A young woman from the UK experienced severe health issues after using ketamine excessively, consuming between 5 and 10 grams daily over three years.
Paige Collins, hailing from Hampshire, began using the drug at 19 during outings with friends.
Her use escalated into a daily habit, costing her £1,000 ($1,292) monthly.
The 25-year-old reflected: “It started as a once-in-a-blue-moon thing then it was a weekend thing then [it] started picking up during covid to weekdays and then every day.
“Initially I really enjoyed it. It took me three years to realise I was addicted.
“I would start off getting one or two grams a night and then at the start of 2024 I was doing between five and 10 grams a day.”
After three years, she faced severe discomfort and frequent urges to urinate, up to 50 times a day, and noticed she was passing a ‘jelly-like’ substance.
This substance was her ‘bladder lining’. She explained: “I had absolutely no clue this could happen. Even when I knew [and] it was at its worst I still continued to do it.
“It was awful, I was in pain. I was stuck in a cycle of waking up, doing it, crying, saying ‘I’m never going to touch it again’ then picking it up again’.
“I was nipping to the loo 50 plus times a day.
“It was ruining my life. I couldn’t go out for four or five months of 2023, I didn’t leave the house.”
In 2021, medical evaluations including an ultrasound and a cystoscopy showed her bladder had shrunk significantly due to her drug use, holding only 30ml—barely more than a ‘shot’ of liquid, compared to the normal 400-600ml capacity.
According to the NHS, a healthy bladder should be able to hold between 400-600mls of urine, meaning Paige’s holds just five percent of that.
Although receiving the diagnosis was ‘awful’, Paige also felt a ‘bit of relief’ as she feared she might need a urostomy bag.
“They’ve already said the damage is irreversible. There’s nothing I can do to make my bladder the way it once was.” she continued.
Now nine months sober, Paige continues to face bladder problems affecting her work, and she is receiving bladder instillation treatment to help alleviate pain and improve bladder function.
Paige hopes her experience serves as a warning to others considering ketamine use.
“Ket was an escape mechanism for me, which I know it also is for lots of other people,” she continued. “I was a party girl. Even now I still like going out dancing, but I don’t take ket when I go out.
“I just want to raise awareness as I know the physical and emotional pain this has caused me and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.