What is it?
Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition in which the body makes too much urine, causing symptoms like excessive urinating and extreme thirst. It is caused by problems with the “antidiuretic hormone”. This hormone normally helps to retain water in the body.
What are the symptoms?
The most common signs and symptoms of diabetes insipidus are:
- Extreme thirst.
- Excretion of an excessive amount of diluted urine.
Depending on the severity of the condition, urine output can be as much as 16 quarts (about 15 liters) a day if you’re drinking a lot of fluids. Normally, a healthy adult will urinate an average of less than 3 quarts (about 3 liters) a day. Other signs may include needing to get up at night to urinate (nocturia) and bed-wetting.
Infants and young children who have diabetes insipidus may have the following signs and symptoms:
- Unexplained fussiness or inconsolable crying.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Fever.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhoea.
- Delayed growth.
- Weight loss.
What to expect?
If you are diagnosed with diabetes insipidus you can consider discussing the following subjects with your doctor after the initial treatment:
- Was there an underlying cause found for your condition?
- Some patient with diabetes insipidus need to follow a diet low in salt and protein. Is this the case for you as wel?