This is a tough one. Some diabetics rely on insulin injections to maintain life and health. Insulin though has the triple crown of prepper medical problems: It’s by prescription only, it’s expensive, and worst of all it’s perishable (short shelf life and usually kept refrigerated). Is there anything one can do to prep for the Insulin Problem?
This post needs a serious disclaimer, folks. Insulin-dependent diabetes can be tricky for actual physicians to manage, and I am not a physician. I wouldn’t presume to give advice to people on what they should do. I’m writing this because I know a couple of things about how bodies work that might be helpful to the diabetic who is planning for these situations.
Insulin need is serious prepping problem. What can be done? Thanks BruceBlaus for the image.
Keeping oneself in insulin balance during short emergencies
Managing relatively short emergencies is quite manageable. It requires two elements: Having a little extra insulin on hand in somewhere that will stay cool for several days, and the means to test blood sugar to adjust dosages if necessary.
Salty and I have talked to our regular medical providers about wanting to have some extra prescription meds on hand, both for emergencies and for travel. It’s worked very well. The recent Department of Homeland Security promotion of extending the home emergency kit to 14 days provides a handy hook to open this conversation with your physician.
The new breed of ultra-insulated coolers (initiated by Yeti, although there are pretty good and much cheaper knock-offs), coupled with some ice packs you normally keep in the freezer, would keep the supply in good shape for many days if kept in a cool place with a blanket thrown over it.
Plenty of test supplies (not battery-dependent) would be a great idea. Insulin needs vary with diet, exercise, and stress … perhaps more than you realize if you have a pretty constant lifestyle normally. If you talk to your physician ahead of time you’ll know what adjustments to make based on how you feel and your readings.
Know your dose … in international units (IU)
If your usual source of insulin is not available and you need to switch, you may need to know what you’re taking in international units, not just “x many mls of this kind”. International units is a standard measure of a hormone’s activity.
Some people who normally take insulin can substitute careful management
Type II diabetics make some of their own insulin. When that isn’t enough (they have problems with responding to the insulin that’s there), they start injecting insulin.
Major lifestyle changes are known to reduce insulin injection need in diabetics of this sort. Sometimes lifestyle changes allow people to go without the injections completely. Useful modifications include strongly limiting carbs, increasing exercise, and significant (10% of body weight or more) weight loss.
Giving those testing supplies a workout as these lifestyle modifications are put in place would be a great idea. It’s not likely to be an on/off, need insulin/need none situation. Tapering would more likely be in order.
When the refrigerated supply of insulin fails
This is speculation on my part; it’s not an experiment a sensible person would do on themselves just to find out. I’d never consider it unless the lack of insulin would be fatal. But there might be another road…
Prescription insulin is produced for human use and specially formulated for control not only of its ability to work but also for how quick it works. It’s also formulated to be injected safely.
There is lyoophilized (freeze-dried) insulin for sale as well, through chemical supply houses. It’s meant to be used as an ingredient in cell cultures and for other research work. Human recombinant insulin is available. That’s the sort most diabetics today inject. Cheaper insulins are also available, such as porcine (pig) insulins. Many human diabetics used porcine insulin before the human variety became available. It worked for many but some became allergic.
Lyophilized insulin is more stable but has downsides
Lyophilized insulin is far more shelf-stable than injectable formulations. We would buy a whole box of vials that would last us for years in the research lab. Once a vial was reconstituted its lifespan was a week or less if kept cool. We also bought it without needing any special paperwork, such as our DEA number. I haven’t tried buying any for years, so no guarantees this is still the case.
Reconstitution for cell culture use meant using sterile technique to add sterile solution into the vial and dissolving the contents before withdrawing the amount needed on a given day.
There’s a potential complication here: The solubility of the insulin. It won’t work if the protein powder doesn’t dissolve; you can’t even get it through the needle. (Eating it is pointless. It gets digested like any other protein.) For lab use, we could use a weak acid — something similar to vinegar actually.
Injecting an acid (as the link suggests) sounds like zero fun, though. One relevant fact is that proteins tend to dissolve much better in warm water than room temperature. Proteins meant for use in a human body are obviously perfectly functional when heated to 98 F. Gentle agitation helps dissolve solids, too.
Insulin not meant for human use is ‘short acting’
Many diabetics who take insulin shots take a combination of formulations. Longer acting insulins give a little sugar control for several hours. Short acting insulins are added right before meals help deal with the larger sugar load available from the food. Insulin meant for lab use is all short acting; at least back when I was shopping the stuff.
When human diabetics had only short acting insulin, they had to be more careful about eating the planned amounts at the right times. Frequent testing of their blood glucose was also necessary to get good control.
Anything other than properly prescribed insulin, produced for human use is not a good answer. Would another approach be better than no answer at all? I’m not sure, folks. I’m just trying to offer some information for people contemplating a very tough situation.
WARNING: WE DO NOT IN ANY WAY RECOMMEND TRYING TO MAKE YOUR OWN MEDICATIONS
Salty here: I cannot emphasize enough that we are talking about options for somebody in a “I’m going to die or my loved one is going to die because the insulin just went bad or ran out” situation… a “try this because death coming without it” option. DO NOT try making your own insulin and try to use it, it will probably kill you or at the worst make you very sick.
A much better plan, as Spice stated, is to talk to your doctor and share your concerns about having extra on hand. A better plan, and having a solar-powered refrigerator on hand. Watch for a future post on solar refrigeration.
Spice again: Absolutely. I wrote this in response to a reader question; a person who had a family member that Has to have insulin to survive and wanted to know if there was *any* possibility if the prescription stuff was simply unobtainable.
I was told when I lived in Mexico, that people ate Prickly Pear Cactus to counteract diabetic problems.
I am not diabetic. In a long-term emergency, the lack of insulin and the inability to maintain its temperature would kill many seemingly healthy people. This was touched upon in desperate detail in William R. Forstchen‘s “One Second After.”
You can find in the wild and buy (at this time) from Amazon, Purslane…it’s natural insulin. There are many wild components out there that not only mimic, treat, but actually cure diabetes. Look into it!!! And ya know, when you’ve tried everything; try believing pray…have someone lay hands on you. That’s plan “A”
As the mom of a type 1 diabetic (has had it for 15 years) diagnosed at 6 years old, was within 24 hours of dying…there is NO herb, plant, oil or cactus that will treat type 1 diabetes. It is an auto immune disorder. It is deadly. Without insulin you will die. No one has ever been cured of type 1 by having prayer. (I am a believer, so I am not dissing anyone’s religion). Insulin is the only treatment for it by injection or pump. NO oral meds treat type 1. If you have a spare 200-500 dollars to get 1 vial of “older name insulins” that is what you will pay and it is not easy to get at all. I have tried to stockpile…no way. The FDA and the companies that make it are regulate it because it is made from HUMAN rna. This is a very important medication and a very deadly disease. If I could sprinkle cinnamon and cactus juice on my child to cure her….I would but it doesn’t..
This is a very real and painful truth we deal with every day, but we are thankful that my daughter is in good health and takes care of herself. She has a very grounded attitude about it.
And that is the end of this rant by Barb. Nice website.
Barb, it’s our policy here at 3BY to publish the comments of our readers even when we disagree with them, so long as they’re polite, relevant, and follow site rules. That said, I’m entirely with you on this one. The cinnamon, cactus, purslane and such have some value for increasing insulin sensitivity. They might be of help in the more common Type II diabetes. Type I? Nope. Just got to have the insulin. It’s a tough situation.
This is a topic that I can actually talk about. Three years ago I was told I had type 2 diabetes insulin dependent. Well for 2 years I played it the doctors way. Then I found Dr. Jason Fung on the internet. I started intermittent fasting. Sugar levels came way down. Good enough to get off the insulin. This takes time. 6 months and I am still off. Levels just keep getting better. I am off all opiates that I was on too. Needless to say my doctor was not to pleased. She keeps trying to schedule me for all kinds if test. I just politely say no. This old gals mamma did not raise a fool. Lol.
Which form of intermittent fasting have you found helpful? (For others who wish to try this, the reports on it I’ve seen show a wide variety in people’s responses. Some people do very well with intermittent fasting; others find their blood sugar gets too variable leaving them low enough to interfere with brain function at times. It wouldn’t be a good time to ignore your body’s signals, I’m thinking.)
My thanks to you both / Salty and Spice /
You know why .
I will explore the freeze dried option . Emergencies only .
Shelf Life is everything in this situation .
Mrs. Barb I can relate very well to what you say . Daughter was very close to death . She is well Atm which can change so fast it is beyond belief !
I firmly believe that that is a viable gene therapy available ,but it would negate the profit motives of the corporations involved. What they don’t realize is that every parent of a type 1 child would work as many jobs as needed to pay them for a mfing CURE!!!!!!!!!
My pardon for my profane language .
I mean no disrespect to anyone .
I guess I do a combination of many things. I eat from 3pm to 6 pm. I only eat twice and it is a modified keto. I eat carbs in the form of a small bowl of bran cereal. It works the best for my elimination. My last meal is basically meat and greens green beans and most all vegetables except potatoes and corn. I do not use any added sugar or sweetener of any kind. It is tough at first but I have trained my pallet so it is no longer a problem. When a person get use to no sugar it is amazing how sweet things are naturally. It is not easy but having blood sugar problems in shtf is not an option. My family is dependent on my leadership. At least my part of it. Oh I do not drink milk just a little cheese. Dairy an mess with your insulin levels. Blessings.
For the person with the child with type 1. It was stated that it was an auto immune disorder. My husband has chronic fatigue. It to is an auto immune disorder. He uses monolaurie. Google it. He takes 4 per day and gets great results. Gets it at vita cost. Have faith and keep searching. There is an answer some where. Remember all natural medicooines take time so give it a couple of months to start changes. Monolaurine can be bought and vacuum sealer. Blessings.
As a point of clarification, in Type I diabetes mellitus the damage to the pancreas is well advanced before symptoms arise; and that damage is (currently) irreversible. Many autoimmune conditions can be improved by better regulation of immune function once symptoms arise, but that doesn’t fix Type I d.m.
True but technically this is also true of T2D as well.
The reason they put T2D’s on insulin is usually because the person will not diet and exercise properly to lose the weight. Insulin therapy prevents the damage to their pancreas (caused by overworking it) from getting worse by taking the strain off the pancreas.
T2D can turn in to T1D if the T2 refuses to manage it and “burn out” their pancreas or if someone with T2D gets certain infections while in diabetic blood sugar ranges for prolonged periods. No one is really sure why these infections do this, but the combination tricks the immune system into attacking the beta cells for some reason and the result is T1D because that immune system’s attack will not stop until the beta cells are gone.
The betas also can’t be reintroduced because the dendritic cells will remember what the beta cells “look like” and have marked them as hostile cells just in exactly the same way your body builds immunity to diseases you’ve had in the past.
True some later-stage Type II diabetics do need the insulin. I see it as a big difference though that their need is not generally as life-critical as that of a Type I; and the Type II’s condition *may* still be somewhat reversible. Oh, by the way, they are having some success now transplanting beta cells…but those persons have to stay on immunosuppressant drugs to keep those cytotoxic T cells asleep, so it’s not a prepper-friendly solution.
I want to assure you that I am not being disrespectful in any way. As mom’s when our children suffer even a little it is tough. It is my personal belief that there is always an answer some where found or not. In the mean time continue to fight the good fight as I know you are. Blessings my sister. There are difficult times ahead. The only thing I have not mentioned Is energy medicine, prayer is part of that. There is also modalities such as E.F.T. emotional freedom technique. The book biology of
Belief by Bruce Lipton. It is not a religious book but rather scientific. He is a doctor. I used tgese techniques to help overcome my pain and heal my insulin resistance. My pancreas is ok it is my cells that are not working properly. Happened after menopause. I do not take estrogen. I am improv ing daily. I guess cause i am just a tough old bird. Lol. Again blessings to you and your daughter. Sounds to me like she is a fighter. I will continue to search for you.
As a T1 myself I would point out some things things here:
First, the expiration on refrigerated and unopened insulin is 2-3 years. You won’t get that far leaving it at room temperature but unopened it will last awhile and after you open it it will last a bit over a month. The numbers on this stuff are rather conservative and for good reason.
Second, you cannot trust a GP doc about this. If you want straight dope on insulin and diabetes talk to an endocrinologist. My, now former, GP very nearly killed me repeatedly with misdiagnoses and improper information on the use of insulin once it was made clear to them I needed it when I nearly died. Even the docs in the ICU and ER didn’t really know what they were doing.
The real issue here is this:
Cold or not you’re not going to be able to stockpile insulin because of the price and the way it’s Rxed. A good diabetes doc will give you a few extra months supply but they can’t go much farther than that without drawing regulatory suspicion that they’re involved in insulin doping (enhancing athletic performance via insulin and sugar mixes to extend the duration of exercise, a practice uncovered at the Olympics back in the 1990’s).
Further, insulin is something that an insurance company WILL NOT pay for you to stockpile ANY amount of. Anything past what’s on the MONTHLY Rx is up to you in cash, up front. I am quite sensitive to insulin and therefore take quite little of it in comparison to other folks, a months supply in cash is $550 for vials (with a discount card) or $800 for pens (with a discount card). You’re not going to stock up on this stuff like it’s SPAM or beans. Walmart might cut your prices a bit but it’s still hundreds of bucks a month up front in cash and you can get yourself in trouble buying it without an Rx or even with one if someone thinks you’re involved in a doping program.
One other thing: test strips. Sorry, but you want battery power in this case. Rechargeable if possible. Test strips of the urine testing variety require no batteries but also make managing diabetes nearly impossible because they don’t give you real time data. A finger-stick or a CGM tell you your current glucose numbers with a 10% MOE. A urine strip has a larger MOE and is going to tell you what was happening 1-4 hours ago and your blood sugar can change by 2-4mg/dl per minute if you eat or take insulin meaning whatever that number you saw on the strip was could be +/- 120-960mg/dl. If the strip says 200mg/dl you could already have someone in insulin shock or running very high. You won’t know.
If you make a mistake by even 40mg/dl you can put someone into insulin shock. a minimum MOE or 120-240 is just not workable especially since without an insulin pump your best ability to measure a dose is 0.5u which in an insulin resistant person might do next to nothing while in an insulin sensitive person might drop them 150mg/dl.
Thank you for taking the time and trouble, strych9! There’s a lot of good information here you don’t find in the books. I’m just passing it on as written. It’s a mix of things I had and had not yet heard before; and the writer’s accuracy on all the parts I did know give me confidence in the rest. In fact, pending strych9’s approval, we’ll reformat this and make a fresh article out of it. The author put in a lot of work and value; too much value to bury in a comments section.