Rhianna Benson
After a US adult film star was left in a 'vegetative state' following a stint at a West Coast rehabilitation facility - where she was receiving treatment for drug addiction - a doctor has issued a warning about the risks of prolonged ketamine-use.
The family of Emily Willis have since filed a lawsuit, accusing the treatment centre of refusing to provide the 25-year-old with adequate care after she suffered a cardiac arrest just days after being referred.
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The X-rated film star was referred to the facility in question on 27 January, 2024 to seek treatment for a 'ketamine addiction'.
According to a shocking lawsuit which has since been filed by her family, she'd been consuming a considerable five-six grams of ketamine per day in the months prior, and was suffering several disturbing side effects - like bladder inflammation, urinary incontinence, and night terrors.
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Willis - whose real name is Litzy Lara Banuelos - also has a history of depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and PTSD, and was prescribed both anti-depression and anti-anxiety medication.
Days after being referred, Willis suffered a cardiac arrest - but after staff decided to monitor her health as opposed to taking her to hospital, she was found unconscious at the facility by a nurse after an unknown period of time.
Though her heartbeat was later restored by paramedics after administering CPR for 30-40 minutes, the star's brain had been without oxygen for a lengthy period of time, and is now therefore 'permanently damaged' - according to the lawsuit.
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The facility and its parent company have since been accused of 'abuse of a dependent adult, professional negligence, negligence and fraudulent business practices', with her lawyer James A Morris Jr telling press: "No patient should ever be subjected to such a horrendous breakdown in clinical care."
Though drug tests conducted at the hospital found that Willis hadn't taken ketamine or other substances before going into cardiac arrest, her lawsuit says she became 'dishevelled, frail, disoriented' with a 'nervous' mood and 'poor' insight and behaviour in the days prior.
Her heartbreaking case has since instigated a widespread debate over prolonged ketamine use, and the apparent lack of awareness of the drug's most devastating symptoms.
A medic has now issued a stern warning about the potential side effects of extreme ketamine use.
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Speaking to UNILAD earlier this week, Dr Suzanne Wylie - who works as a GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor - said that taking as much as six grams of ketamine a day, as Willis did, could have 'significant and potentially irreversible effects on both physical and mental health'.
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If used at such an extreme degree for a prolonged period of time, this could trigger 'severe' damage in the bladder region - a condition known as ketamine-induced cystitis.
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Wylie explained: "This can cause intense pain, urinary frequency, incontinence, and, in some cases, permanent damage requiring surgical intervention."
Prolonged ketamine use can lead for painful and unnerving side-effects in the stomach, including nausea, abdominal pain, and a condition known colloquially as 'K cramps'.
These conditions can make both eating and digestion painful experiences.
The toxicity of the drug can damage all of these organs, with Chemist4U pharmacist Ian Budd chiming in on the debate to add: "The kidneys also suffer, as ketamine strains their ability to filter toxins, increasing the risk of infections and kidney failure.
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"Similarly, the liver, which processes the drug, can become inflamed and scarred, reducing its ability to function properly."
With regards to the heart and lungs in particularly, he went on to say that these can be weakened due to the raise in blood pressure and heart rate caused by extreme drug use.
"Dependence and tolerance can develop, leading to escalating use and an increased risk of psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis," Dr Wylie added.
"Some users also report experiencing persistent dissociative symptoms or hallucinatory episodes even when not using the drug.
"Given the serious health risks associated with such high levels of consumption, it is crucial that individuals struggling with ketamine dependence seek professional medical support as soon as possible."
And according to Budd, mood swings, confusion and paranoia are amongst these unnerving side effects.
"Over time, ketamine users may struggle to concentrate, process information or even feel connected to reality," he explained.
Willis now remains in a vegetative state, and is semi-conscious in hospital. While she can track things with her eyes, she remains unable to move or speak.
Her lawyer, Morris Jr. added: "We hope this lawsuit will spur real change in how treatment centers handle critical cases. Too many patients who should be receiving life-saving interventions are being lost to negligence."
Tyla contacted the rehab facility and its parent company for comment.
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