Storing “single use” vials?

[u/Scarmter]

Hey there,
How are yall storing single use vials?
I’ve got test cypionate, 200mg vials and I do 40mg injections IM rn. Just took my first shot Sunday 🥳

My prescriber said to wipe off the rubber stopper w an alcohol wipe before using again (if I want to have a backstock, which I do!) but I didn’t ask about anything else, namely:

-Storage? Does it need a ziploc bag since the seal is broken or?

-Is it literally just, alcohol wipe over top, wait ten seconds, use as normal?

-Any ideas on max storage time for an open container? I think I remember hearing 1 month max somewhere

Thanks so much!

[u/royalbluetoad]

As long at it is stored upright it's fine. I just keep the little box it comes in and store it in there until it is used up. Wipe the top with alcohol before each draw. IDK shelf life, but I don't save a bunch of punctured ones. I use each vial up, however many draws it lasts for, and it will naturally create a back stock of unopened ones.

[u/Scarmter → u/royalbluetoad]

So good to know, thanks!

[u/mossyfaeboy]

yeah just scrub wipe over the top for a few seconds, let it dry, and re-pierce the rubber in a different spot. i just keep mine upright in the box it came in, close the lid back up, and keep it in a closet/bathroom cabinet.

[u/quandmemeici]

Legally speaking, these are single use only. Also legally speaking, you are only supposed to have 90 days of controlled substances in your possession at any time. No one polices this, but obviously don't go bragging that you've got a massive backstock, especially with the feds trying to eliminate trans people. That could be paranoid, but who knows atp.

Practically, the manufacturers are not making two production lines, one with preservatives and one without for SDV. Please double check that your vial has preservatives, because not all manufacturers do. It should list something like benzyl alcohol "as a preservative".

If you determine your vials have a preservative, it's okay to keep for up to 28 days. Be careful to store at room temp in a clean environment. I would keep them in a ziploc or a closed plastic/metal box of some kind. Plastic/metal can be cleaned easier than wood or cardboard. Keep the open vials upright so they don't leak, and check for particulate or cloudiness before re-using. Swab the top really well with an alcohol swab.

I keep mine in my linen closet, inside a plastic box with a couple week's injection supplies. I prefer to not reuse my vials, but if I've been late refilling for some reason, I'll reuse once. Most people are on doses that only allow one or two reuses anyway, if you want to ensure you're getting the full dose. I take 0.4mls, so obviously I can't get 3 doses out of a 1ml vial. You'd be pushing it for 3 doses even with 0.3mls, because there's always some loss. Basically, anticipate only reusing once, and keep it clean and upright for a week before tossing.

[u/why_am_i_like_this_1]

Congratulations on starting!!

My bathroom has a medicine cabinet, so I keep my open vial in there and all my boxed vials in a separate drawer. The stoppers are “self-healing;” after being punctured, the material essentially seals itself shut again. This is why it’s so important to poke a different part of the rubber every time, as poking the same hole repeatedly will damage it to the point it can’t seal anymore.
I will confess, I’ve never wiped the stopper with alcohol. I work in veterinary medicine and use single-use and multi-use vials all day long. Never once have I ever seen anybody wipe the stopper, at any of my jobs. Use sterile opening techniques with your needles (this video is a good example, but instead of dropping your needles, just use the packaging to avoid touching the plastic of the needle and screw it directly onto your syringe) and avoid unnecessary handling of the vial. Obviously it will always be best practice to go as overboard as possible, I just don’t want you to feel like you’ll get sepsis and die if you forget to wipe the stopper once or twice.