Use of Desmopressin

Hi

My 6.5 yr old girl has virtually never been dry at night (complete opposite during the day) and it’s really starting to get her (and me) down. We’ve tried the night alarm which woke everyone else up in the house but my daughter. I our doctor has now suggested Desmopressin at the lowest dose for starters. I’m not good at giving my children even Calpol at the best of times so part of me is reluctant to try this medication but I’m conscious of wanting to try something else to help. Does anyone have any comments either way on use of this medication?

Many thanks

[halftime]

Hi peebster. Desmomelts don't cure anything as I am sure you are aware, but they do give some sense of normality and hopefully sustained unbroken nights for a few months. You do up to three months on generally and then a break from meds to review. Read the leaflet thoroughly; some important stuff to be mindful of. It is a quite serious medication. Worth it managed carefully to reduce exhaustion levels if nothing else.

Out of interest, has your GP run any blood tests, checked for deficiencies, that kind of thing. I'm assuming dr has checked for constipation.

[Hidden in reply to halftime]

Hi Halftime, so sorry for taking ages to reply. Firstly thanks so much for responding with your advice. It’s definitely given me things to think about. I was of the mind (and quite frankly hadn’t been put straight by my GP) that the medication would somehow kickstart or trigger the hormone that was in short supply that was causing the bedwetting. If the medication only potentially serves to make her drier but doesn’t really get to the cause of the issue then I’m a bit reluctant to go there tbh. Mainly because the wet beds don’t wake her up!

GP has taken urine samples so that’s all fine, but no bloods taken as yet so will enquire about that. She’s also definitely NOT constipated!!

The dr has prescribed the lowest dose for 4 weeks so may consider trying that out. We’ve also tried the alarm and that didn’t change anything. There just doesn’t seem to be any sign of the situation getting better and I’m conscious that sleepovers may be on the horizon.

Thanks again for your response.

[Ntidad in reply to Hidden]

Re sleepovers, I let two of mine (who are both night time incontinent but for apparently differing reasons) sleep at one or two close friends’ houses who are aware and very supportive of the issue. They help to be discreet and we discuss it openly so that my kids feel safe and confident with them. But, these are selected close friends.

My 8 yo boy has just started on desmopressin this week after starting on the alarm 13 months ago, with some success - we went from wet literally every night to wet three nights a fortnight and waking for a week perhaps five nights a fortnight. He was prescribed a three month course. The nurse said that it generally kick starts the production of the hormone however everything I read online says it only works while taking it. Nurse thought we were nearly there and that the hormone would get us over the line.

I am starting the medication anyway. But i’m now concerned that if after the three months he goes ‘backwards’ he’ll be gutted and we’ll be in a worse position :(. I’m trying to set expectations by telling him it may not work...

I’m searching the internet for success stories and came across your post :/.

My daughter only used the alarm for a couple of nights as she peed too many times - like 8 or ten times a night. So we are trying some other medication first to help her bladder expand.

I have also been told that being constipated is a major factor in bedwetting.

I know some families just choose to go with it and ride it out, but having a family history of bedwetting I want to help my kids while they are young so they don’t have issues into their 40s. I have been seeing a Wee and Poo nurse rather than my GP. I would recommend that as they live and breathe wee and poo.

Not sure if this helps, but I wonder how you found the one month?