Diabetes Mellitus is characterized by many typical symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, loss of energy, stomach cramps, neuropathy and so on. One other common diabetes symptom is Diabetes Insipidus. Read on to find out more about this symptom.
What is Diabetes Insipidus?
Diabetes Insipidus or DI as it is usually referred to is a diabetes related disorder that causes the diabetic to pass tremendous amounts of urine. He also feels a heightened sense of thirst, which forces him to drink more fluids, consequently releasing more urinary output.
Several things working together maintain the fluid balance in the body. The Antidiuretic hormone or the ADH, which is generated by the pituitary, is one of the most important things that control this delicate balance. This hormone influences the amount of fluids the kidneys can absorb into the system and the amount it can treat as output.
When the pituitary gland detects the presence of lesser fluid than necessary, it automatically increases the level of ADH. This way, the kidney retains more water inside the system and throws out much less. This also happens vice versa. When the body is normal and healthy, this balanced is perfectly well regulated.
Diabetes Insipidus, which is a core symptom of Diabetes Mellitus, occurs when the pituitary ends up producing much lesser ADH than necessary. Either that, or the kidneys lose their ability to respond to the ADH present in the body. Either way, the person suffering from DI passes a whole lot more urine than normally acceptable. Also, the patient's blood is normally highly concentrated with a high degree of solute and much less fluid volume.
Symptoms of DI
Symptoms of DI include extreme fatigue and weakness, even mild fever, low blood pressure, fast pulse, dizziness, irritability and general confusion.
When DI can be suspected
DI should be suspected if the patient suddenly feels a heightened amount of thirst, consumes an abnormally high amount of water and also registers much higher amounts of urine than normal. This urine, when tested in the laboratory, will be very dilute in liquid and very concentrate in solute. Examination of the blood too will show low volumes of fluid content.
A water deprivation test should be performed on the patient to reveal the real intensity of the disorder. For this, the patient is required to stop intake of fluids and is checked every hour. Also, his weight before the test is recorded. The test is stopped when the following occurs:
- He loses more than 5 percent of his body weight
- His blood pressure takes a steep dip and pulse rate rises
- His urine samples do not register a significant change even after stopping the water intake
Treatment
There are many medicines available today which function to decrease the quantity of urine produced in the body. They include injections, inhalations, antidiuretic drugs and so on. Some patients will also need to stick to a certain diet, as advised by the physician.
Taking in enough water and fluids can easily control the simplest, most uncomplicated form of diabetes insipidus. But if this particular diabetes symptom is neglected, it can lead to several serious complications at a later time and may even turn fatal if left unattended to.
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