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Photo: Reproduction.
Experts in the UK are warning of a worrying rise in bladder problems among young people due to heavy ketamine use.
Young people as young as 21 are undergoing risky surgeries to treat problems linked to addiction on drugs, doctors say.
Beth, a young woman in her early 20s, shared her experience with the BBC: “I can’t walk 50 meters without having to sit down or run to the bathroom.”
The latest government figures estimate that ketamine use in England and Wales has more than doubled since 2016.
During this period, the problem more than tripled in the age group under 25.
Chronic use of ketamine affects the lining of the bladder and can cause it to shrink.
As a result, some urology departments have created specialized clinics to help the growing number of young people with bladder problems.
Southmead Hospital in Bristol in the south-west of the UK is currently helping around 60 patients from across the region, some as young as 19.
“If we offer major surgery to a 21-year-old, the likelihood that he will suffer some type of complication after that surgery [no resto da vida] It’s huge,” says urologist Carolina Ochoa.
Beth is still addicted to the drug. She says she tried ketamine as a teenager, in a school classroom.
‘Visible in urine’
Beth says she uses ketamine as a way to cope with traumatic events from her past.
“It’s just a little bit of escapism. Unfortunately, in addition to some things that happened in my life that led me to make these decisions, and post-traumatic stress disorder, I also suffer with my mental health,” she told the BBC.
“Ketamine was a kind of refuge.”
Beth is now also dealing with the physical impact of long-term drug use.
Consumption caused the growth of a benign tumor in the bladder, which had to be eliminated. Beth also says that she was able to see the drug floating in her urine in a study performed at the hospital.
Young people have long-lasting bladder problems from ketamine. — Photo: BBC
What is ketamine?
A ketamine It is widely used in the British National Health Service (NHS) — the country’s public health system — as an anesthetic, sedative and painkiller, and is also commonly used in animals.
Due to its hallucinogenic effects, it is also considered a “party drug”.
A Drugs were the main reason in the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. Popularly known as Special K, it is generally consumed in powder or liquid form.
In the UK, ketamine is classified by the government as a class B drug, meaning it is illegal to consume, transport, manufacture or sell it.
The body develops tolerance to the drug quickly. Therefore, users need to increase their doses to continue feeling its effects.
Chronic use affects the lining of the bladder and can cause it to shrink. This can cause frequent need to urinate, infections, bleeding, obstructions, and incontinence.
Serious problems
Mohammed Belal, a doctor at the British Association of Urological Surgeons, is creating a protocol to help other healthcare professionals identify the signs of a “ketamine bladder”.
“We’ve seen a huge explosion of young people taking ketamine across the country, and that means they’re coming in with significant urinary symptoms. These symptoms can include going to the bathroom every hour or even every half hour,” he says.
“A Ketamine destroys the bladder lining and This can have very serious consequences”, he adds. “We saw a lot of young patients with serious bladder problems that we wouldn’t expect to see until they were much older.”
Pagan, from Oxfordshire, a county in the south of the UK, has recovered from a 12-year ketamine addiction and is sharing his experience to try and help others detox.
On the worst days, she says she took more than 10 grams a day.
“I wanted to die, I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” she says. “I didn’t want to be in the world with that pain, completely dependent on ketamine.”
As a result of his addiction, Pagan’s daughter was adopted.
The young woman underwent bladder surgery and ended up going to rehabilitation for the third time in 2022.
“I spent eight weeks in hospital and felt like I had tempted fate many times. So I had to give up the drug. Otherwise, I would have died.”
Pagan says her recovery was “very, very difficult” at first, and she couldn’t have done it without the support of drug and alcohol charity Turning Point, where she now volunteers as a mentor.
‘Never is too late’
In a statement to the BBC, the UK government said it is committed to combating illegal drugs and supporting people who need help.
Jasmine King is a specialist urology nurse at Southmead Hospital and works to help people struggling with the impacts of chronic ketamine use.
King describes the rise in patient numbers as “very worrying” and urges people to seek support through charities, mental health services and hospitals if needed.
“One thing I want people to know is that if they come see us, we’re not judging them,” he says. “We are here to support them and help them with their problems. We just want to help.”
Pagan says, “No matter how much you think you’ve lost in life, it’s never too late to ask for help.”
Credits: G1.
