How drug abuse led to my kidney disease – Actress Ufuoma McDermott

In a revealing interview with Chude Jideonwo, Nollywood actress Ufuoma McDermott has shared her personal battle with kidney disease, a condition she attributes to unintentional long-term painkiller misuse.

The actress, who has lived with the illness for 12 years, used the opportunity to highlight the critical importance of health awareness and proactive care.

McDermott also spoke about the impact of delayed diagnosis within her family, citing her brother’s experience with late-stage complications.

Reflecting on her own journey, she urged others to prioritize their health, stressing the dangers of unintentional drug abuse and the importance of regular medical check-ups.

Her story is a poignant reminder of the often-overlooked risks of everyday medication misuse and the need for heightened health consciousness.

She said to Chude, “I really wish everyone would understand how important health is. My brother was diagnosed late on stage four and he had to go straight into dialysis and had complications. I was diagnosed a lot earlier so I’ve lived on medication for almost 12 years now.”

Reflecting on the repercussions of substance abuse within her family, the actress noted that her late brother was diagnosed with kidney disease at a critical stage and encountered serious issues during his dialysis treatment.

She elaborated, “When my brother passed away I ran to my cardiologist. I was scared and my parents were scared, is this genetic? We had to trace the kidney disease and we learned it was from drug abuse.”

“I’d always grown up with migraines, headaches and eyeaches, and I never wore my glasses because they made me look like a geek. I wouldn’t wear them and then I’d take painkillers for my migraine. I never took ordinary painkillers, I took strong painkillers because I wanted the pain to go away. At a point, I had painkillers in my wallet and I could give people,” she added.

McDermott ultimately discovered that her condition was not hereditary but rather a consequence of prolonged painkiller use.

“The doctor told me I was exposed to certain behaviours and my brother was exposed to the same thing, doesn’t mean it’s genetics. I didn’t know I was abusing drugs and I was first I was diagnosed with high blood pressure was at 26, and I didn’t even know what that was.”