diabetes and natural disasters

[sean_hrkns]

Hey everyone I am not a diabetic but i am doing a project with diabetes and natural disasters. i am trying to get a strong understanding of the concernes or issues diabetics have during a diaster times. i am a product designer and hope create a product that can ease the stress of being in a natural disaster for diabetics. please anyone who has been in a natural disaster let me know what type of issues you had to deal with. also please let me know which one you feel is better in these types of situations the pen or syringe.

[Bountyman]

The most important concern is resources and the time that you'll be effected by this disaster. For those on insulin there's a 28 day shelf life for any insulin once it warms past 46 degrees Fahrenheit. For type 2 diabetics there's the concern with how much medication you have left to last the duration of the disaster. Oral medications usually have a shelf life of 1 year, if you have a years worth of them...which no one has.

Pens or syringes? Depends on if you have refrigeration or not. A vial contains 1000 units of insulin and no matter what your dosage, the bottle, even if it's new will only last 28 days once it's opened. Pens are a different story. True, a pen only lasts 28 days also...but a pen contains 300 units and there are 5 pens per box. I use 25 units of Lantus a night, plus 2 units to clear the air from the needle. That's 297 units, or 11 days of insulin per pen. Multiply that by 5 pens and that's 55 days of insulin. Now, if you can just tell me when this natural disaster is going to occur...I can manage to have a fresh box of pens delivered the day before - this way I'll have 55 days. Otherwise the equasion is going to be solely dependant on how much insulin I have left when the $hit hits the fan.

I would imagine that any natural disaster, save Yellowstone National Park blowing its lid or another asteroid hitting the earth, can be dealt with in time to afford most of those with medical concerns to get back on track. If Katrina was any example of the government's ability to deal with natural disasters...this could become a moot subject.

A product designer, huh? If you're thinking of a product that will help insulin-dependant diabetics during a natural disaster think of a way to freeze-dry recombinant DNA into a powder form of insulin so that all you need to do is lay out a nice line and snort it or mix it up in a saline solution with a little heroin and slam it in your neck. This way you'll not only get your daily dose of insulin...but you won't care that the world's about to end.

Say, you don't know something about Armageddon I don't, do you?! :)

[jer.lawrence]

I don't mind, but am just curious -- have there always been this many people wanting information?

There seems to have been an influx of people lately wanting information on "meters" or "monitoring" or "diabetes," so I was just curious.

Edit: I don't mean for that to sound harsh, it isn't meant so. I'm just wondering!

[dbaratta]

I don't mind, but am just curious -- have there always been this many people wanting information?

There seems to have been an influx of people lately wanting information on "meters" or "monitoring" or "diabetes," so I was just curious.

Edit: I don't mean for that to sound harsh, it isn't meant so. I'm just wondering!

I have only seen it a few times, but I have not been a member here for that long.

[Erin]

It is an interesting question. I think being prepared is more important than what supplies you have per-say. The only "disaster" I've been in close proximity to wasn't natural in origin -- lived a bit too near ground zero in 2001.

I wasn't prepared in the slightest to be leaving my apartment for an extended period of time, so only had enough strips / insulin / syringes (this was pre pumping for me) to last a few days. If I'd had a diabetes bag packed it would have made things much easier for me. However, this disaster was very localized, and I was able to go to my parents house and get everything I needed from the pharmacy there.

So, I guess an organizational bag would be worth product development, but I didn't really need something special -- just would have done well for myself to have a "go bag" packed.

Something I still haven't done...

[gary.keith]

A product designer, huh? If you're thinking of a product that will help insulin-dependant diabetics during a natural disaster think of a way to freeze-dry recombinant DNA into a powder form of insulin so that all you need to do is lay out a nice line and snort it or mix it up in a saline solution with a little heroin and slam it in your neck. This way you'll not only get your daily dose of insulin...but you won't care that the world's about to end.
I want to be with you when the next natural disaster hits! :D

Seriously, the thing I worry about most just three weeks into this adventure is what happens when the inevitable hurricane strikes Miami. The most likely time for the big-one is September/October when the temperature in the shade can easily surpass 90°F. When Hurricane Andrew struck us in the early 1990s I didn't have power for three weeks. And so now I wonder, how will insulin hold up in three weeks of that kind of heat. That's my biggest single concern about my D right now.

[Bountyman]

I understand your concern. How 'bout this. WalMart (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6487123) sells a 1000 continuous watt (1200 surge) gasoline generator for under $200. It burns 1.5 gallons of gas at 50% usage in 9 hours. Your refrigerator probably uses say 800 watts which would mean filling the generator's gas tank about every 8 hours. If you bought two 5 gallon plastic gas cans while you're there that would give you a little over 6 fills for the generator gas tank...or 2 days of running before you'd have to get to a gas station for gas refills.

If you add Stabil to the gas in the cans, the gas should stay good for aleast 6 months before you just empty the 10 gallons into your gas tank and go get a refill.

Anyway...that's what I'd probably do. If the disaster were any worse, you'd probably have to move out of the area closer to resources, anyway.

[gary.keith]

That's a great idea! Unforunately I live in a condo apartment and it's against fire code to have a generator running on the balcony because the carbon monoxide drifts up into the apartment above mine.

In the aftermath of Andrew I did relocate to a hotel north of Fort Lauderdale. I suppose that should be part of my hurricane plan from now on even before knowing how bad it'll be. And paying cash for a stash of D supplies beyond what insurance covers at the start of each hurricane season will probably be a good idea too.

[Joeprep4820]

I'd say a rock would be a good idea. A brick and crowbar would work just as well. With this rock or brick and crowbar I would break into the local pharmacy, take as much insulin as I could, and live off of that.

[shiftzor]

The keeping insulin cool angle is already sorted, anyone heard of frio bags? Soaking one in water will keep your meds cool for long periods of time.

What about a bag? Why are there not a verity of bags that fit a meter, a lancet device and insulin pens. No one seems to do a really small tough bag that can fit these items all together. As a pumper I would prefer a small bag that holds meter and lancet. Better still why not make a different attachments i.e. a belt attachment and a body belt for carrying it discreetly.

[Subby]

also please let me know which one you feel is better in these types of situations the pen or syringe.

Talking disposable pens? Waste of space in general, especially valuable cool space. A syringe or two and many vials or 3ml penfills, in a big frio bag as Shiftzor wisely suggests. If I only had pens around, but wanted to travel lighter, I'd snap them in half and remove the penfill, chuck the junk. Yes this works, you can do it with two hands with a bit of force applied, but you need to snap at the right point to avoid breaking the vial, I'm not recommending it in general!

For those on insulin there's a 28 day shelf life for any insulin once it warms past 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

The papers I've seen on that suggest that what occurs is that potency loss typically begins after 28/30 days - at the rate of a few percent. I don't have a url, but I did find a medical paper on the web at one stage describing this, it is findable. I've also used insulin a few months old a few times - and it's worked ok. So personally I wouldn't write all insulin off at the month mark at all, especially if I was in an emergency. I'd expect it to be useful for a few months, even if likely gradually losing potency.

Other times I've found insulin has lost potency very quickly in a few weeks, in harsh conditions (very hot, in the sun, etc). So I think being as careful as possible and keeping in the coolest place out of sunlight, is a good idea for keeping insulin as long as possible. Better still, as mentioned, Frio type products will go a long way to cheap, tough, portable cooling for insulin.

I don't mind, but am just curious -- have there always been this many people wanting information?

I find themes and issues can come in waves on forums, it can be quite bizarre. Maybe that is what you are detecting.

[Lizzy]

What about a bag? Why are there not a verity of bags that fit a meter, a lancet device and insulin pens. No one seems to do a really small tough bag that can fit these items all together. As a pumper I would prefer a small bag that holds meter and lancet. Better still why not make a different attachments i.e. a belt attachment and a body belt for carrying it discreetly.

I use a make-up bag. They are tough, and it holds my meter, lancet devise, strips, extra meter and pump batteries, an old pill bottle full of skittles, my open bottle of insulin, a sryinge and eye drops. And there is still room for extra strips and insulin if need be. It sounds like this bag would be big, but it is only 6 1/2" x 4 1/2". And for a man they do come in black!

[imac]

I live in a cyclone prone area and we have had several severe cyclones. Losing power is the main worry as it usually takes a couple of weeks to get the power back on. A generator is of no use as the gas stations have no power either. I usually keep 6 months supply of insulin on hand so we use a gas operated camping refrigerator in these times.

[JJM335]

The papers I've seen on that suggest that what occurs is that potency loss typically begins after 28/30 days - at the rate of a few percent. I don't have a url, but I did find a medical paper on the web at one stage describing this, it is findable. I've also used insulin a few months old a few times - and it's worked ok. So personally I wouldn't write all insulin off at the month mark at all, especially if I was in an emergency. I'd expect it to be useful for a few months, even if likely gradually losing potency.


I have been dosing our cat from one of my old Lantus pens (which I keep in the fridge). She gets ~ 1 unit per day, the current pen now has about 100 units left and the insulin still seems to be working fine.

In any event, I live about 10 miles (as the crow flies) from the UK's main Trident missile submarine base - in the case of nuclear war I am going to be pretty much at ground zero. I suspect that even a Frio won't protect insulin from the effects of a thermonuclear fireball.

Joel

Joel

[Subby]

I'm about 5 km from a main military target in Melbourne. I'd be dust too. Guess we don't need to bother with nuclear holocaust preperations. Best I would hope to do is jump in the fridge (with my insulin) and hope to "Indiana Jones" my way out of there. :) (for the one person who hasn't seen it, latest movie he conveniently flies out of a nuclear test, courtesy of a robust fridge caught in the blast).

[Scratch]

The papers I've seen on that suggest that what occurs is that potency loss typically begins after 28/30 days - at the rate of a few percent. I don't have a url, but I did find a medical paper on the web at one stage describing this, it is findable. I've also used insulin a few months old a few times - and it's worked ok. So personally I wouldn't write all insulin off at the month mark at all, especially if I was in an emergency. I'd expect it to be useful for a few months, even if likely gradually losing potency.

Other times I've found insulin has lost potency very quickly in a few weeks, in harsh conditions (very hot, in the sun, etc). So I think being as careful as possible and keeping in the coolest place out of sunlight, is a good idea for keeping insulin as long as possible. Better still, as mentioned, Frio type products will go a long way to cheap, tough, portable cooling for insulin.





I've also seen it being said that the other issue once a vial goes past 28 days is the increased potential risk fof bacterial growth.

But I've used vials of Lantus for 60 days or more with no noticeable degradation of potency. Once I puncture a vial of Lantus, it sits beside the computer keyboard until it's used up. It's done that during the summertime when temps in that room can get in the upper 70s.

The one thing I have seen scientific research mention is that exposure to sunlight is bad, it will break down insulin molecules. So I'm always mindful to keep it shaded.

But yeah, the insulin doesn't magically go poof and stop working on day 29.

[JJM335]

I'm about 5 km from a main military target in Melbourne. I'd be dust too. [/SIZE]


As an Aussie you should be OK! (Are you familiar with the lyrics of Randy Newman's Political Science?*)

Joel

*RANDY NEWMAN - POLITICAL SCIENCE LYRICS (http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Political-Science-lyrics-Randy-Newman/E5E5C50CCA8ECFC048256A3700478B4C)

[gary.keith]

I use a make-up bag. They are tough, and it holds my meter, lancet devise, strips, extra meter and pump batteries, an old pill bottle full of skittles, my open bottle of insulin, a sryinge and eye drops. And there is still room for extra strips and insulin if need be. It sounds like this bag would be big, but it is only 6 1/2" x 4 1/2". And for a man they do come in black!
The size seems perfect for what I need. Do these make-up bags have a belt-loop on them? I'm guessing not.

I just can't understand why nobody has made a pack/wallet that's large enough to hold all our stuff; including pens, fits on a belt with one end held fast with Velcro for easy removal from/attachment to the belt, and comes in black for those of us who would prefer to not walk around with a pink pack on our belts ;)!

[Luke]

I always carry extra with me, and keep extra insulin at my mothers house, mother-in-law's house, and grandmothers house.

I carry my supplies in a hard medical case that they sell in the Diabetic section at Wal Mart. I think it was about $7.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk285/arkgrid/supplies001.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk285/arkgrid/supplies002.jpg