Short answer: For central diabetes insipidus, the DDAVP Tablets label starts at 0.05 mg (half a 0.1 mg tablet) twice a day, adjusted to 0.1 to 1.2 mg a day in two or three doses; most people did best on 0.1 to 0.8 mg. For bedwetting in children 6 and older, it starts at 0.2 mg at bedtime, up to 0.6 mg. Fluids are limited. The label gives no missed-dose rule.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What DDAVP Tablets is approved for: DDAVP Tablets are a synthetic form of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, approved as replacement therapy for central diabetes insipidus, for temporary excess urination and thirst after head trauma or pituitary surgery, and for primary nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), alone or with behavioral methods (Indications and Usage). They do not work for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.
Source
DDAVP Tablets (desmopressin acetate) 0.1 mg and 0.2 mg, prescribing information. Ferring Pharmaceuticals. DailyMed, version published December 10, 2025. DailyMed setid 6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332
DDAVP Tablets are taken by mouth and come in 0.1 mg and 0.2 mg tablets (Description and How Supplied).
The dose is set for each person. In diabetes insipidus it is judged by adequate sleep and adequate, not excessive, water turnover, and each daily dose is adjusted separately (Dosage and Administration).
Fluid restriction is observed in both uses. For bedwetting, fluids are kept to a minimum from 1 hour before the dose until the next morning, or at least 8 hours after it (Dosage and Administration).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Use | Starting dose | Adjustment range | Switching from the nasal form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central diabetes insipidus (adults and children) | 0.05 mg (one-half of the 0.1 mg tablet) two times a day | 0.1 mg to 1.2 mg total daily, divided into two or three doses; most found 0.1 mg to 0.8 mg daily optimal | Start tablets 12 hours after the last intranasal dose |
| Primary nocturnal enuresis (age 6 and older) | 0.2 mg at bedtime | May be titrated up to 0.6 mg | Start tablets the night following (24 hours after) the last intranasal dose |
In diabetes insipidus, people are watched closely during the first dose adjustments and checked at regular intervals after, and the dose is changed as needed for adequate water turnover.
In younger children with diabetes insipidus, the dose is individually adjusted to avoid a big drop in plasma osmolality, starting at 0.05 mg.
Bedwetting treatment is paused during illness with fluid or electrolyte imbalance (such as fever, infection, repeated vomiting or diarrhea), in very hot weather, with vigorous exercise or with other conditions that raise water intake.
In older adults, dosing usually starts at the low end, kidney function may be monitored, and careful fluid restriction is needed.
In an adult study, people switching from the nasal spray were controlled on 0.1 mg tablets three times a day after a week of self-adjustment.
Tablets are stored at 20 to 25 C (68 to 77 F), away from excessive heat or light, in a child-resistant container.
The DDAVP Tablets label gives no missed-dose rule. It has no patient leaflet, and the prescribing information does not say what to do if a dose is missed.
From intranasal DDAVP to tablets: for diabetes insipidus, tablets begin 12 hours after the last intranasal dose; for bedwetting, the night after (24 hours after) the last intranasal dose.
In a study in children with diabetes insipidus, 0.2 mg tablets acted like 0.01 mg of nasal spray, and 0.4 mg tablets like 0.02 mg. The label says individual dosing is recommended because responses varied widely.
In Dose Track you set up DDAVP Tablets as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.