the fritz and the insulin being stored in it had been too warm for too long (though it did take a while).
> 
> I suppose these is a theoretical risk that it may have been improperly stored or transported before it got to you? Though I would hope any transport would have some nifty temperature monitoring to ensure appropriate transport?


I think @Pumper_Sue may have got to the bottom of my problem! My fridge has been playing up recently!


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## trophywench (Dec 8, 2020)

Well i did think it was a bit odd, bearing in mind I've been Type 1 since 1972 and the only time I've noticed insulin going 'off' was after I found I'd left a pen exposed to the sun all day on a beach in southern Crete.  Not to be recommended and fortunately I had some more in the fridge at our apartment.

Time to invest in a new fridge then!


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## Annemarie (Dec 8, 2020)

@admc26 re Novarapid, on Sunday I changed my Novarapid cartridge then on Monday my scores were up in the high teens all day although I had almost cut out all carbs. I had a dreadful headache with it and felt I wasn’t getting any insulin. This morning I ditched the cartridge for another new one and went from 13.5 to 3.7 in 2 hours, I hadn’t eaten or exercised I was sitting reading. The other cartridges in the same box were ok, fingers crossed this latest one is too


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## admc26 (Dec 10, 2020)

Annemarie said:


> @admc26 re Novarapid, on Sunday I changed my Novarapid cartridge then on Monday my scores were up in the high teens all day although I had almost cut out all carbs. I had a dreadful headache with it and felt I wasn’t getting any insulin. This morning I ditched the cartridge for another new one and went from 13.5 to 3.7 in 2 hours, I hadn’t eaten or exercised I was sitting reading. The other cartridges in the same box were ok, fingers crossed this latest one is too


It's so strange isn't it! Oh the trials and tribulations of being Type 1!


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## Annemarie (Dec 10, 2020)

@admc26 Yup, they should make a board game out of it; just when you think you’re nearly up the ladder along comes a snake. The only thing I can rely on is it being unreliable!


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## admc26 (Dec 10, 2020)

Annemarie said:


> @admc26 Yup, they should make a board game out of it; just when you think you’re nearly up the ladder along comes a snake. The only thing I can rely on is it being unreliable!


An excellent idea! Someone could make a fortune out of a Diabetes board game!


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## Lucyr (Dec 11, 2020)

Wow, I wonder if this was related to my blood sugars being high the last few months. My fridge had been slowly losing temperature and didn’t realise until it completely died a couple of weeks ago. I get 10 cartridges of apidra at a time so that’s 5-6 months worth stored in my fridge before I use it all. Whether the fridge is the right temperature for insulin wasn’t something I thought about.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 11, 2020)

I’m pretty sure that happened to me @Lucyr


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