Diabetes insipidus 

Introduction 

Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition where you produce a large amount of urine and often feel thirsty.

Diabetes insipidus isn't related to diabetes mellitus (usually just known as diabetes), but it does share some of the same signs and symptoms.

The two main symptoms of diabetes insipidus are:

• extreme thirst(polydipsia)
• passing large amounts of urine, even at night (polyuria)
In very severe cases of diabetes insipidus, up to 20 litres of urine can be passed in a day.

When to seek medical advice

You should always see your GP if you're feeling thirsty all the time. Although it may not be diabetes insipidus, it should be investigated.
Also see your GP if you're:
• passing more urine than normal – most healthy adults pass urine four to seven times in a 24 hour period
• passing small amounts of urine at frequent intervals – sometimes, this can occur along with the feeling that you need to pass urine immediately
Children tend to urinate more frequently because they have smaller bladders. However, seek medical advice if your child urinates more than 10 times a day.
Your GP will be able to carry out a number of tests to help determine what's causing the problem.