Today, we’re talking cool packs, with a chance to win one of your own! Be sure to read through to the Giveaway at the end of this post.
Growing up in the mild climate of Oregon, I was raised to despise excessive heat. But you know what hates heat more than me? Insulin.
Insulin is a fragile substance that does not do well in extreme hot or cold temperatures, and it’s never more evident than in the sweltering heat of the summer months. Whether you’re lounging at the beach, trekking through European towns, or just running errands, there’s never a better time to think about the life of your insulin.
Insulin + Heat: What Happens?
The nitty-gritty of insulin science: it’s a big protein that has the potential of breaking down into smaller proteins when exposed to heat. That basically leads to ineffectiveness (see high blood sugars!).
Industry expert Charles Fraser, Senior Director of Medical Information Services at Sanofi, explained in a phone interview that the breakdown of insulin varies depending on the temperature to which the insulin was exposed and for how long, and we need to be particularly cautious about exposing insulin to temperatures over 86 degrees for any length of time. How long and how hot is risky?
“If you went directly home from the pharmacy, within that short period of time the stability is not going to be impacted,” Fraser said. “If you put the insulin in your car on a hot day and then went shopping, and the car was 135 degrees inside, and the insulin was in there for two hours? It is conceivable that insulin is already breaking down.”
But how can you tell if your insulin is going bad? You know, short of the sudden skyrocketing BGs? You might notice that your otherwise clear insulin is starting to look a little cloudy. Fraser says sometimes you can even see the crystals starting to form in the vial.
Since it’s sort of a mystery exactly how quickly your insulin will degrade, it’s better to be safe than sorry! And the safe route is to keep your vials, pens or pump nice and cool as much as possible.
So, how do you do that?
Cool Packs Go Hi-Tech
Traditionally PWDs used ice or other water-related cold packs to keep their insulin cool when outside or away from a refrigerator. And for that choice, there’s a new company on the scene that is taking insulin protection to a whole new level.
Texas-based Kewl Innovations is fittingly named. It’s sole product, the ClimaPak, is dedicated to keeping insulin cool — or warm, depending on the situation. The ClimaPak is a small, battery-powered device that continuously monitors the environment to keep your insulin at the proper temperature. It’s a snazzy little contraption that holds two insulin pens, two insulin bottles, or one of each. It seems like a great solution, especially for outdoor adventurers who need to keep their insulin protected year-round.
In a conversation with Shayne O’Sullivan, Kewl Innovation’s Community Engagement Specialist (read: social media person), I learned that the company’s founder, Mike Wilkinson, has a personal D-connection: he has type 2 diabetes. After being diagnosed, Mike noticed he had difficulty keeping his insulin cool while traveling. He was tired of the hassle of cold packs and requesting hotel rooms with fridges. Having worked in the healthcare and tech industries for 30 years, Mike decided to do something about it and went to work creating the ClimaPak.
In our email exchange, O’Sullivan writes, “We’ve all heard horror stories about folks who end up injecting useless insulin after being outside in the hot sun all day, or people who end up freezing their insulin from leaving it on ice for too long. ClimaPak keeps insulin at the right temperature, with no messes or extra steps to plan (who likes packing coolers, or running by the store to buy ice!).”
Another fun feature is their programmable alarms and last-injection timers, showing when you last took your shot. Similar to the pen-cap-with-timer product Timesulin, the ClimaPak will eliminate the “Did I take my shot?” quandary faced by many folks who take multiple daily injections.
Sounds pretty kewl, huh? Especially since this product is useful for keeping your insulin safe in icy winter situations, too. The downsides?
First, they brag about it being portable and lightweight, but let’s face it: this is yet another bulky thing to be carrying around. ClimaPak is 6.7 inches tall, 4.78 inches wide, and 2.78 inches across and it weighs 22oz, which O’Sullivan points out is less than an iPad. But from contextual photos, it appears to be about the size of a small, portable hair drier, and very space-age looking. (Loads of fun at airport screenings, to be sure.)
And then there’s the price tag. At a whopping $199.99, my first thought was Ouch! It would be handy to have, but only if I had extra money to burn! The device also requires regular charging. Although you can juice it up using a wall or car charger, the rechargeable battery only lasts 3-5 days. Not such a good option if you’re hiking in the Himalayas. But if you are going on a long-distance trip away from an electrical outlet, you can purchase an extra battery pack for $60.
Tried-and-True to Keep It Cool
For those who bristle at paying that much for a cooler, there are much more affordable options. FRIO cases have long been a go-to resource for PWDs to keep their insulin just right. They are extremely convenient to use and affordable to boot.
All you have to do is soak the soft FRIO case in cool water for about five minutes, and the specialized gel inside becomes enlarged and forms a perfect temperature barrier for the contents of the case. They don’t require any refrigeration and won’t need another soak in water for at least a week. FRIO cases look like big envelopes, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors for everything from your insulin bottles and pens to a special “wallet” case for your insulin pump! They are very easy to pack in a suitcase or backpack, i.e. not the least bit bulky.
FRIO cases are also very affordable, ranging between $20 and $40.
Keeping your insulin cool — and in the winter months, safe from freezing — is very important in protecting the stability and effectiveness of this critical medicine, which in turn helps keep you healthy.
If you have another product or option that you use to keep your insulin safe, we’d love to hear about it!
And now…
A DMProducts Giveaway
Enticed by the products we just shared? Want one of your own? We’re giving away one ClimaPak and two Frio cases (your choice of size and color) to three lucky winners!
As always, entering for your chance to win is as easy as leaving a comment.
Here’s what to do:
1. Post your comment below and include the codeword “DMProducts” somewhere in the comment (beginning, end, in parenthesis, in bold, whatever). That will let us know that you would like to be entered in the giveaway. You can still leave a comment without entering, but if you want to be considered to win the contest, please remember to include “DMProducts.”
2. This week, you have until Friday, July 27, at 5 p.m. PST to enter. A valid email address is required to win.
3. The winner will be chosen using Random.org.
4. The winner will be announced on Facebook and Twitter on Monday, July 30, so make sure you’re following us! We like to feature our winners in upcoming blog posts, too.
This contest is open to anyone in the world who is in need of a little cooling. Best of luck!
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“DMProducts”
I find asking for a fridge in most hotels to be a pain in the tuchus.
That being said, I hope these devices work.
DMProducts – The Frio Case has worked very well for me.
I was just needing this info THANK YOU and perfect timing!!!
DMProducts
What a great giveaway!
I love DMProducts that make it easier to deal with all the diabetes supplies you have to use.
I have never tried a product like this but they seem like they would be very handy! Love that the Frio comes in Purple my favorite color! Thanks for sharing interesting DMProducts!
I love DMProducts that makes things easier.
DMProducts
I’m new to the exciting world of having to carry insulin with me. It’s been over 100F for weeks and so far, I’m sticking it in my cooler with some blue ice and hoping for the best. Not sure what I’m going to do come winter – how do you keep it at the right temperature then?
A couple of months ago, I had just gone through a patdown at an airport security checkpoint and was gathering all my stuff when I saw another gentleman who was repacking his insulin pens in ice packs. He had trouble taking the ice packs through security, but eventually was able to make his way through. Something like this would’ve saved him a lot of hassle. DMProducts
DMProducts – I’m traveling in the Midwest right now and wish I remembered my Frio wallet. It’s much warmer here than the mellow temps of the SF Bay Area!
Did the Sanofi rep say anything about the stability of insulin in a patch pump when the local temperature is above 87 degrees? It’s pretty hard to cool a device attached to your body.
We didn’t discuss patch pumps specifically, but the fact that it’s close to your body, it would probably make sense to change your patch pump more often during the summer to keep your insulin fresh.
Do the Frio bags get soggy? Can you put it in your purse with your other back up stuff? I like the concept.
This summer with the extreme temps of 100 plus would be assuring. And protection during 10 below also.
This summer I have thrown away 2 bottles of Humalog that I had in my back up bag in fear of exposure to heat.
What are the dimensions of the smallest bag?
ClimaPak seems to be a little overpriced, considering existence of Frio.
DMProducts
“DMProducts”
I’ve been meaning to buy a FRIO for a while – good reminder.
DM Products The Frio seems like a much more affordable option.
In one Las Vegas hotel where I stayed, there was a notice close to the fridge to say I would be CHARGED if I used the fridge to store anything. Mind you the A/c ensured the room never got too warm.
DMProducts
“DMProducts” – Oh man, I live in Dallas, and these devices would be such a godsend for those days that I want to spend outside, and for traveling! brilliant!
DM Products – Frio products are pretty awesome. You do need to make sure that they have airflow for them to be most effective. Best to keep them in a mesh pocket or just out in the open.
DM Products~ Love our Frio , would like to win a pump pack. The red case does bleed though. I would get a different color. Last a week. Would suggest a week more of drying time in humid climates, before putting away.
Could have used one of these the other day on an annual golf trip.
“DMProducts”
DMProducts- Frio seems to work well and I am curious about ClimaPak.
DMProducts
I got to see the Kewl Pak at a camp I worked at; it looked really neat; but they only had a proto type
DMProducts
DM Products – I’ve never traveled in any really hot weather yet with my insulin, but that may be changing this summer. My sandwiches in my cold bag ruin the flavor of my insulin, so I would definitely appreciate winning one of those Frio bags.
DMProducts
I’ve heard of the FRIO products and am curious about them. Like a previous poster asked, Do they get soggy? Can you throw them in your purse or will everything else get wet?
I happen to live in the house with three diabetics so I am very interested. “DMProducts
DMProducts
I’ve never tried the Frio, is there any chance it fits around an insulin pump? We frequently hit the outdoors in the summer and I am always trying to keep the pump cool…not always a realistic endeavor!
Thanks for the info, esp in this very hot summer! DMProducts.
DMProducts
Love the Frio Packs!
Thanks to DMProducts for keeping PWD cool.
DMProducts – We have been using a Frio for beach trips for five years now. Still quite pleased with it. It tends to attract a little bit of attention at the airports, but usually gets by with a swab.
I want pleeease
DMProducts
DMProducts!
Perfect giveaway for summer. Thanks for the chance to win!
DMProducts
I love the Frio I bought years ago when I was on pens. Still using it to transport vials of insulin. It doesn’t leak into my purse or backpack.
Big fan of the DMProducts Frio.
I used a couple when I travelled around Europe for 8 weeks in summer. Brilliantly simple but very effective
DM Products.
Love the Frio, low tech, small, no batteries required, and so effective.
DMProducts! My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 last June and I have struggled with methods on how to keep her insulin cool. The Frio packs look like a perfect solution! There are so many times that I have to lug a cooler with ice packs to field trips, vacation, etc and it is big and bulky. Would love to try this! And the new ClimaPack is super cool. I can see this being extremely useful for a long day at the beach, etc.
DMProducts.
When looking for a new car recently I noticed that on some models you can purchase an option to have the airconditioning diverted through to the glove box to keep drinks cool! I thought that this would be a great idea for keeping my insulin, albeit an expensive extra.
I think the fridge idea is great. I had a frio once, and the gel just leaked everywhere – not ideal. At the moment I just use a thermos flask. The short fat soup/food ones are good for vials and the tall drinks ones for pens. They always make me open them at the airport as the scanners cannot see through metal very well.
I love the thermos flask idea!
Hi All,
The suggestions shared on DM is full of great and practical sugestion regarding the use of DMProducts.
From DMP who is not a DMProduct
Dan
DMProducts – thanks for the info!
I would love to try one of these products my daughter just got diagnosed with type 1.. DMProducts
DMProducts
Actually the Frio is a really nice device.. But.. you do have to prep it.. and doesnt last a whole day.. Said in a fb post.. Nothing worse than having to go back home because you didnt carry an extra vial or pen around afraid it would go bad/stale in this heat.. Unplug, toss insulin in, and go.. think its a lot nicer than those cheezy pen coolers iv seen online. This has been the year iv had to worry about keeping insulin cold.. power failures as well.. Really think the climapak is a great idea even with the price tag where it is.. Hoping it may come down a bit with manufacturing volume. But being able to swap out a battery… frankly ill probably leave it plugged into the car 12vt at times..dont have to worry about the car ac working =)
DMProducts
Oh, awesome!!! Pick me, DMProducts!
DMProducts….I have been wanting to try a Frio for a long time for my son’s insulin, but haven’t been able to pull the trigger on purchasing one. Would love to win one!
DMP Products! LookS like a great option for school field trips – beats carrying a cooler!
What a great give away!! DMProducts It is really hot here and this would be a great thing that would help keep the insulin cool while she is outside! Thanks!
DMProducts
Can Insulin be only partially ruined?
Many thanks to the author for the product reviews and to those posting comments with real life experiences.
I keep meaning to order one of these – it would really come in handy! DMProducts
DMPproducts could be a lifesaver for me. please choose me as I really need one of the dmproducts that you write about. My climate is so hot I am worried about the insulin I use breaking down. thanks!