Check those syringes!

[MSSpouse]

Just venting on one of life's little frustrations with DMDs. Much of this quarter's Rebif supply arrived frozen. Why the syringes were packed on ice when it's already below freezing out is beyond me. Last winter they would skip the ice packs.

I've gotten in the habit of inspecting each shipment when it arrives. Feels like a time-waster usually, but if I'd just stuck these in the fridge they would have thawed (we keep it at 41 degrees) and we would never have been the wiser, until/unless something went wrong while trying to use them. I hear ex-frozen syringes can burst when used!

Oh well, replacements are on the way. I wonder who gets stuck with the tab (not us, fortunately).

[ActiveMSers]

You were very smart to check. Not only might the syringes fail (i.e., explode) in the auto-inject, the medication is likely hosed as well. That's a lot of money down the tubes, but at least you found out now instead of months down the road ... when your DS wasn't feeling so hot injecting what amounts to a placebo.

I think ice is required because shipping conditions can be so variable (a hot warehouse or shipping van for instance). Does your DS have enough injections to hold off until the new batch arrives?

[MSSpouse]

Yes, fortunately we have a one week cushion, something I put in place on our first reorder in case there was ever some sort of issue with our shipments. I think we can all remember a time when air traffic was shut down for the better part of a week. Replacements are due in today.

Last winter they sent us our shipments without the ice packs, with a little note explaining why there were no ice packs (i.e., it was cold out and using the packs could cause the meds to freeze). I guess this freaky mild winter has everyone confused!

Suffice it to say that I will continue checking the syringes, even in the heat of summer (to make sure they're not boiling, I guess).