Drinking non-stop, 5 to 20 litres per day, and urinate as much : “diabetes insipidus “

coolfonk/epictura

Published on 31.12.2017 to 18h56
Update the 31.12.2017 at 19h26

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Keywords :

diabetes insipidepotomanie

To force use of the word ” diabetes “, we forget its origin. The name comes from the Greek “diabainen” which means ” siphon “. Because the main sign of recognition of this disease is that patients are far too wee.
And we forget that along with the diabetes mellitus, as everyone knows, there is another type of diabetes which is called ” tasteless “. The blood tests which shows that there is too much sugar in our bodies are quite recent. In the past the only way to know if there was too much sugar and evacuated by our body was seen in the urine… the tasting ! Diabetes insipidus, that is to say, urine very diluted and tasteless in contrast with diabetes mellitus, where the urine is sweet !

5 to 20 liters of urine per day

The patient is very thirsty and urinates a lot. In diabetes insipidus, we talk about 5 to 20 liters of urine per 24 hours ! And, of course, with a constant thirst, therefore a consumption equivalent liters of liquid to drink each day.
It is in fact the consequence of a vicious circle due to the inability by the kidney to concentrate the urine, by lack of a hormone, the antidiuretic hormone. A hormone secreted by a tiny gland of the base of the brain, called the pituitary gland.

A diagnosis quite simple

If one is thirsty all the time and that one passes his life in the toilet, the diagnosis is not very complicated… except that there are two diseases with the same symptoms, but not in the same order. In diabetes insipidus the patient drinks because it urine too. In the other disease, the potomanie, the patient urinates a lot because he drinks too much, and not the reverse. The potomanie is a psychiatric illness with ” hyperdiurèse training “.
To find out, we hospitalise the patient and deprives him of drinks. In this case, even if he is not happy the potomane once again become a normal person very quickly. However, if it is diabetes insipidus, the urine remains abundant, and the patient becomes dehydrated. If you suspect diabetes insipidus, are made to pass examinations in particular, an MRI, this radio is extremely accurate, which goes to show if the thyroid gland, the pituitary gland is in good condition.

Dysfunction of the pituitary gland

Several reasons may explain this small gland is functioning poorly : a deficiency of family, but then we know very quickly. Head trauma, a cyst, meningitis, or a simple treatment lithium, can also be responsible. And then we will be honest, in over half of cases, no cause.

This is deals… And rather well !

Could not be more simple… the patient Is given an equivalent of the hormone that is missing : the antidiuretic hormone in the treatment susbstitutif. It is a lifelong treatment, unless, for example, in the case of trauma where the gland will gradually regain normal function.

This is the small price to pay to find a life and a thirst… perfectly normal.