For a 25-year-old British woman, taking ketamine began as a once-in-a-while habit during her teenage years, but after using between 5 and 10 grams of the popular party drug daily for three years, she is now left in a painful condition with permanent damage to her bladder.
Paige Collins, who hails from Hampshire, U.K., was spending around $1,200 a month on ketamine before she began experiencing bladder issues. She found herself urinating up to 50 times a day, often with intense pain, and was alarmed to notice that her urine had a “jelly-like” consistency.
The ketamine addiction damaged her bladder, shrinking it to the point where it can now hold only 5% of its original capacity. Shockingly, the “jelly-like” substance she was passing turned out to be her own bladder lining.
“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’,” Collins said.
“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,” she added.
Despite seeking medical help and finally stopping her ketamine use, Collins continues to face constant bladder issues that have significantly impacted her daily life, including her ability to work. “They’ve already said the damage is irreversible. There’s nothing I can do to make my bladder the way it once was,” she shared.
To manage the ongoing pain and discomfort, Collins is undergoing bladder instillation treatment, which helps stretch her bladder and alleviate inflammation. Though the physical damage cannot be undone, Collins is determined to raise awareness by sharing her story, hoping it will serve as a cautionary tale for others.
“Ket was an escape mechanism for me, which I know it also is for lots of other people. I was a party girl. Even now I still like going out dancing, but I don’t take ket when I go out,” she said.
“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,” she added.
