Woman addicted to ketamine who 'peed jelly' explains what ‘ket bladder’ feels like
Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who was addicted to ketamine and 'peed jelly' which turned out to be the lining of her bladder has explained just what impact the drug had on her body.
22-year-old Megan Taylor took ketamine for the first time when she was 18 and went back 'once every few months' for the next couple of years, but at the age of 20 she said she got involved with 'the wrong people' and started taking it on a daily basis.
The Walton woman said she 'knew it was a problem' but she 'didn't want to stop', telling the Liverpool Echo she developed a routine where she got into taking it every day and believes her ADHD and autism contributed to this as 'my routines can't just change'.
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She started feeling a pain known as 'ket cramps' on Boxing Day 2022, which had her feeling like she was being stabbed in the ribs, with the pain only going away once she took another dose of ketamine.
These cramps continued for months and Megan said she would 'burn myself with a hot water bottle just to try and get rid of the pain', leaving her back and belly scarred.
"The pains were that bad I couldn't go out with my mates without having to bring that hot water bottle with me and sit in places looking like a scruff," she said.
Her weight dropped to 4st 11lbs, she was 'blowing out blood and scabs' from her nose after it got damaged and she ended up in hospital several times.
Eventually the ketamine started affecting her bladder, with her saying she was 'going in and out of hospital with water infections' and she suffered from something known as 'ket bladder', which sounds like absolute agony.
She said: "The symptoms you get with ket bladder is like someone pouring boiling water into your bladder. It's just burning and burning and burning. Then it's swollen.
"I had so many bits of like, jelly, coming out of me. I didn't realise until a few months ago that this is the lining of your bladder. There's no saving your bladder, you're going to end up with a bag. I know people don't want that.
"I just want people to stop before it gets to that stage. Even now, I don't know if I am going to need to get my bladder removed or not."
Megan worries that people don't talk about ket bladder because they're 'embarrassed that they're weeing themselves' and 'embarrassed that they're going to wear a nappy'.
Around a third of long-term ketamine users suffer from ket cramps and in severe cases of extended use a person may need to have their bladder removed.
Megan went into detox at the end of July and has gone several weeks without taking the drug, saying she was helped through it by the Life Boat Recovery Hub and her family.
"I want to try and raise as much awareness as I can around ket. I personally think it's a devil's drug," she said.
"It's not made to be put in humans, it's a horse tranquiliser. You're getting it when it's mixed with all sorts. It's not just ket. Heroin is in ket, fentanyl is in ket. It's all mixed with anything.
"I feel better in myself than I ever thought I would be. I thought I was going to die off this drug. Just stop while you can. When you get the ket cramps and bladder pain, you're going to wish you never, ever took it."
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week
Topics: UK News, Health, Mental Health, Drugs
Joe Harker