One student said his dorm refrigerator broke, ruining medication he needed to treat his type 1 diabetes.
In a video that has been viewed more than 355,000 times, TikTok user Meredithsleepy) shows her retrieving a container of insulin from a mini-fridge while plaintive violin music plays in the background.
“Hey guys, this is actually the sound of my university giving me a broken refrigerator and all my insulin expiring in 30 days, despite me paying tens of thousands of dollars a year for it,” on-screen text reads.
For the following people Type 1 diabetesInsulin injections help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent health complications. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)If insulin is exposed to high temperatures or left unrefrigerated, it can become ineffective within 28 days.
The caption reads: “Actually I have no idea what to do.”
sleepy I have no idea what to do #t1d #Diabetes #diabetes #College #UniversityHorrorStories #18 #insulinindependent #Diabetes #growing up ♬ Original Sound – 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝚰𝐒
Should schools provide refrigerators for students with type 1 diabetes?
According to American Diabetes AssociationSchools are not legally required to provide students with diabetes management supplies, however, many schools provide refrigerators in their on-campus dorms as an accommodation.
However, viewers are urging Meredith to contact her school’s housing department to get a new refrigerator and explain the problem.
“Email your dorm director, your community college maintenance person, your dean of student affairs, your president — email someone important who knows how important refrigerators are to students,” one person suggests. Meredith replies, “I went directly to the dorm because I’m trying to get this fixed as fast as I can, and I’ll do this too.”
“Create an ADA file with your school and explain the need for an insulin fridge. If you can prove it’s essential, they may be able to waive the rental fee,” said another commenter.
Viewers suggest solutions
In the comments section, other college students have offered suggestions on how to get her medication covered or to make sure it doesn’t expire until the school can fix her refrigerator.
“Call your insurance company ASAP! I’m going to buy a cheap mini fridge and put a smart thermostat in it so it will warn me if it gets too warm in the future,” one person wrote.
“If you have renters insurance (I think it’s called Gradguard) they should cover you!” another person pointed out.
The pharmacist recommended that Meredith contact her insurance company to see if she could get her expired medication replaced.
“I’m a pharmacist, I would call the manufacturer and find out how long the insulin can be stored at room temperature and store it until the expiration date. Some medications may still be usable,” says one person.
“Pharmacist! If you call your insurance company you may be able to get extra insulin as an emergency priority supply!” wrote another.
The Daily Dot reached out to Meredith via TikTok and Instagram direct messages.
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