Freeze or refrigerate?

[flaflashr]

I was getting Standard tri-mix from a close-by pharmacy, and their instructions were to keep it frozen. I called to order a refill, but their clean-room is temporarily down, so they transferred my Rx to another pharmacy about 25 miles away.

New Rx came from the new pharmacy today, and instructions on the package were to keep refrigerated, do not freeze. I phoned to ask, and they replied that it can be frozen, but it is better not to.

Opinions?

Incidentally, the price at the old pharmacy was $60 for a 5 ml single vial. New pharmacy is $141 for the same. That seems excessive. What are others paying for 5 ml single vial? Do your pharmacies ship to other states, e.,g. CT?

Thanks,
JimR

[Cigar56]

Flip a coin on freezing vs. refridgerating. Different pharmacies offer different recommendations. Many posters here have their own preferences regardless of what the pharmacies recommend.

I refrigerate and have one batch stored that way for nearly 10 months. Still works fine. Others here keep it frozen and and fill 3 or 4 syringes a week. Just depends on what you want to do. But when in doubt, follow your pharamcist's suggestions.

On pricing, your former rate is available from a number of pharmacies. Try Talon Compounding in San Antonio or Coastal Compounding Pharmacy in West Palm Beach, Fl. Just a matter of finding a pharmacy with alower price who can to ship to your state.

[bldoink]

I freeze my religiously, but I'm on mono-mix as in straight alprostadil. It's one of the ingredients of tri-mix and the most perishable one. It supposedly degrades quickly unfrozen.

Good to see you on again cigar. I was afraid you'd left. That would have been a huge loss to those newer members who aren't chasing an implant.

[Cigar56]

Thanks Bldoink!

[dtwarren1942]

Mine always came frozen with instructions to keep the”active” vial refrigerated and the remaining vials frozen.

[rahod1]

My experience>>> I freeze the vial and thaw each time I inject, then freeze again. I have done this for a YEAR with no loss of potency. My advice>>DON'T REFRIGRATE, unless you'll use it up within 2 months.

[Larry10625]

My experience>>> I freeze the vial and thaw each time I inject, then freeze again. I have done this for a YEAR with no loss of potency. My advice>>DON'T REFRIGRATE, unless you'll use it up within 2 months.

If you prepare the syringes and then freeze, you will only have to thaw what you need and will not need to keep re-freezing.

Larry

[rahod1]

My experience>>> I freeze the vial and thaw each time I inject, then freeze again. I have done this for a YEAR with no loss of potency. My advice>>DON'T REFRIGRATE, unless you'll use it up within 2 months.

If you prepare the syringes and then freeze, you will only have to thaw what you need and will not need to keep re-freezing.

Larry

Yes, I'm aware of that. I read that somtimes the frozen Trimix expands in the syringe and *could* crack the syringe..some leave a small space above the solution to allow for expansion while frozen, then squeeze out excess air when thawed in the syringe. I didn't want to deal with this issue. Still, it's a way to go as you suggest.

[fordman44]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I read that somtimes the frozen Trimix expands in the syringe and *could* crack the syringe..some leave a small space above the solution to allow for expansion while frozen, then squeeze out excess air when thawed in the syringe. I didn't want to deal with this issue. Still, it's a way to go as you suggest.


I have been freezing syringes for almost two years without any issues with cracking from expansion of the medicine. I suspect it would be almost impossible since any expansion, if any, would just force the plunger to move to accommodate it.

[rahod1]

I agree...freezing syringe may be more convenient and perhaps the way to go. Personally, I've gotten used to simply drawing from the vial each time for as long as a year while retaining 100% potency. BTW, only takes 10 min to thaw the vial.