# insulin



## icewolf (Apr 18, 2015)

I'm not sure if this has been covered yet or not. I have looked around but haven't really seen much about it. 
I am a type 1 diabetic, which means that I have to inject insulin everyday. Does anyone know of a website that has info about making it at home, since as far as I know it does not last very long even with refrigeration. So any stockpiled supplies would be useless fairly quick.
I'm starting to really wonder about my chances if the SHTF would happen because of this, and I have a 11 year old son so it's a major concern for me.
Any info about this would be greatly appreciated.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

icewolf,

My wife is a Type 1 as well. She takes Lantus and Novalog as I'm sure you do. We've researched the manufacture of insulin and sadly it would take LOTS of money to set up a lab, procure the raw materials, hire the scientists etc. Bottom line, unless you are a billionaire you are SOL.

So, over the years, we have been able to stockpile a few extra months of Lantus and maybe a month or two of Novalog pens. The problem in a SHTF will be refrigeration and expiration dates. (If you've read the book "One Second After", one of the main character's daughter's is a Type 1)

Each year it gets harder and harder to talk her doctor (and insurance company) into allowing an extra month of prescription. The obozocare debacle has added a few layers of restrictions on top of an already precarious situation. 

My best to you.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

It's a problem. All I can suggest beyond the stockpile is to think of non-electric refrigeration. Do you have a basement? If so, a dry cubby built into the rock/cement, with insulation between it and the warmer room, would be lovely to have. If you have a power outage, move the supplies to there before the refrigerator heats up, along with whatever ice you can scrape up.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Yea, Type 1 diabetics is one of the worst groups to be in. 

I've got a friend who has medically controlled schizophrenia. We've talked about what would happen if she couldn't get her meds. Live would be much harder.


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## icewolf (Apr 18, 2015)

Slippy said:


> icewolf,
> 
> My wife is a Type 1 as well. She takes Lantus and Novalog as I'm sure you do. We've researched the manufacture of insulin and sadly it would take LOTS of money to set up a lab, procure the raw materials, hire the scientists etc. Bottom line, unless you are a billionaire you are SOL.
> 
> ...


As far as the restrictions on getting extra. There is a way around that sort of. Walmart sells Novolin R insulin vials for about $25 or so. The downside is that it is "R" insulin which takes slightly longer to work than Novolog. They also have one similar to Lantus I believe, not sure as to how much that one costs though.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

icewolf said:


> As far as the restrictions on getting extra. There is a way around that sort of. Walmart sells Novolin R insulin vials for about $25 or so. The downside is that it is "R" insulin which takes slightly longer to work than Novolog. They also have one similar to Lantus I believe, not sure as to how much that one costs though.


Thanks icewolf, good suggestion. Stock rotation is so important as you know, its not like we can keep insulin for 25 years like we can Mountain House food! :stick:

Another thing I've thought about in a total SHTF situation is to check out the Veterinarian offices as well as drugstores. Vets use animal insulin I've heard. Anything to prolong her life. A small propane fridge may be another short term answer to keep insulin cold.

It is one heck of a dilemma when your pancreas doesn't work dammit.:Confuse:


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Would this stuff work for people?Novolin N Insulin | Pet 360 Its very expensive but if it works... Also you may look into a small 12 volt refrigerator like they use in Motor Homes, they can be hooked up to a battery bank fed by solar panels. Hope this helps, good luck!


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Would it be possible to get a mini fridge and one of those solar kits from harbor freight. Slippy a bonus would be you could also keep a beer in there too.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Arklatex might have a very good solution. Many of us have already stocked up on fish antibiotics, I wonder how long it will stay usable if refrigerated? The supply would eventually run out but it may give a person another year or two if stored in a good thermoelectric cooler which takes very little electricity to run. By then insulin may be available again.

If the cost isn't prohibitive you could buy say,,, $100 worth a year and simply toss it out and order more once a year.

If EMP is one of your concerns you could EMP proof a small solar setup, expensive so it really depends on how sever you believe the threat is.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Arklatex said:


> Would this stuff work for people?Novolin N Insulin | Pet 360 Its very expensive but if it works... Also you may look into a small 12 volt refrigerator like they use in Motor Homes, they can be hooked up to a battery bank fed by solar panels. Hope this helps, good luck!


Good find Ark. I couldn't remember the name but I knew that pet insulin existed. thanks!


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

About 40 years ago I bought a "Norcold" 120VAC/12VDC refrigerator that looks like a cooler. Is pretty easy on the 12 volt DC so couple of solar panels and battery could take care of it depending on the sunshine in your area. It will run more economically if it is in a cool place (basement). I still use it periodically and it runs fine after all these years. BUT is very expensive now. This one is the smallest $522. The one like I have is about $1400 now.
Norcold NRF-30 Portable Compressor Refrigerator Freezer AC/DC 1.1 Cu Ft Camper Trailer RV


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

I don't know if you can still get the 'old school' glucose test strips. They're available from lab supply places for student labs last time I checked. If it were me and I had to rely on dodgy insulin, I'd like a large supply of test strips. Meters can break, and need power. The test strips have lasted for years at room temperature though.

Lotsa cheap sterile lancets too...


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

For starters, can't you BS about your required dosage? Even an 10 % exageration would net you over an extra months worth of insulin per year. So no matter what your other contingency plans are, this will help a bit.

Also, I think the Solar power refrigerated canister sent down a tube in a root cellar would be both affordable and doable. The earth maintains a constant temperature pretty much all year, and your solar fridge would have to make up the difference.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

tinkerhell said:


> For starters, can't you BS about your required dosage? Even an 10 % exageration would net you over an extra months worth of insulin per year. So no matter what your other contingency plans are, this will help a bit.
> 
> Also, I think the Solar power refrigerated canister sent down a tube in a root cellar would be both affordable and doable. The earth maintains a constant temperature pretty much all year, and your solar fridge would have to make up the difference.


Certainly a good diet, exercise and lots of water can help but the bottom line is that a Type 1 Diabetic gets Zero production of man-made insulin from their pancreas. In a grid down situation, carbs will be consumed because they are easily stored and grown. Carbs equal sugar so it will ultimately be bad if a Type 1 doesnt have insulin to offset the sugar. So, Spice's suggestion to have old glucose strips is a good one too.

Too much is not good and too little is not good...It's a fine line on cutting back dosages to save for a rainy day if that makes sense?


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## Dubyagee (Nov 9, 2012)

I think a lot of doctors will be around. Islet transplants could help. Especially when trade without government corruption will create a true free market.


Im a glass half full idiot.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> For starters, can't you BS about your required dosage? Even an 10 % exageration would net you over an extra months worth of insulin per year. So no matter what your other contingency plans are, this will help a bit.
> 
> Also, I think the Solar power refrigerated canister sent down a tube in a root cellar would be both affordable and doable. The earth maintains a constant temperature pretty much all year, and your solar fridge would have to make up the difference.


I don't think you can put a refrigerator in an enclosed space like that unless it has coils elsewhere to bleed off the heat it takes from the chamber?


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Certainly a good diet, exercise and lots of water can help but the bottom line is that a Type 1 Diabetic gets Zero production of man-made insulin from their pancreas. In a grid down situation, carbs will be consumed because they are easily stored and grown. Carbs equal sugar so it will ultimately be bad if a Type 1 doesnt have insulin to offset the sugar. So, Spice's suggestion to have old glucose strips is a good one too.
> 
> Too much is not good and too little is not good...It's a fine line on cutting back dosages to save for a rainy day if that makes sense?


Making sure the carbs you store are whole grain should help some. Less of a quick glucose spike. Every bit less insulin she needs is more she has...


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

In the last 15 years of so I can remember two situations where Mrs S's insulin management put her in trouble;

One time was training for a marathon, she was eating way too few carbs yet working out at a very high level. Too much protein, too little carbs and too much insulin led to extremely low blood sugar and a situation that was described to me by the docs as her body consuming herself. It was not good.

Another time was during a vacation...Too much food, too much drink and too little insulin put her in the hospital for 3 days of our 6 day vacation. Both situations could have resulted in death but that's what a Type I lives with daily. 

(PS She's on the stairmaster working off whatever she ate today trying to figure out how much dosage she should give herself tonite...and I'm sitting in my chair, watching Bill O'reilly and sipping a bourbon, patting my belly and typing away at the Prepper Forum!)


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I wouldn't cut back on dosages, I would lie about needing 10 percent more than I really need.( I'm assuming you are taking injections, not pills)

If so, make your doctor increase your dosage, not the length of your prescription.Tell him that you are having to react to spikes a few times per week that your regular dose does not account for.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

myself, I have 80% coverage on my prescriptions. By human nature, I miss 1 or 2 pills per week. At the end of the month, instead of using up those pills, I put them in a small bottle with a dessicant, and add it to my preps. When the quantity gets significant, I will rotate them before they get too old.

would I deliberately miss a pill to improve my preps? absolutely not.

hmm... I might fake a laundry accident that destroys 15 days worth of pills. i'll bet my medical coverage is not so strict that it won't allow that once in a while.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

Once we went on vacation without a prescription Salty had been taking. We needed it, so I called the doc who called the local WalMart. Ten days worth of prescription promptly delivered. We were home before then, and the extras went into the fridge.


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## icewolf (Apr 18, 2015)

As far as test strips go, walmart sells relion test strips that are individually sealed in foil they seem to last a long time


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I remember (well I think I remember) reading that people who had diabetes did produce the insulin but the "T" cells did not turn them on to make them process the sugar. The insulin that is taken (from pigs?) has already been activated so it works. I wonder what it would take to trigger the insulin, that diabetics make, to become active. If we could do that then there would be no need for insulin and once they were triggered maybe the body would continue to trigger its own insulin.
I need to find a contact so I can lean more about this.

I tend to work at finding solutions to problems and not just patches.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

PaulS said:


> I remember (well I think I remember) reading that people who had diabetes did produce the insulin but the "T" cells did not turn them on to make them process the sugar. The insulin that is taken (from pigs?) has already been activated so it works. I wonder what it would take to trigger the insulin, that diabetics make, to become active. If we could do that then there would be no need for insulin and once they were triggered maybe the body would continue to trigger its own insulin.
> I need to find a contact so I can lean more about this.
> 
> I tend to work at finding solutions to problems and not just patches.


Type 2 diabetes, my body produces insulin, but my receptors have become resistant to the insulin. The drugs I take are non-insulin drugs that manage my blood sugar by influencing how the liver regulates my blood sugar.

Interesting enough, insulin is a possible treatment but generally avoided with 1 exception pregnant women. They will take a pregnant women off all drug except insulin because insulin is the only natural substance, ie all the others might harm the baby.


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## 1895gunner (Sep 23, 2012)

REVIVING AN OLD THREAD:

I'm a type II diabetic however my body has completely stopped producing insulin and two weeks ago I've been put on daily insulin injections. With this in mind I've become extremely worried about SHTF scenarios. I always thought that I could hoard pills and did however that no longer applies with insulin injections. 

Any updates about manufacturing insulin or alternatives in a SHTF scenario?

1895gunner


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

120 Novalog/Lantus pens for sale 300 units each after SHTF...figured out I didnt need it after all! VA ROCKS! comes with needles and swabs!!


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## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

Slippy said:


> Another thing I've thought about in a total SHTF situation is to check out the Veterinarian offices as well as drugstores. Vets use animal insulin I've heard. Anything to prolong her life.


Regarding "animal insulin". It is typically made from the pancreas of pork and cattle and used to be the main insulin for humans too. All diabetic humans relied on those old insulins, then human specific insulins like Humulin came out and the old animal insulins fell completely out of use. Even cats and dogs were using different types of Humulin.

A few years ago Lantus got a bright idea and had the old insulin type FDA approved for use in cats, which made Lantus the "only" FDA approved insulin for felines and the price went up 5 fold. Instead of 20 bucks for a bottle of humulin cat owners paid 90 bucks for the old stuff, then when the slow Humulins stopped being sold Lantus upped the price to about 300 per vial. Fortunate competitors like Vetsulin came on the market at more reasonable prices.

The current animal insulins, at least those formulated for cats, are probably much slower than what she is using now. Most cats were using Humulin Lente or Ultra Lente, which were the slowest Humulin insulins on the market at the time.


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