You are hot or cold. Come from exercising or sitting quietly at home. Whatever the situation, you spend the day very thirsty. You drink water without stopping but it never satisfies you . Also, you don't stop getting up to urinate. Much. Does it sound familiar? If we have just described your current situation, what we are going to tell you about diabetes insipidus interests you.
Diabetes insipidus causes an imbalance of the water in your body . It is a disorder that, although it shares a name with the other, is very different from type 1 or type 2 diabetes. While the better-known diabetes is accompanied by problems with insulin and blood sugar levels, diabetes insipidus has to to do with the way the kidneys handle fluids . And it is that the kidneys do much more than produce stones.
SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES INSIPIDAS
You are very thirsty, so you drink a lot of fluids and constantly want to go to the bathroom. When you have diabetes insipidus, you create a vicious cycle of symptoms . We reviewed them together with Dr. Cristina Lamas, coordinator of the Neuroendocrinology Area of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN).
- Large amount of urine. It is the most characteristic symptom of diabetes insipidus. Increase the amount of urine you pass throughout the day. "This increase is not transitory, it persists over time," says Dr. Lamas. A healthy adult urinates less than 3 liters per day. Depending on the severity of diabetes insipidus, it can reach 15 liters. And think that, whether you have diabetes insipidus or not, it is better not to resist the urge to pee.
- Clear urine. The high amount that the body produces is almost water. Wide slats: "it is usually very clear and with little odor since it is composed of a lot of water and few solutes".
- Increased thirst. By eliminating more water with the urine, you increase the thirst you feel and you get "to ingest several liters of liquid every day, especially when cold." The cycle continues.
- Incontinence. "Occasionally diabetes insipidus can manifest as urinary incontinence," according to Dr. Lamas. The urge to urinate in the middle of the night is another of the symptoms that you may suffer. The little ones who suffer from it also tend to wet the bed.
DIABETES INSIPIDA: THE CAUSES
In a day, the kidneys filter the blood several times. If all goes well, most of the water is reabsorbed and a small amount of concentrated urine is excreted from the body. When you have diabetes insipidus, your kidney cannot concentrate the urine as it should, and a large amount of urine made up of much of the water you need is eliminated .
The one in charge of controlling the amount of water that is eliminated in the urine is a hormone called antidiuretic . Your body produces this hormone in the hypothalamus and then stores it in a gland, the pituitary, which is at the base of the brain. This hormone kicks in when the body begins to dehydrate. When there is some alteration in the production of the hormone (it is not produced or in less quantity) is when diabetes insipidus appears.
CONSEQUENCES OF DIABETES INSIPIDAS
Although the symptoms of diabetes insipidus are those that we have reviewed before, there are a number of effects that you can feel due to the loss of water in your body through urine and that can cause you greater discomfort. eye!
- Dehydration. If your body doesn't retain enough fluid to function properly, you can become dehydrated. This can cause you to notice:
- Dry mouth.
- Less elastic skin.
- Low blood pressure
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Weightloss.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Electrolyte imbalance. They are minerals (such as sodium and potassium present in these foods) that your blood has and that maintain the balance of fluids in the body. When they are unbalanced you will notice, for example:
- Fatigue.
- Sickness.
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle cramps.
- Confusion.
TYPES OF DIABETES INSIPIDAS
When reviewing the different types of diabetes insipidus that exist, we have to look again at the antidiuretic hormone and the reasons that alter its production or effects.
- Central diabetes insipidus. The most common cause is usually damage to the hypothalamus or the gland that stores the hormone, causing production or proper storage to be interrupted. Dr. Lamas points out that this "may be due to an injury to that region of the head." For example a surgery, an inflammation or, in the worst case, a tumor.
- Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. In this type, the hormone is released in a normal way but there is a defect in the structure of the kidneys responsible for eliminating or reabsorbing water. The defect can be genetic but it can also be a side effect of a drug.
- Gestational diabetes insipidus. The rarest variety. It only happens during pregnancy. In this case, an enzyme made in the placenta destroys the mother's antidiuretic hormone.
TREATMENT OF DIABETES INSIPIDA
If everything we are telling you sounds familiar and you suspect that you may have diabetes insipidus, you should consult a specialist. Your doctor will confirm the diagnosis and search for the origin of the condition with a series of tests.
- Water deprivation. This test confirms the diagnosis and helps you determine the cause of diabetes insipidus. It consists of stopping drinking fluids in a controlled way to measure changes in your body weight or how much urine you produce.
- Urine analysis. It serves to see how concentrated you have it. If it is less concentrated, and the amount of water is high in relation to other substances, it could be diabetes insipidus.
- Magnetic resonance. If your doctor wants to look for abnormalities in the area near the pituitary gland, he will use this test.
Treatment of diabetes insipidus depends on what form of the disease you have. Although there is no general cure for diabetes insipidus, there are treatments to normalize urine output.
- Synthetic hormone. As the cause of central diabetes insipidus is a lack of diuretic hormone, the treatment for this type consists of applying a synthetic hormone that will eliminate increased urination. The doctor will first treat the root of the problem, that is, the abnormality in the gland that produces or stores it.
- Little salt and diuretics. In nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, your doctor will prescribe a low-salt diet to reduce the amount of urine. In some cases, a diuretic is prescribed which, although normally used to produce urine, in people with this type of diabetes insipidus can reduce production.
Seeing the symptoms that you can have and the consequences that this disease can have for you, also take into account the following recommendations . Whether you have already been diagnosed or if you have time for the medical visit and you are waiting.
- Hydrate yourself According to the coordinator of the Neuroendocrinology Area of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN), "it is important to avoid episodes of dehydration, especially in times of heat." Avoid activities that can cause it, such as physical exercise. Always think about taking water with you wherever you go so you don't forget to drink.
- Identify yourself. If you are diagnosed, carry a notice with your documentation or wear a medical bracelet. If you have an emergency, doctors must know that you have diabetes insipidus so that the treatment is appropriate and avoid mistakes. Also think about always carrying your medication with you.
