Desmopressin is used to treat the symptoms of a specific form of diabetes insipidus, sometimes known as “water diabetes,” in which the body generates excessive amounts of urine. Desmopressin is also used to treat overeating and excessively large amounts of urine passing through the body after certain types of surgery or after a head injury. Bedwetting can also be managed with desmopressin. Desmopressin belongs to the group of drugs known as hormones. It functions by substituting the hormone vasopressin, which the body normally produces to assist balance the amount of salt and water.

Desmopressin is available as an oral tablet. Typically, it is taken two to three times a day. Desmopressin is typically used once daily at bedtime to address bedwetting. Try to take desmopressin every day at around the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the desmopressin directions exactly. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

You might begin taking desmopressin at a low dose and then gradually raise it, according to your doctor. Pay close attention to these guidelines.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you’re interested in using this drug for any other conditions.

Before taking desmopressin,

• If you have an allergy to desmopressin or any other drug, tell your doctor and pharmacist right away.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal items, and prescription and over-the-counter medicines you are now taking or intend to take. Any of the following should be mentioned: the use of antidepressants such amitriptyline, amoxapine, imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), chlorpromazine (Thorazine, Sonazine), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), and carbamazepine (Tegretol); clofibrate; demeclocycline (Declomycin), fludrocortisone, heparin, lamotrigine (Lamictal), lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), narcotic (opiate) painkillers, oxybutynin (Ditropan), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac (Pytest). Your doctor might need to adjust your medication doses or keep a close eye out for any negative side effects. Desmopressin may interact with other medications, so be sure to inform your doctor about all the drugs you’re taking, even if they don’t appear on this list.
• If you have kidney illness or have ever had low salt levels in your blood, let your doctor know. Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking desmopressin.
• Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had high blood pressure, heart disease, cystic fibrosis, or any condition that makes you excessively thirsty.
• In the event that you become ill, experience fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea while taking desmopressin to treat bedwetting, or if the weather is extremely hot or you intend to exercise more than usual, let your doctor know right away. In certain instances, you might need to drink more water than usual. Your doctor would likely advise you to temporarily cease taking desmopressin because it might be harmful to drink too much liquids while taking the medication.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking desmopressin.
• Consult your doctor about whether drinking alcohol is safe while taking desmopressin.

During your desmopressin medication, your doctor could advise you to drink fewer fluids. Your doctor would probably advise you to abstain from drinking for at least an hour before and for at least eight hours after taking desmopressin to cure bedwetting. To avoid significant side effects, strictly follow your doctor’s instructions.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

There may be negative effects from desmopressin. If any of the following symptoms are severe or persistent, contact your doctor right away:

• Diarrhea
• Erratic thinking

There could be some severe negative effects. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Reduced appetite
• Gaining weight
• Headache
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Extreme fatigue
• Confusion
• Sluggish reflexes
• Weakness, cramps, or muscle spasms
• Hallucinations (seeing things or hearing sounds that do not exist)
• Seizures
• Long-lasting loss of awareness

Further negative effects of desmopressin are possible. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, let your doctor know.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and away from moisture, heat, and light.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Headache
• Difficulty urinating
• Sudden weight gain

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To determine how you are responding to desmopressin, your doctor may request specific lab tests.

Do not share your medication with anybody else. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.