The Facts about Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes Insipidus is a disease where you will have an increase in the need to urinate, and an increase in thirst. Rather than having an increase in blood sugar, patients will most commonly have normal or near normal blood sugar levels. Many people do not even realize they have diabetes Insipidus; they think that everything is normal as the condition develops slowly with most people.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus, you are probably wondering what the cause is. Well, diabetes insipidus is very similar to the regular form of diabetes as far as in the signs and symptoms. However, the cause of diabetes insipidus is caused by completely different factors. Diabetes insipidus can be caused by a number of factors.
Some people will develop the condition because the hypothalamus, which is part of the brain, does not produce of the anti-diuretic hormone or ADH. It can also be a result of your kidneys not using the hormone the way they should. The ADH produced by your hypothalamus controls the balance of blood and water in your body.
You may also develop diabetes insipidus if you have had certain injuries or conditions like a brain tumor, brain injury, or if you have undergone surgery to your brain. The drug lithium, which treats certain mental conditions, can also cause diabetes insipidus. However, roughly one in four patients have no known cause or contributing factor.
As your cells are deprived of the water they need for normal operation, your body will experience an increase in thirst. Most people will have a craving for ice or ice water. If this thirst is not quenched, you may start to become dehydrated, which can lead to further complications. Most patients who are diagnosed with diabetes insipidus will have very high levels of thirst and will drink on average more than one gallon of water every day.
Your physician will conduct tests of your urine to check the amount of water it contains. You may also need to have a water deprivation test done. This test is done after you have had nothing to drink for an extended period of time. You will then be weighed and your urine as well, as your blood, will be tested every few hours. If the results show a high level of water in the urine, you may be asked to have a CT or MRI done to check for any problems in your brain. Your doctor will then determine all the results to make a diagnosis.
Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus, the treatment options vary. If the effects of the disease are not bothering you other than an increase in thirst and urination, you may not have to do anything. You will just need to make sure you drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. However, there are some medications that can reduce the number of times you need to go to the bathroom.
Your doctor may prescribe desmospressin, which works like ADH to reduce your urge to go. If you are taking this medication, you should watch your fluid intake so that you do not get overloaded with water. In this case, you could become dizzy or weak and you may start to feel sick.
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