Doctors are warning of a surge in severe bladder problems among young people due to chronic ketamine use, with some patients as young as 21 requiring major surgery. The condition, known as 'ketamine bladder', occurs when the drug damages the bladder lining, causing it to shrink and leading to frequent urination, infections, and incontinence.
Latest government figures estimate ketamine use in England and Wales has more than doubled since 2016, and more than tripled among under-25s. In response, some urology departments have set up specialist clinics. Southmead Hospital in Bristol is treating around 60 patients from across the West, some as young as 19.
Consultant urologist Dr Carolina Ochoa said: 'If we are offering major surgery to a person who's 21, then the likelihood of having any sort of complications after that surgery [in the rest of their lives] - it's enormous.'
Beth, an addict in her 20s, told the BBC: 'I can't walk 50 metres without either needing to sit down or needing to run to the toilet.' She started using ketamine as a teenager 'in the classroom at school' and now uses it to cope with past trauma. Her bladder had a growth that required surgery, and doctors could see the drug floating in her urine on a hospital camera screen.
Dr Mohammed Belal from the British Association of Urological Surgeons said: 'I think we've seen a huge explosion of young people taking ketamine throughout the country... We've noticed lots of young patients with severe bladder problems that we would not expect to see until patients are much older.' The association is now producing guidance to help health professionals spot the signs.
Pagan, from Oxfordshire, recovered from a 12-year addiction during which she took more than 10 grams a day. She said: 'I wanted to die... I just didn't want to be alive anymore.' Her addiction led to her daughter being adopted, bladder surgery, and multiple stints in rehab.
