Diabetes Talking

Question:

Someone else in this newsgroup turned me on to FRIO, which requires only water and not refrigeration nor freezing. My own purchase experience went flawlessly

I can verify Gary’s experience, because we just bought a FRIO for my husband’s insulin. It worked like a charm, simple to use, and it showed up about five days after we ordered it . We go camping a lot in the summertime, and it is just the thing in warm conditions as long as you have access to clean water. Michelle K.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Someone else in this newsgroup turned me on to FRIO, which requires only water and not refrigeration nor freezing. High tech crystals absorb water, turn into gel which evaporates s-l-o-w-l-y over several days. The evaporation process (just like with your skin) provides the cooling process. You replenish it by soaking in cool water for a few minutes every few days as required.   Thanks for the link.  I don’t use insulin, but was curious to see what sizes were available.  Then found that they have headbands, wrist bands and ankle wraps.  I may want these before I go to visit my parents in June…my father can’t tolerate cold and I can’t tolerate heat! How long did it take to get your order?  They have a location for inquiries in the US, but it appeared that the orders ship from Britain. Carol P.

This month’s forecast has an ad for Midicool  1-800-433-2469   us distrinbutors for FRIO

Response:

Someone else in this newsgroup turned me on to FRIO, which requires only water and not refrigeration nor freezing. High tech crystals absorb water, turn into gel which evaporates s-l-o-w-l-y over several days. The evaporation process (just like with your skin) provides the cooling process. You replenish it by soaking in cool water for a few minutes every few days as required.  

Thanks for the link.  I don’t use insulin, but was curious to see what sizes were available.  Then found that they have headbands, wrist bands and ankle wraps.  I may want these before I go to visit my parents in June…my father can’t tolerate cold and I can’t tolerate heat! How long did it take to get your order?  They have a location for inquiries in the US, but it appeared that the orders ship from Britain. Carol P.

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Hello. I’m going on vacation in Thailand for two weeks in july. Temperatures are very high and since I’m going on a backpacker vacation I’m a bit worried about how to keep the insulin cold. I don’t know if the hotels I plan to live in always have a refrigerator. I already have a small cool bag from Medisence, but it’s to small and doesn’t keep the cold for more than a day. Does any of the other large manufacturers make similar bags? Does a larger bag exist? Is there one that doesn’t require a fridge but can be cooled by say water instead? I’m not interested in buying by stating my credit card number (some webpages unfortunately require that!). Thankful for advice on this!!

Most insulin other than Humalog is pretty stable up to at least 30C (86f).  Rather than a bag, I’d suggest a thermos bottle (a real one with a vacuum glass inside, or a stainless steel vacuum flask). A few cubes of ice and these things can stay cold for a remarkable long period of time. Most hotels outside the US actually do provide a refrigerator. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Regards Jenny Borgen Type 1 since 1982, on pump since 10/98, no complications

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   I’m going on vacation in Thailand for two weeks in july.    Temperatures are very high and since I’m going on a backpacker    vacation I’m a bit worried about how to keep the insulin cold. I    don’t know if the hotels I plan to live in always have a    refrigerator. I already have a small cool bag from Medisence, but    it’s to small and doesn’t keep the cold for more than a day. Does    any of the other large manufacturers make similar bags? Does a    larger bag exist? Is there one that doesn’t require a fridge but    can be cooled by say water instead? I’m not interested in buying by    stating my credit card number (some webpages unfortunately require    that!). Thankful for advice on this!! I would check out "Camp outfitter" type stores (No suggestions as to a store) for some "Naturally cooled" devices. It is possible to make a battery powered refrigerator and at least one diabetic has done just that, However the battery requirements are a bit stiff, Solar power may be an option, however expensive. But the water cooled devices should work. If nothing else a zip lock bag (Well a package of them) and a rock and drop it in a stream  (or a small "Dry Sack" and a rock and drop it in a stream) or better yet, a zip lock inside of a dry sack.  Dry sacks from the camp outfitter/canoe stores. Though I suspect they may even have better suggestions Of course sinking a dry sack in a stream only works when "Camped" and has it’s limits. (A large enough pouch of "Blue Ice" or similar may hold it’s cool in a properly sealed thermal bag) Putting the vial in a small (Very small) zip lock inside of a good quality thermal bottle (I used to have a Aladdin stainless that would keep coffee drinkable for 25 hours It grew legs and I never found another that good) almost fill it with cool water and put the vial, inside a waterproof wrapper, inside the bottle. Beware the water however  May not be "Clean"    Note I am not a doctor, I don’t even play one on television "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" Diabetic? visit: http://forums.csi.com/gvforums/default.asp?SRV=Diabetes Also visit http://members.tripod.com/diabetics_world/ for still more info. A computer without microsoft is like a chocolate cake without mustard. Net-Tamer V 1.12 Beta – Registered

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P.S. to my post. I forgot to mention that I, too, am a insulin pumper.  I bought the size "small" FRIO for wearing my pump on my belt in hot conditions. I corresponded with the folks at FRIO before my purchase and they recommended simply putting the pump into a plastic bag (I use a sandwich bag) before putting the pump into the FRIO to protect the pump mechanisms from exposure to moist conditions.  The FRIO is dry to the touch, but obviously there has to be some moisture in the picture for evaporation to be occuring.  Using this method works for me. Non-electronic things like insulin vials or pens should be just fine without a plastic bag. — | Gary Eheman  -  eheman at-sign attglobal.net             | |                 Change "invalid" to "net"  to reply      |

Response:

Hello. I’m going on vacation in Thailand for two weeks in july. Temperatures are very high and since I’m going on a backpacker vacation I’m a bit worried about how to keep the insulin cold. I don’t know if the hotels I plan to live in always have a refrigerator. I already have a small cool bag from Medisence, but it’s to small and doesn’t keep the cold for more than a day. Does any of the other large manufacturers make similar bags? Does a larger bag exist? Is there one that doesn’t require a fridge but can be cooled by say water instead? I’m not interested in buying by stating my credit card number (some webpages unfortunately require that!). Thankful for advice on this!! Regards Jenny Borgen Type 1 since 1982, on pump since 10/98, no complications

Response:

Someone else in this newsgroup turned me on to FRIO, which requires only water and not refrigeration nor freezing. High tech crystals absorb water, turn into gel which evaporates s-l-o-w-l-y over several days. The evaporation process (just like with your skin) provides the cooling process. You replenish it by soaking in cool water for a few minutes every few days as required.  You can read testimonials from people on their website from visiting places more remote than Thailand. They are based in the UK. I know you said you don’t want to have to use your credit card over the internet. They have a secure, encrypted web order page. (Absence of secure encryption is your signal to not provide any information (especially credit cards) on anyone’s webpage on the internet.) They also provide telephone numbers in their "contact us" information. I suspect you could telephone them direct and place your order verbally with your credit card. Their website is http://www.friouk.com/ My own purchase experience went flawlessly.  I received my order promptly via mail (even through US customs), including a receipt for my credit card purchase. — | Gary Eheman  -  eheman at-sign attglobal.net             | |                 Change "invalid" to "net"  to reply      |

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