Child ketamine users getting bladder damage describe 'peeing a jellyfish'
Summary
Doctors at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool are treating children as young as 13 who have bladder damage from using ketamine. The drug, which can be bought cheaply, causes serious urinary problems that can lead to pain, accidents, and even kidney failure.Key Facts
- Over 100 children have been referred to the UK’s first NHS ketamine bladder clinic since it opened in May.
- Some children describe the feeling as "peeing a jellyfish," where bladder lining is shed.
- Prolonged ketamine use can cause incontinence, pain, and possibly kidney damage.
- Many children have used ketamine for a year or more, starting sometimes at age 12 or younger.
- Ketamine is an anesthetic that dulls pain but can worsen bladder damage, creating a harmful cycle.
- The drug is cheap and easy to obtain, making it popular with young people.
- The clinic sees about one new patient each week, mostly girls, with symptoms including urgent, painful urination and sometimes blood in the urine.
- Stopping ketamine use can help, but severe cases may require surgery or bladder removal.
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