Desmopressin
Desmopressin is a synthetic hormone that helps the kidneys hold on to water, sold here as DDAVP 200mcg and Nocdurna 0.2mg tablets for diabetes insipidus, bedwetting and night-time urination.
A hormone the kidneys answer to
Vasopressin is made in a small gland at the base of the brain and tells the kidneys how much water to hold on to. Desmopressin is a lab-made version of that hormone and acts on the same signal: water channels in the kidney open up, water moves back into the body, and the urine that leaves is smaller in volume and more concentrated. It comes into play when the natural signal is missing or too weak.
Diabetes insipidus, bedwetting and nocturia
Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition — nothing to do with blood sugar — in which the kidneys cannot concentrate urine. Some people with it pass many litres of urine a day and feel thirsty constantly; waking several times a night to urinate is common. Replacing the missing hormone brings that volume down. The same effect is used for bedwetting in children, called nocturnal enuresis, and for nocturia in adults, where the bladder fills overnight and breaks up sleep. Desmopressin also has a use in bleeding disorders — mild haemophilia A and von Willebrand disease — where it lifts clotting factor levels, though the tablets on this page are the urine-related ones.
The two desmopressin tablets
Both products here contain desmopressin and both come as tablets at the same dose: DDAVP is listed at 200mcg and Nocdurna at 0.2mg, which is one amount written two ways. What separates them is the brand and the use each is listed for. DDAVP is the brand name desmopressin is best known by, listed for diabetes insipidus and bedwetting; Nocdurna is listed for nocturia, the night-time urination that comes with passing large volumes of urine after going to bed.
How desmopressin tablets are taken
Desmopressin tablets go down with water at about the same time every day, so the amount in the body stays steady; an evening dose is common when the aim is a drier night. Fluid is the other half of the routine. While the tablet is working, the body holds on to water, and drinking far more than the plan allows can dilute the sodium in the blood too far. For bedwetting, drinking stops an hour before the dose and stays off for around eight hours afterwards.
Side effects and what adds to them
Headache, nausea, stomach ache, dizziness, flushing and a dry mouth are the effects most often reported, and they tend to ease as the body adjusts. The serious one is water retention: when sodium falls too low, a bad headache, confusion, sickness or sudden weight gain can appear, and that needs urgent treatment. Medicines that shift sodium or fluid balance add to the risk.
Sources
- Desmopressin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Diabetes Insipidus - NIDDK — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Can I order Desmopressin online in Hong Kong?
Desmopressin can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range covers generic DDAVP in 200mcg (also sold as Desmopressin tablets) and generic Nocdurna in 0.2mg, all as tablets. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Desmopressin prices shown?
It depends on the product, strength and pack size. Each of the two desmopressin products listed here shows its current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Do I need a prescription to order Desmopressin?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order desmopressin. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does desmopressin have?
DDAVP, Minirin and Nocdurna are brand names of desmopressin, which is also sold as Desmomelt. Here, desmopressin can be bought online as generic DDAVP and generic Nocdurna. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is desmopressin the same as diabetes medicine?
No. Diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus share a name but nothing else. Blood sugar is normal in diabetes insipidus; the problem is that the kidneys cannot concentrate urine, so large amounts of pale urine are passed and thirst is constant. Desmopressin stands in for the hormone that normally slows that water loss.
Is 200mcg the same as 0.2mg?
Yes. Micrograms and milligrams are different units for the same kind of measure, and 200mcg equals 0.2mg. DDAVP is listed here as 200mcg tablets and Nocdurna as 0.2mg tablets, so the two hold the same dose of desmopressin written two ways.
What is the difference between DDAVP and Nocdurna?
Same ingredient, same 0.2mg tablet, two brands. DDAVP is the name most people know desmopressin by, and it is listed for diabetes insipidus and bedwetting; Nocdurna is listed for nocturia — adults who wake in the night to pass a lot of urine. Which you order comes down to the label you want.
Can I take desmopressin with ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin belong to the NSAID group, and NSAIDs make the body hold on to fluid and sodium. Taken alongside desmopressin, they can add to the water retention the tablet already causes.
How long do people take desmopressin for?
How long you take it depends on why it was started. Someone whose thirst and urine output went wrong after a head injury or pituitary surgery may need it only while that settles, whereas a long-standing shortage of the body's own vasopressin means taking it over the long term.