Diabetes meter strips and a hot RV

[1775]

The temperature inside my RV during the day when we are traveling and the RV is parked can get up over 100dF. I have a Class B so the RV comes with us when we go out for the day and is parked while we are visiting sights, etc. The A/C cannot be left on inside and even with the roof fan vent open it still gets hot. Diabetes meter strips need to be kept below 85 dF - according to the bottle. We are trying to figure out a way to keep them cooler than the temperature inside the RV - they cannot be put in the refrigerator.

Any ideas? Anyone know how to do this?

Thanks!

[GaryKH]

There are different types of testing strip/meters. It sounds like yours is the type that need a solution to test the meter? We have the type that doesn't need the solution, just insert the strip & away you go. If it's that hot out, then just carry all of your equipment in an insulated lunch bag as was shown, with a small dry ice block. That should be good for at least 4 hours. The plastic bottle that our test strips come in is a tight-sealing plastic one, so moisture getting in isn't a problem. We also keep our insulin in the frige when camping, but it came survive a bit outside of it. Just keep it down low & in a cupboard! (hot air rises)

[down_home]

Look on the net or go to a medical device supply store. They maake portable Insulin coolers. They range from 70.00 or so on up over two hundred. More you pay the better the unit. They will run on ac or dc plug in car and will hold insulin cool or cold for a number of hours.
I beleive they have room for some syrnges and strips. Meter won't work if it is too hot either. I don't know if one of them would hold the meter and jar of strips too.
Mine get hot too and have to be let cool down to use. Haven't seen any effect yet but never left strips in car for more than hour or two.

[Bumpyroad]

you do realize that any medical consumer information person is extremely limited in the advice he/she can give and can not give any Off Label recommendations. he basically said what the label said and you got all up tight when he couldn't vary. if you expected otherwise, you were sadly mistaken.
as I say, get a water proof camera/gps/etc. bag or hard plastic container at walmart. get a dessicant device of some kind to put in the container with the strips and store them in the refrigerator while you are gone. they will be at a reasonable temperature and humidity controlled area while you are gone.
bumpy

[1775]

We spoke to Roche (Accu-chek)on the phone today at length and got ridiculous remarks from the customer service rep including "if you can afford an RV you can afford to buy new strips". He was adamant had nothing constructive to offer. He said no to the fridge and no to an insulated bag with an ice block. He claims that condensation on the strips will ruin them more than the heat will. All he would say is in summer heat over the temp range on the bottle leave the A/C running. Of course, we cannot do that if we are out of the campground and parked somewhere for the day. We pushed to the point of asking what do people without air conditioners in their homes do who have diabetes and live in hot climates - he could not conceive of anyone not owning an air conditioner until he conceded that maybe poor people don't have air conditioners. he said that in 9 years of doing this job he has never had this question asked. We ended the conversation with his saying don't travel and if you do test the strips with control solution and if the bottle is then out of range, throw it away!

We will look at all of the suggestions here and see what we will do. Thanks for the responses!

[Bumpyroad]

emzee wrote:

Although we have good insurance we found Walmart has a good monitor that uses much cheaper strips...ReliOn mini is the brand, different sizes. Good luck!

I use their lancets which are cheaper OTC than the copay when I get a Rx for them.
bumpy

[emzee]

Just Googled this out of curiosity....I found this......

Hi William, I am a new member of the forum. I have had diabetes for 10 years and I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have 3 months of 100+ weather, with little rain. Today it is supposed to be 106. To “beat the heat” I have a zippered insulin, and test equipment bag, that has a place for an small ice bag (that comes with it.) When I go out I can take my insulin and test stuff with me. The cold bag allows me keep things cool. It is small (paperback book size) enough to carry on a belt. It was FREE from "Lifestyle" meters. (my back up meter) I am sure you can call them and ask about the free bag. Good luck

Diabetes Forums

Also someone talked about a FRIO large wallet.

My dh has diabetes also but we leave the air on and rarely leave for a day.

Although we have good insurance we found Walmart has a good monitor that uses much cheaper strips...ReliOn mini is the brand, different sizes. Good luck!

[garmp]

Never had an issue with that. I always travel with at least two meters and plenty of strips. First off we do not camp in extreme weather, neither heat nor cold, so that eliminates most of those concerns. When we tour a city, camp trail or whatever, I generally carry my meter & strips. I figure that if I'm cool, so are my strips! Reserves are kept in the camper and never had an issue. I carry my meter because I test frequently and regularly as part of my regiment. Always, always carry extra!

[Bumpyroad]

I'd get a well sealed container such as the water proof ones that are made to carry cameras, etc., in, which walmart sells and just pop it into the refrigerator when you leave. along with an adsorbant for moisture/humidity. the temperature limits on the package are those at which the manufacturer has done stability studies on the product, not necessarily at which if one degree over or under the product will disintegrate before your eyes, and probably match with some of the USP definitions. I suppose there is some exception to the rule out there but virtually all of the stability studies I have seen show heat to be the issue, colder temperatures provide more stability for the product. Not talking about freezing stuff however.
bumpy

[1775]

Bumpyroad wrote:

1775 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
my strips say to store between 41 and 86 degrees F. your refrigerator should be somewhere in that range? and if they can be stored indefinitely at 86 degrees, a short time up higher shouldn't matter much. you can do a test, store a couple in the fridge and others in the RV in the heat. test using both and see if there is a noticeable difference.
bumpy

My basel insulin pen extras that we carry have to be kept between 34 and 38 degrees - never at 40 or above so the fridge is set to stay about 36 and we monitor the temp inside to keep it there. So the fridge is out. The insulin pen that is started is kept in a Frio wallet but the strip bottle(s) will not fit in there - it is just large enough for the diameter of the pen. A temp of 110 dF is pretty hot for six or more hours inside the RV and this is what I am trying to protect the strips from. As you know these strips are ridiculously expensive and the medical insurance is not going to replace bottles gone bad from the heat - I can't afford to chance it. We talked to the meter company and they said to never put the strips in the refrigerator because it is too damp inside - they must be kept in a dry location. (Lots of rules with no suggestions from these companies as to how to do what they tell you must be done.)

I will look into an insulated bag, though I have the same concern about an ice block or cold water bottle in keeping them dry. The Frio wallet gets pretty damp inside also but that is not a concern for the insulin pens.

A few hours stored at 36 degrees I doubt will have any effect on them labeled to store between 41 and? don't know the specific degradation profile of the strips but those ranges never were that precise in my past dealings with them. and you mention 110 degrees, what temp. are you starting at and how long will it take to get to 110? it is not like you were popping them into an oven and immediately heating them up.



bumpy

There are a few places that we go in July and August where the RV will still be cool from the night's A/C when we start out in the morning, but then we get to where we are going and park for the day, the temp will rise up in a couple of hours and stay there until we get back hours later and start cooling down the cabin. After these trips we get questionable readings from the strips that we had with us - which has led me to this question of how to create cool, dry storage in a place where that just does not occur on its own.

[darsben]

1775 wrote:

I will look into an insulated bag, though I have the same concern about an ice block or cold water bottle in keeping them dry. The Frio wallet gets pretty damp inside also but that is not a concern for the insulin pens.

Put the reusable ice thingy in a plastic bag and wrap a paper towel around the test strips bottle

[Bumpyroad]

1775 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
my strips say to store between 41 and 86 degrees F. your refrigerator should be somewhere in that range? and if they can be stored indefinitely at 86 degrees, a short time up higher shouldn't matter much. you can do a test, store a couple in the fridge and others in the RV in the heat. test using both and see if there is a noticeable difference.
bumpy

My basel insulin pen extras that we carry have to be kept between 34 and 38 degrees - never at 40 or above so the fridge is set to stay about 36 and we monitor the temp inside to keep it there. So the fridge is out. The insulin pen that is started is kept in a Frio wallet but the strip bottle(s) will not fit in there - it is just large enough for the diameter of the pen. A temp of 110 dF is pretty hot for six or more hours inside the RV and this is what I am trying to protect the strips from. As you know these strips are ridiculously expensive and the medical insurance is not going to replace bottles gone bad from the heat - I can't afford to chance it. We talked to the meter company and they said to never put the strips in the refrigerator because it is too damp inside - they must be kept in a dry location. (Lots of rules with no suggestions from these companies as to how to do what they tell you must be done.)

I will look into an insulated bag, though I have the same concern about an ice block or cold water bottle in keeping them dry. The Frio wallet gets pretty damp inside also but that is not a concern for the insulin pens.

A few hours stored at 36 degrees I doubt will have any effect on them labeled to store between 41 and? don't know the specific degradation profile of the strips but those ranges never were that precise in my past dealings with them. and you mention 110 degrees, what temp. are you starting at and how long will it take to get to 110? it is not like you were popping them into an oven and immediately heating them up.



bumpy

[1775]

Bumpyroad wrote:
my strips say to store between 41 and 86 degrees F. your refrigerator should be somewhere in that range? and if they can be stored indefinitely at 86 degrees, a short time up higher shouldn't matter much. you can do a test, store a couple in the fridge and others in the RV in the heat. test using both and see if there is a noticeable difference.
bumpy

My basel insulin pen extras that we carry have to be kept between 34 and 38 degrees - never at 40 or above so the fridge is set to stay about 36 and we monitor the temp inside to keep it there. So the fridge is out. The insulin pen that is started is kept in a Frio wallet but the strip bottle(s) will not fit in there - it is just large enough for the diameter of the pen. A temp of 110 dF is pretty hot for six or more hours inside the RV and this is what I am trying to protect the strips from. As you know these strips are ridiculously expensive and the medical insurance is not going to replace bottles gone bad from the heat - I can't afford to chance it. We talked to the meter company and they said to never put the strips in the refrigerator because it is too damp inside - they must be kept in a dry location. (Lots of rules with no suggestions from these companies as to how to do what they tell you must be done.)

I will look into an insulated bag, though I have the same concern about an ice block or cold water bottle in keeping them dry. The Frio wallet gets pretty damp inside also but that is not a concern for the insulin pens.

[Bumpyroad]

my strips say to store between 41 and 86 degrees F. your refrigerator should be somewhere in that range? and if they can be stored indefinitely at 86 degrees, a short time up higher shouldn't matter much. you can do a test, store a couple in the fridge and others in the RV in the heat. test using both and see if there is a noticeable difference.
bumpy

[PatrickA51]

When we bought our Class-C RV. The dealer gave us a lunch bag, and of course it has their logo on it. It is supposed to hold a six pack of soda, we put a icer in it and I keep my insulin in it. I also keep my test kit inside it when we are out and about. It will even hold some items to eat. This photo is one I found on the internet. I did not take it.