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'I Had My Bladder Removed After 15g-a-Day Ketamine Habit Destroyed It'
The 25-year-old said scans showed the damage was irreversible after a year of treatment, and her father paid for the procedure.
- On June 6, Liv McCaul, a 25-year-old business owner from North Benfleet in Essex, underwent what is thought to be the UK's first eight-hour robotic procedure to remove her bladder and construct an Indiana pouch using part of her bowel.
- After her horse kicked her in the face in 2023, Liv self-medicated with opioids and ketamine for pain and PTSD, spiralling into a two and a half year addiction using around 15g of ketamine daily at her worst.
- While in 10-week rehab in May 2025, Liv began passing blood clots the size of her finger and suffered severe bladder pain, incontinence and recurring UTI symptoms; hospital staff treated her for UTIs unaware her ketamine use was the underlying cause.
- Discharged on June 12 after managing post-operative complications including emergency CT and oxygen support, Liv is recovering at home with drains; she will return in three weeks to have them removed and begin self-catheterisation through her belly button.
- Weeks into her 12-month recovery and now sober, Liv said being free from constant bladder pain felt like her life had been saved, describing the surgery as leaving that part behind "for a new chapter and feel well every day.
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12 Articles
12 Articles
Plymouth Herald+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
'Robots removed my bladder after daily habit destroyed it'
The 25-year-old underwent an eight-hour robotic operation last month
·Plymouth, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources12
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution84% Center
Bias Distribution
- 84% of the sources are Center
84% Center
C 84%
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