Polydipsia is a medical condition in which a person ingests abnormally large amounts of fluid by mouth. Polydipsia and diabetes go hand in hand as extreme thirst is one of the main symptoms of diabetes. Polydipsia diabetes symptoms may also occur as the result of not taking anti-diabetic medication or when medication doses become inadequate. Although a person may have polydipsia and diabetes, the condition may not be caused by the diabetes itself. For example, polydipsia is often the result of drinking too much caffeine. It is also a major symptom of atropine or belladonna poisoning, according to DiabetesDaily.com
Polydipsia in Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes insipidus is a condition which is characterized by polydipsia and the excretion of large amounts of diluted urine. It is a totally separate condition from diabetes mellitus; although they share a common name, they are caused by unrelated mechanisms. Diabetes insipidus is either caused by an anti-diuretic hormone dysfunction or the kidney’s response to this hormone.
Although the two conditions have different causes, sometimes the symptoms are quite similar. For example, polydipsia is a symptom of both conditions, and therefore so is frequent urination and dehydration. In cases of polydipsia and diabetes type 2, however, the excessive thirst and urination is the body’s way of filtering out the excess blood sugar levels in the blood. So, if these polydipsia and diabetes symptoms are occurring one way to distinguish one condition from the other is to check if there are excessive levels of sugar in the urine.
Diabetes insipidus is the most dangerous for children. It can interfere with the child’s appetite, eating, weight gain, and growth. Adults can remain healthy for many years in spite of the condition as long as they drink enough to offset their urine loss, although there is always a risk of dehydration and the loss of potassium. Aside from polydipsia and diabetes dehydration, symptoms may also include fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
In order to diagnose diabetes insipidus a series of tests will be performed to distinguish it from other causes of polydipsia and excess urination. Blood glucose levels, bicarbonate levels, and calcium levels must be tested. A urinalysis may also be administered to test the urine’s concentration (osmolarity) and electrolyte levels. A fluid deprivation test may be given to determine whether the diabetes insipidus is caused by the excess intake of fluids, a hormonal defect (in ADH production), or a defect of the kidney’s response to the ADH hormone.
