Does Trulicity Need to be Refrigerated? Storage Tips!

Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a widely prescribed non-insulin injection for type 2 diabetes that helps managing blood glucose levels. While it’s proven to be highly efficient, its active ingredient, Dulaglutide, is very sensitive to temperature variations.

To maintain its effectiveness, Trulicity needs to be refrigerated before first use and protected from heat once open. In this guide, we'll provide essential storage tips to ensure your Trulicity pens remain effective and safe travel cooling solution for your injection pens:

Does Trulicity really need to be refrigerated?
How long can it stay out of the fridge?
How long does it last in the fridge?
What happens if Trulicity gets hot?
How to travel with Trulicity pens?

If reading isn't your thing, hit play on the video below.

What is Trulicity?

Trulicity (Dulaglutide) is an injectable medication used for managing type 2 diabetes. It’s important to understand that while both are injections used for diabetes management, Trulicity isn’t the same as insulin and can only be used for type 2 diabetes and not type 1 diabetes.

It belongs to the class of GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, Victoza, Byetta, and the newest weight-loss injection Zepbound.

By inhibiting glucagon release, slowing digestion, and stimulating natural insulin production, Trulicity helps regulate blood sugar levels. While not approved by Health Canada for weight loss, it may also aid in weight loss as a side effect.

Trulicity comes in single-dose injectable pens in 0.75mg and 1.5mg dosages. It is administered weekly by subcutaneous injections.

Manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company Laboratories, Trulicity requires a medical prescription and should be part of a comprehensive diabetes management plan, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and medical supervision.

Does Trulicity Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes, Trulicity is a temperature-sensitive medication that needs to be refrigerated when not in use and protected from heat during use. Its active ingredient, Dulaglutide, is a biologic drug that can quickly spoil if left unrefrigerated or exposed to high temperatures.

Here's a series of questions and answers about Trulicity optimal storage conditions, whether at home or traveling.

Trulicity refrigeration and storage instructions

First, according to Eli Lilly and Company, Trulicity's drug manufacturer, here's how you should store your Trulicity pen:

“Store your pen in the refrigerator, but do NOT freeze your pen. If you decide to travel with your Trulicity pens, you can keep them at room temperature (below 30°C) for up to 14 days”.

How long can Trulicity be out of the fridge?

Trulicity can be out of the refrigerator for a maximum of 14 days.

According to the manufacturer, this 14-day room temperature exposure "can be broken up into multiple exposures. There is no limit to the number of room temperature exposures as long as the total time does not exceed 14 days (336 hours)."

However, during this period, it must be protected from heat exposure and maintained at a cool room temperature below 30°C to preserve its effectiveness. Direct sunlight and heat sources should be avoided to prevent the medication from degrading.

Extended exposure of Dulaglutide to elevated temperatures can lead to a rapid loss of potency, rendering the medication ineffective.

If Trulicity has been left unrefrigerated for more than 14 days, it is no longer safe for use, as its effectiveness may have significantly decreased. In such cases, you should dispose of your injections, even if there’s still medicine inside, and get a new pen the refrigerator.

Can Trulicity be left out of the fridge overnight?

When Trulicity is left out of the fridge overnight, the cold chain is broken. As a result, it's considered to have been left unrefrigerated. While Trulicity can typically be left out of the fridge for up to 14 days, the duration it spends at room temperature affects its safety and effectiveness.

For example, if the room temperature remains below 30°C overnight, Trulicity should still be safe for use as long it the duration at room temperature does not exceed 14 days in total. However, if the room temperature exceeds 30°C, it's no longer considered safe for use.

How long is Trulicity good for?

When properly stored at fridge temperature range of 2°C to 8°C, Trulicity is good until its expiration date. However, if it's kept out of the refrigerator, it's only good for up to 14 days.

Always check the expiration date labelled by the manufacturer on the carton box or the pen itself for each Trulicity pen. Expired Trulicity pens should be discarded immediately, as using medication past its expiration date can pose risks to your health.

How long is Trulicity good for at room temperature?

Trulicity remains effective at room temperature for up to 14 days. By room temperature, we mean below 30°C. It’s essential to ensure that the temperature stays within this range to maintain the medication's potency. If room temperature exceeds this threshold, it's no longer safe for use beyond the 14-day period, and the effectiveness of Trulicity may be compromised.

What happens if Trulicity gets hot?

If Trulicity gets warm because of heat exposure above 30°C, even briefly, it’s not safe for use and should be discarded.

When Trulicity is exposed to temperatures above 30°C, the active ingredient, dulaglutide, which is a biologic protein-based drug, can degrade rapidly. Proteins are sensitive to heat, and high temperatures can cause them to denature or unfold, rendering them ineffective. This degradation process can occur rapidly, even with brief exposure to elevated temperatures. As a result, the medication may lose its potency and effectiveness.

Does Trulicity expire?

Yes, Trulicity does expire. In fact, it has two expiration dates.

The first expiration date is labeled on the pen itself, assuming it has been stored in the fridge, and usually occurs about a year after purchase. However, there's another expiration date to keep track of: the one that naturally occurs 14 days after the pen has been out of the fridge.

Keep track of both expiration dates to ensure you never used expired Trulicity pens.

Can you put Trulicity back in the refrigerator?

Yes, you can put Trulicity back in the refrigerator after your injection, especially if it has been out for a short period of time. However, it's essential to minimize temperature fluctuations to maintain the medication's effectiveness.

While it's generally recommended to use Trulicity within 14 days once it's been out of the fridge, if you have no other option, returning it to the refrigerator can help extend its shelf life. According to the manufacturer, the 14-day room temperature exposure "may be one single 14-day exposure or it can be broken up into multiple exposures. There is no limit to the number of room temperature exposures as long as the total time does not exceed 14 days (336 hours)."

What happens if Trulicity freezes?

Trulicity should never be frozen. Freezing temperatures can break the molecules, and your medicine won't work as it should anymore. If you think your Trulicity pen might have frozen, immediately dispose of it, even if it has thawed afterward.

To prevent your Trulicity pens from freezing, always keep them away from the freezer compartment in your fridge. Never put your injections in direct contact with ice.

If you’re traveling with Trulicity and using a portable medicine cooler, be sure it has anti-freeze security like the ones from 4AllFamily.

If you're living or traveling to extreme cold weather destinations, keep your Trulicity pens in your inside pocket. Your body's warmth should be enough to prevent it from freezing. Never leave your Trulicity pens in a car overnight when temperatures may get below 0°C.

How to Travel With Trulicity Pens?

While keeping your Trulicity pens safe at home is pretty simple, things can get a bit trickier when you're traveling. Nonetheless, ensuring the right storage temperature, even when you're on the move, is super important for the effectiveness of your medication. So, now let's dive into some tips for traveling with Trulicity!

Trulicity temperature excursion

When you're out and about, whether it's to catch a flight, camping, hiking, or sightseeing even for a few hours, it's crucial to keep your Trulicity pen at the right temperature.

Even a brief temperature excursion can impact Trulicity effectiveness. Remember, Trulicity must be kept refrigerated, but temperature excursions are possible as long as your pens stay below 30°C and for no more than 14 days total.

There are two travel situations that require different temperature control and travel storage solutions for your Trulicity pens: whether you’re traveling for more or less than 14 days.

How to keep Trulicity cold while traveling for less than 14 days

If you're embarking on a short trip lasting less than 14 days, your Trulicity pens don’t need to be transported refrigerated. But still, you must keep them at room temperature below 30°C and protect them from the heat at all time.

Keep your injection pens shaded, away from heat sources, and out of direct sunlight. It's important never to leave it inside a car parked in the sun, for instance.

However, if your travel destination experiences temperatures exceeding 30°C, extra storage precautions are necessary. Then, investing in a medical-grade travel cooler is the safest solution to keep your Trulicity pens cool while traveling.

Trulicity pen travel case coolers 4AllFamily Canada

4AllFamily’s medicine coolers keep Trulicity safe at room temperature

Traveling with Trulicity for longer trips

Planning longer trips with several weeks' worth of Trulicity poses a bit more of a puzzle, as Trulicity can only stay unrefrigerated for a maximum of 14 days before its effectiveness starts to fade.

So, whether you're off to sunny destinations or not, transporting your injection pens at fridge temperature is key. Here are two ways to tackle the challenge:

DIY refrigerated Trulicity travel cases. Get creative and whip up your own Trulicity travel cooling case using an insulated lunch bag and some ice. Wrap your Trulicity pen in a cloth to prevent direct contact with ice. Just remember, this method can keep your Trulicity pens refrigerated for anywhere from 2 to 24 hours, depending on how much ice you use and the weather outside. But fair warnings, the dripping ice can get quite messy, the inside temperature isn’t super reliable, and it might not fly with airport security rules.

Medical-Grade Trulicity Travel Coolers. Treat yourself to a legit medical-grade travel cooler made specifically for meds that need to be refrigerated while traveling (see below!).

Trulicity Travel Cases from 4AllFamily

At 4AllFamily, we've made it our mission to care for travelers with chronic conditions like diabetes, offering a range of medical-grade portable coolers designed specifically for temperature-sensitive medicines like Trulicity, insulin, Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound, and oh, so many others.

Our travel cooling cases for your Trulicity pens are engineered to keep your injections refrigerated while you’re traveling. Some models are capable of maintaining optimal temperature for up to 72 hours straight.

Some of our travel coolers don't rely on electricity or ice to keep your medication safe and effective. Instead, they utilize innovative biogel packs and advanced cooling technology to ensure your Trulicity pens remain refrigerated or protected from the heat, no matter where your journey takes you.

Our most advanced electronic travel cases and portable refrigerators for Trulicity are even equipped with high-tech features such as built-in temperature sensors and anti-freeze security. They can work either on battery or be plugged into a car cigarette lighter, a solar panel, or an external battery. So whether you’re embarking on a road trip, camping adventure, or off-grid excursion, your Trulicity pens will be perfectly protected in our cooling travel cases!

Trulicity travel cooling cases and portable refrigerators, Canada

How to Fly With Trulicity

Now onto our next question about traveling with Trulicity: How to fly with your injection pen.

Flying with diabetes necessitates some preplanning, as you’ll need to carry your medical supplies through airport security checkpoints, onboard, and possibly through international borders. But don't stress! Hundreds of thousands of diabetics fly every day with Trulicity, and they manage just fine!

Can you bring Trulicity on a plane?

Yes, you can bring Trulicity on a plane. As a diabetic, you have the right to bring your medical supplies onboard. This includes your Trulicity pens, insulin, injection devices, preloaded syringes (both used and unused), needles, lancets, blood glucose meters and continuous blood glucose monitors, blood test strips, alcohol swabs, pumps, infusion kits, glucagon emergency kit, urine ketone strips, sharps disposal containers, liquids (such as juice for hypoglycemia), diabetes medications, pills, and any injectable medicine.

Remember, never leave your Trulicity pens in your checked luggage in the hold. The conditions in the cargo hold can be hazardous and may damage or freeze your medicine during the flight.

Flying with Trulicity: CATSA and border checkpoints

While a medical certificate isn't mandatory for flying with Trulicity, it can facilitate the security screening process. The CATSA (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) doesn't officially require paperwork at airport checkpoints. However, having a medical certificate listing your diabetic supplies may expedite and smooth security checks, especially if dealing with new or non-compliant agents.

For international travel, especially to non-English speaking countries, consider translating these documents. Most destinations allow travelers to bring diabetic drugs and supplies without a prescription, but it's essential to verify requirements before flying.

If you're traveling with Trulicity pens or other refrigerated drugs, make sure your travel case cooler is CATSA-approved. DIY coolers made with insulated lunch bags and ice aren't officially CATSA-approved. Security staff will probably let you go with it, but there's no guarantee.

CATSA approved Travel cases to keep Trulicity cool while traveling

All 4AllFamily’s medicine coolers are CATSA-approved for airplane travels!

More About Trulicity Storage & Refrigeration

Can Trulicity be injected cold?

Yes, you can inject cold Trulicity straight from the fridge. But injecting cold medication may increase the sting sensation and pain during the injection. To avoid the pain, you can let your Trulicity pen sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before the injection.

How to tell if Trulicity has gone bad?

Dulaglutide, the active drug in Trulicity, is a clear and colorless liquid. Before each injection, visually inspect your pen. You can typically tell if Trulicity has gone bad just by looking at it.

Signs that Trulicity has gone bad include cloudiness, discoloration, or the presence of particles. If you're unsure about the quality of the medication, err on the side of caution. Dispose of the pen immediately and obtain a new one for use.

What happens if you inject expired Trulicity?

If you take expired Trulicity, there's no immediate risk of poisoning or acute harm to your health. But the main concern is that dulaglutide, the drug inside your injection pens, may have lost its potency or become completely ineffective.

Using expired Trulicity can significantly impact the effectiveness of your treatment and lead to unstable blood sugar levels. Over time, this instability can increase the risk of serious diabetes complications.

That’s why it’s very important to adhere to Trulicity storage instructions and keep track of the expiration dates. Never use expired Trulicity.

How to dispose of Trulicity pens?

Dispose of your Trulicity self-injectable pens in a designated sharps container to ensure safe disposal. Sharps containers, typically made of rigid plastic cleared by Health Canada, are available at pharmacies, healthcare facilities, and online. If you don't have access to a sharps container, use a sturdy alternative such as a tightly sealed laundry detergent bottle or a coffee can to prevent needle exposure. Ensure that the container's lid is secure and that needles cannot poke through.

If reading is not your thing, we have an alternative for you! Check out our video on Trulicity Storage and Refrigeration Tips!

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December 09, 2024

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The information presented in this article and its comment section is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a replacement for professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for any medical concerns or questions you may have.

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