# Expired Afrezza - thoughts on experimenting with it?

**URL:** <https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570>\
**Category:** Afrezza\
**Created:** [April 1, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570 "2020-04-01T01:13:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/1 "2020-04-01T01:13:07Z")

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A friend of a friend has some expired Afreeza (2017) with inhaler and all. The person was cleaning out their refrigerator. I’m thinking about playing around with it. The worst that could happen, I think is that the expired Afreeza won’t work and I will deal with high BG after 1 hour. Any other thoughts? @Sam and others who have been using Afreeza for some time. Afreeza is out of the system in an hour. If the package is a dud, I’ll know in an hour. The risk of a temporary high, doesn’t seem too dangerous for me. I was going to experiment on something that I may need about 2 units of insulin and use the 4u cartridge. Comments, suggestions?

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**Author:** ![MM2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mm2/32/3032_2.png) [@MM2](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/MM2)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/2 "2020-04-01T02:25:47Z")

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> [@lh378](#):
>
> A friend of a friend has some expired Afreeza (2017)

I have recently used expired Afrezza, from late-2018, and it worked, but not as strong. I think you have a good plan to use, but test.

In my case, the Afrezza was still sealed in outer foil pack, containing 30 cartridges, stored in refrigerator (stuck in back, out of sight). May be different if already exposed to warmer temps.

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**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/3 "2020-04-01T03:08:56Z")

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Yes, I just used the 4 u cartridge, it seemed ok.  
I had a cookie which would usually require 2 units of insulin. The BG stayed flat - which is ok. I was hoping for a decrease. But at least, it didn’t rise 🙂  
So the Afreeza kept my BG flat.

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**Author:** ![MM2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mm2/32/3032_2.png) [@MM2](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/MM2)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/4 "2020-04-01T03:22:53Z")

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> [@lh378](#):
>
> I just used the 4 u cartridge, it seemed ok.  
> I had a cookie which would usually require 2 units of insulin.

That’s great. Even with non-expired Afrezza, I get equivalent of 2-3 units insulin action from 4 unit cartridge, and know it varies by person. I usually open the cartridge after use, as it varies at times and some powder is still in cartridge, so I know I will likely get less effect.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/5 "2020-04-01T03:35:57Z")

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Have you used Afreeza, (either expired, or not expired) to correct?

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**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/6 "2020-04-01T03:52:23Z")

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All of my afrezza is long expired. It works fine.

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**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 4:05am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/7 "2020-04-01T04:05:46Z")

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Really?! No kidding?! LOL.

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**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/8 "2020-04-01T04:14:00Z")

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I have wondered if it’s become less effective… but in my mind that’s been disproven by comparing to my injected bolus which I’ve needed more and more of (which is not expired) in the same time frame. I haven’t been using afrezza near as much lately, but when I do, stuff that expired clear back in mid 2016 still works fine

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/9 "2020-04-02T02:40:56Z")

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I tried the 8u Afreeza (2017) on an afternoon snack:

1 apple 27g  
1 slice of bread with peanut butter (14g and 3 g)  
Total: 44g

I would usually bolus 5 units or 5.5 units for something like this.  
Knowing the speed with which Afreeza works, I began to eat, and 10 minutes after I began eating, I inhaled the Afreeza.  
My pre snack BG was 118.  
10 minutes my BG= 142 (from the apple) this is when I took the Afreeza  
10 more minutes - the Afreeza has been working for 10 minutes, the BG =141.  
40 minutes after Afreeza BG 74.  
1 hour after Afreeza, I was at 83. It’s amazing!  
2 hours after Afreeza BG=114.

I was a little apprehensive about using 8u. Having read some of your experiences and the stories of the others gave me the confidence to try it. My head felt slightly lightheaded. Maybe I tried to inhale too much. I experienced this when I used the 4u last night too.  
Afreeza is a game changer!

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**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/10 "2020-04-02T03:06:52Z")

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Fantastic Result!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/11 "2020-04-02T03:14:44Z")

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Why isn’t Afreeza more readily available?  
Would you all consider using only Afreeza and basal?

With slow digesting foods, it would be multiple puffs of Afreeza ( I may become light headed and pass out…lol). Still, the results are amazing.

Imagine, if the situation were that Afreeza has been around for 60+ years and fasting acting insulin just came on the market. Do you think that anyone would choose to use the fast acting that would require pre bolusing? The only reason that I can see someone preferring the slow peaking action of Novolog would be matching a slow digesting meal. The way Afreeza just stopped the rise was simply amazing!!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/12 "2020-04-02T03:18:47Z")

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> [@lh378](#):
>
> Would you all consider using only Afreeza and basal?

Yes. Absolutely. I did this for several years and maintained A1c in the low 5s and even 4.8-4.9

My patterns have changed over time to where it honestly doesn’t work as well as it used to, but I’d not hesitate to have it as a solo bolus

It’s not more widely available because pharmaceutical is a cutthroat industry.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/13 "2020-04-02T03:27:22Z")

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> [@Sam](#):
>
> It’s not more widely available because pharmaceutical is a cutthroat industry.

More specifically, the company that brought it to market didn’t have enough money to spend to really get the market to switch from the comfortable place it currently is in to adopt a new paradigm. Also, I am guessing there isn’t enough profit from it to justify the expense from the other companies in the market, so instead of gobbling it up the other companies declared war on it and put a kernel of doubt in every physicians head about the danger of inhaled insulin.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/14 "2020-04-02T03:32:01Z")

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Yes… clear back to when they strong armed the warnings into existence that the fda didn’t even recommend but somehow appeared out of nowhere… shameful…

Then they partnered with big pharma (sanofi) to bring it to market… who sandbagged them intentionally to burry their potential… again— shameful

Real case study about how it’s almost impossible to make medical breakthroughs in this system

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/15 "2020-04-02T03:32:48Z")

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> [@Chris](#):
>
> the danger of inhaled insulin.

What about other types of inhaled medication? could they be dangerous too?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/16 "2020-04-02T03:36:05Z")

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There is no real reason to believe that Afrezza could be dangerous… that’s fake news… very frustrating to me… I’ve blogged on it ad naseum

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**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/17 "2020-04-02T03:43:10Z")

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There was one type of inhaled insulin on the market (Exubra) prior to Afrezza and it had a bad rap because pulmonary function declined in those patients, and it had a label change because of this finding. Afrezza didn’t have these problems, but the competitors inferred that it did.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/18 "2020-04-02T03:48:23Z")

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I read about it.

> [@Chris](#):
>
> (Exubra) prior to Afrezza and it had a bad rap because pulmonary function declined in those patients, and it had a label change because of this finding. Afrezza didn’t have these problems, but the competitors inferred that it did.

I was wondering about asthma; don’t know if there are other medications (not insulin) that are inhaled.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/19 "2020-04-02T03:52:54Z")

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That is one area I don’t know anything about. Sorry.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570/20 "2020-04-02T03:54:36Z")

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I found this:  
[**What are the ingredients in Afrezza?**](https://www.afrezza.com/contact#)

**Active ingredient:** human insulin

**Inactive ingredients:** fumaryl diketopiperazine, polysorbate 80

What is fumaryl diketopiperazine?

[Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-afrezza-thoughts-on-experimenting-with-it/9570.md?page=2)
