Woman warns of 'ketamine bladder' after drug use scarred hers for life

It made her feel like she had "no worries" and "no cares", helping her to relax in social settings.

She thought it was a "safe option" compared to other drugs, and "didn't think she'd have any issues".

Five years later, the 23-year-old is living with permanent damage to her bladder caused by repeated use of the powerful class-B drug.

Ketamine is widely used in the NHS as an anaesthetic, sedative and pain reliever, and is also commonly used on animals.

Because of its hallucinogenic effects, it became known as a "party drug" though there is evidence that its recreational use is on the rise – and users are getting younger.

"At my worst I was taking 3.5g every day. That was for £40, if not less."

Within six months, Ellie, from Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, started experiencing symptoms of ketamine urinary tract syndrome, also known as 'ketamine bladder'.

"Inflammation, constantly needing a pee, I started off getting UTIs (urinary tract infections) quite a lot," she says.

"It's not something I'm really proud of, but when I was 18 years old and I'm sitting in traffic in Aberdeen, and I'm bursting for the toilet and you just physically can't hold it.

Ketamine is illegal to take, carry, make or sell unless for licensed medical uses.

As the drug is processed by the body and passed through urine it can cause the walls of the bladder to become irritated.

Scarring, or fibrosis, leaves the usually stretchy organ tight and constricted, meaning it is less able to fill with and hold urine.

Despite its name, 'ketamine bladder' affects the entire urinary tract, including the kidneys and ureters.

It is characterised by pain in the stomach and back, a frequent and urgent need to urinate, blood in the urine, and sometimes incontinence.

She says that when she first quit the drug her bladder healed within a month or two, however, she soon returned to taking it.

It is now 10 months since she took the drug and she's still managing pain caused by its use.

A UK government report published in March 2024, found that ketamine use in young people in England and Wales aged 16-24 years, had increased by 231% since March 2013.

In Scotland, similar data is not collected, but urologists say the number of children presenting with symptoms of ketamineurinary tract syndrome is "escalating rapidly".

The lack of proper data collection in Scotland is an issue highlighted by Justine Royle, a consultant urological surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).

She told BBC Scotland that a rise in the number of patients in the north east of Scotland has led the urology department at ARI