Anyone actually tried desmopressin? (bedwetting)

[THERESA]

My nephew is 8 and still wets the bed. He's currently wearing 'drynites' as my mum was worried about him sleeping in a wet bed (he doesn't wake up when he wees). The GP has agreed to refer them to hospital with a view to getting an alarm. However there is a school trip looming in the autumn which he'd love to go on. Have heard and read about desmopressin on other websites and other threads on this site but has anyone actually tried it. Does it work and how long do you have to take it for? I don't think any of us would be keen on trying drugs as a long term solution but I'm under the impression that drugs could be used as a short term measure for hols etc.
Thanks

Dd1 still wets the bed aged 12, and has tried everything with no success, including desmopressin. Iirc it was supposed to take a couple of weeks to work. It does do the trick with many people , just not dd1 I am told . Alarms have been no good for her either. It would be worth giving it a go I think, although 1 in 7 children at the age of 8 are still wet at night i believe (wracking brains here).

When dd went on a week long trip with the school, we had the same concerns. I found a quiet word with the head ensured that she had privacy to put on and dispose of her pads , and there were no problems. Hth.

Hi, Theresa. My DS has used Desmopressin but it didn't work very reliably for him at that age - it worked better when he was older, and at that stage worked every night he took it, unless he woke up during the night in which case it seemed that the brain kicked in again and overruled the pill.

It's not exactly a drug though, IYKWIM - it's a synthetic version of a hormone which the body is supposed to produce by itself as it matures, which slows the kidneys down at night and cuts the amount of urine. Not producing it is a developmental delay and taking desmopressin avoids the consequences of that. (They used to prescribe some kind of sedative for bedwetting but this isn't that.)

Anyway get some and try it out at home along with the drynites - see how how he goes on. If it works well on him then he should be OK taking one every night while he's away.

Hi, lou!

Hello Jan, I knew I would see you on here !

Theresa,

My eldest son (7) is still in nappies at night - absolutely no sign of being dry (he has been dry in the day since he was 3). He was referred to the hospital and prescribed desmopressin but it didn't make any difference at all - even in the highest dose he could have. The consultant said it just doesn't work for some children - ds1 must be one of them.

At the moment we are waiting for a bladder capacity assessment and an alarm (waiting being the operative word - 3 months now ) He has been asked to a sleepover and had to decline - bless him, he told the boy who asked him he was still in nappies at night and the boy said "well, you can't bring THEM."

At the moment it is getting me down a bit - his nappy just doesn't hold the capacity of wee he is producing and his bed needs changing every morning. I don't let him see I am concerned though.....

Hope your nephew has more luck with the desmopressin - as lou says, it is 1 in 7, so he is certainly not alone.

I had this problem, can't remmebr how old I was but I can remember it well so I must have been around 7ish as well.

The alarm did the trick for me, our doc just told us to get a big old fashioned alarm clock that made lots of noise and I think it was set around 2am.

Out of curiosity, why do you ahve to wait for an alarm? Can't you just use anyone???

Moo, your hv should be able to get hold of more absorbant pads. Give them a call.