11<\/p>\n Oliver Westall, 24, was first introduced to ketamine at the age of 15Credit: Jampress 11<\/p>\n Oliver, with his mum Emma, says he took the drug to help ease his crippling anxietyCredit: Jam Press 11<\/p>\n The party habit soon developed into an addiction that wrecked his bladder and saw him passing clots so large he popped the blood vessels in his eyesCredit: Jampress 11<\/p>\n Oliver would sometimes take as many as 21 grams in a dayCredit: Jam Press<\/p>\n The 24-year-old is now waiting for an operation to remove his destroyed bladder, meaning he will never pee naturally again.<\/p>\n ‘Ketamine bladder’ is a severe complication of the drug that experts have warned is leaving people incontinent<\/a> before the age of 30, amid a spike in addiction cases.<\/p>\n Oliver saw his life spiral out of control after he fell into a deep ketamine addiction<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was only 15 when he was first introduced to the party drug, which he says made him feel \u201cwarm inside\u201d and helped numb the pain of his crippling anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n But what started as recreational use quickly turned into an everyday habit that had devastating consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cAt my worst, I was using 21 grams every single day,\u201d Oliver, from Neath in South Wales<\/a>, tells Sun Health.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time I used it, I felt like I was floating on a bubble.<\/p>\n \u201cIt instantly took away my anxiety and made me feel warm and numb inside.<\/p>\n \u201cBut at the height of my addiction, I wasn\u2019t functioning.<\/p>\n \u201cI sat in my flat all day and night sniffing ketamine.<\/p>\n How ketamine can change someone’s life at ‘startling’ speed revealed by Dr Catherine Carney <\/p>\n \u201cI would lock myself in my flat with my head in a bag.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes, no one would see me for two weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cI was completely psychotic – speaking to and seeing dead people<\/a>, including past relatives.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, I\u2019ve easily spent over \u00a3300,000 on the stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Aged 16, just one year after he first touched ketamine, he decided to start dealing to fund his \u00a355k-a-year habit, meaning he was around it \u201cconstantly\u201d.<\/p>\n 11<\/p>\n Oliver suffered agonising ‘ket cramps’ and unable to sleep or leave the houseCredit: Jampress 11<\/p>\n Yet he struggled to kick the devastating addiction, as ket was the only thing that numbed the painCredit: Jampress 11<\/p>\n Oliver said he was too far gone to accept the support of his family – pictured with his mum and stepdad OwenCredit: Jam Press<\/p>\n Alongside the mental toll, the drug began wreaking havoc on his physical health<\/a> – particularly his bladder.<\/p>\n By the time he was 18, the physical consequences of his addiction were already setting in.<\/p>\n Oliver said: \u201cAfter about 18 months of using it heavily, I started getting what’s known as ‘ket cramps\u2019.”<\/p>\n These are severe abdominal pains, a telltale sign that ketamine use is causing damage.<\/p>\n Everything is affected by the ketamine – my walking, my sleeping, my mental health, everything. I can\u2019t walk far, I can\u2019t sleep for longer than two hours without waking up<\/p>\n Oliver Westall<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cThat\u2019s when the bladder problems began,” Oliver recalled. <\/p>\n “I couldn\u2019t leave the house because I needed to pee every two seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I started bleeding, passing clots the size of \u00a32 coins.<\/p>\n \u201cI popped the blood vessels in my eyes trying to push them out.<\/p>\n \u201cI looked like I\u2019d been beaten up for three weeks. I was in so much pain.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew it was destroying me, but the only thing that helped the pain was more ket.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Felt like my body was dying’<\/p>\n Despite numerous attempts to quit, Oliver struggled to stay clean for more than a few weeks.<\/p>\n His bladder problems eventually became so severe he needed to wear incontinence<\/a> pads full-time at the age of 20.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIt was horrible. I was going through 10 pads a day. I still do.<\/p>\n \u201cMy bladder has shrunk to 10ml. I still urinate every 60 to 90 seconds and I haven\u2019t slept a full night in five years.<\/p>\n \u201cI wake up every morning soaked in urine. This has massively impacted my mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ketamine cramps felt like my body was dying.<\/p>\n The devastating impact of ketamine<\/p>\n Ketamine can lead to death by putting pressure on the heart and respiratory system.<\/p>\n But its other effects on the body, which are often irreversible, are horrifying, too.<\/p>\n \u201cKetamine bladder syndrome is one of the worst symptoms,\u201d Dr Catherine Carney, an addiction specialist at\u00a0Delamere<\/a>,\u00a0told Sun Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is where the breakdown of ketamine in the body causes inflammation in the bladder wall.<\/p>\n It leaves people unable to hold urine and passing chunks of their bladder tissue.<\/p>\n Some users face the prospect of having their bladders removed entirely.<\/p>\n Dr Carney explains: \u201cThe lining of the bladder can shrink over time and be extremely painful for those experiencing it.<\/p>\n \u201cThis can often lead to lower abdominal pain and pain when passing urine, as well as bleeding.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s usually what has forced people to get help because they can\u2019t tolerate it any more.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had young men in agony, wetting the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir whole life is focused on where there\u2019s a toilet because they can only hold urine for ten minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a teenager or someone in their early 20s, that\u2019s absolutely life-changing.<\/p>\n \u201cIn some cases, the bladder damage progresses to the kidneys and people get kidney failure, too.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is developing in people who have been using for two years, so it is relatively quick.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr Carney adds that the urine samples of new guests checking into the clinic are often just a \u201cpot of blood\u201d.<\/p>\n This is followed by weeks of agony coming off the drug. An irony of ketamine use is people tend to take more and more to numb the pain of the side-effects it causes.<\/p>\n Dr Carney says: \u201cThere\u2019s nothing that we can give which is as strong as a medical anaesthetic (the ketamine). We can use codeine-based products or anti-inflammatories.<\/p>\n \u201cSome antidepressants help at night, but the pain is hard to manage in the early days.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people that come to us, the bladder will improve to the point that they don\u2019t need to have it removed.<\/p>\n \u201cBut once you\u2019ve got a bladder that has shrunk to the size of 70ml, that\u2019s never getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI experienced them daily, along with constant bleeding and clots. I lived like this for about five years.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is affected by the ketamine – my walking, my sleeping, my mental health, everything.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t walk far, I can\u2019t sleep for longer than two hours without waking up.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m constantly peeing and it\u2019s very draining at times.<\/p>\n \u201cOn some days, I do feel like my world is falling apart, but it\u2019s all about being strong and pushing through the bad days to get to the good.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Massive blow’ <\/p>\n Oliver says he has visited the hospital more than 20 times over the years with bladder problems and was repeatedly turned away.<\/p>\n Sadly, at the age of 22, he discovered the damage to his bladder was completely irreversible<\/a>.<\/p>\n He added: \u201c[Hospital staff] kept turning me away – then finally I had my first camera inserted into my bladder.<\/p>\n \u201cThe urologist told me: \u2018It\u2019s end game.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really scary. I spiralled and lost all hope. I had been clean for 11 months at that point and then relapsed.<\/p>\n \u201cThey told me my bladder was way past the point of healing and I needed surgery to remove it to stop my excruciating pain.<\/p>\n If I had quit four years ago, I might still have my bladder<\/p>\n Oliver Westall<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cI\u2019m now waiting to have my surgery.”<\/p>\n Once surgeons remove his bladder, it is likely Oliver would require a bag – either inside or outside of his body – that collects urine. <\/p>\n The most common way to collect urine after a bladder removal is an urostomy, which is a bag outside the body. A stoma – an opening created by a surgeon – allows urine to pass out of the body.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a massive blow and it\u2019s going to be life-changing, but it\u2019s something I\u2019ve had to accept for a better quality of life,” says Oliver. <\/p>\n \u201cAccepting that my body won\u2019t heal has been incredibly hard – it\u2019s something I\u2019ve really had to come to terms with and push through.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m only 24 and I\u2019m going to have a bag for the rest of my life, but I know I\u2019ve got this.<\/p>\n \u201cI know my life is worth living and my story can help others. I want to show people the true destruction that ketamine can cause.\u201d<\/p>\n 11<\/p>\n Oliver hit rock bottom when he was told he would need surgery to remove his bladderCredit: Jam Press 11<\/p>\n Oliver is now waiting for surgery to remove his bladder – but managed to turn his life around after finding comfort in religionCredit: Jam Press 11<\/p>\n The 24-year-old has learned to love and forgive himselfCredit: Jam PressReach out for help<\/p>\n Things finally turned around for Oliver when he checked himself into The Carpenter\u2019s Arms, a Christian rehab in Loughborough.<\/p>\n Through the support of mentor and spiritual guide Padre Alan, Oliver says he found comfort in religion<\/a> and began rebuilding his life.<\/p>\n He officially became clean on June 17, 2024, and hasn\u2019t looked back since.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old hopes to eventually run his own church to help other addicts.<\/p>\n Oliver said: \u201cPadre Alan saved my life and I owe everything to him and the team.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough recovery, I learned to love again and to forgive myself and others. My addiction didn\u2019t just ruin my life, it broke my family.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mum and brother were always there, but I was too far gone.<\/p>\n The ‘heroin of a generation’ <\/p>\n Party drug ketamine has been dubbed the ‘heroin’ of a generation as users warn its true toll has yet to be fully seen. <\/p>\n The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects.<\/p>\n But for some, a party habit can spiral into a devastating addiction. <\/p>\n Exeter University researchers who interviewed 274 ketamine addicts warn the drug causes \u201chigh levels of physical\u00a0health problems<\/a>\u00a0and psychological consequences\u201d.<\/p>\n They estimated that nearly half \u2013 44 per cent \u2013 of British users suffering devastating side effects from ketamine do not get professional help.<\/p>\n Sixty per cent had\u00a0bladder<\/a>\u00a0or nasal problems, while 56 per cent suffered from organ cramps.<\/p>\n Six in 10 interviewees had\u00a0mental health<\/a>\u00a0problems and reported psychological issues including cravings, low mood, anxiety and irritability.<\/p>\n One anonymous ketamine user in the study said: \u201cI feel it is the heroin of a generation.<\/p>\n \u201cMore information will only become available once more people my age begin to suffer so greatly from misuse that it can\u2019t be hidden anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n Another added: \u201cPeople know the risks of heroin and cocaine but not how addictive ketamine can become.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cNow my mum can sleep at night knowing I\u2019m safe. That itself is worth its weight in gold to me.<\/p>\n \u201cI found faith in God through my recovery. Finding my faith truly transformed my life.”<\/p>\n Oliver now runs a Facebook<\/a> page called God\u2019s Grace of Sobriety and a TikTok<\/a> account called Oliver’s Recovery.<\/p>\n \u201cI plan to turn the page into a charitable organisation once I recover from my operation,” he said. <\/p>\n \u201cMy message to others is break those toxic relationships<\/a>, even if they\u2019re with friends or family. Put your recovery first.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I had quit four years ago, I might still have my bladder.<\/p>\n \u201cReach out, be vulnerable. Don\u2019t try to do it alone like I did for so many years.<\/p>\n \u201cI know where you are because I\u2019ve lived it. I know that with the right help, you can find freedom too.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000993375945.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horrible-i-going-10-pads-993395391.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000993376001.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/d7735b2e-8982-4795-821f-beb513b3bb3c.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000993375954-1.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000993375946.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horrible-i-going-10-pads-993395375_8b9341.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/www-bbc-co-uk-iplayer-859562577_344e90.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horrible-i-going-10-pads-993395392.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horrible-i-going-10-pads-993395382.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horrible-i-going-10-pads-993395390.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ketamine-drugs-plastic-straw-black-975682528.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000993375957.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n