A young woman has issued an urgent warning about the use of nitrous oxide, also known as nangs, after she became unable to walk for two months from regular use.
Tamika Dudley, from Brisbane, quickly became a regular user of ‘nangs’ after trying them for the first time last year.
‘I would be doing them before clubbing, at ”kick-ons”, when friends would come over, when I was bored,’ she shared on Facebook.
She said she saw it as a ”fun high”.
But her high came crashing down fast when she was rushed to hospital, unable to feel her legs and arms in May last year.
Ms Dudley, who made headlines in 2017 when footage emerged of her obscenity-laden rant at a cab driver, had suffered severe nerve damage from using nangs.
Tamika Dudley, from Brisbane, quickly became a regular user of ‘nangs’ after trying them for the first time last year
Ms Dudley was rushed to hospital unable to feel her arms and legs, she had severe damage to her nerves
She had multiple scans before discovering she had severely damaged her nerves due to long-term vitamin B12 depletion, caused by her nitrous oxide use
Nangs are nitrous oxide canisters and they can be found in convenience stores for as little as ten cans for $10.
Typically the drug is used for sedation and pain relief but more people are using it to get high.
Users experience symptoms such as dizziness, euphoria, uncontrollable laughter and giddiness.
Long-term use can brain and nerve damage, as well as depression or psychosis.
Doctors were at first unaware what was going on and she had to undergo multiple tests, interluding an MRI, CT scan, and lumber puncture.
The next morning she was paralysed from the waist down.
She later discovered she had severely damaged her nerves due to long-term vitamin B12 depletion, caused by her nitrous oxide use.
Ms Dudley spent two months trapped in a hospital bed. She couldn’t feed herself. Her mother would break down in tears as she watched the young woman attempt to hold a spoon
After three months she was able to walk on her own. However, she still has sensitivity in her toes and fingers are still not back to normal
‘That honestly was the scariest most frightening thing I have ever experienced, knowing you can’t walk.. knowing you might never walk for the rest of your life.. it’s like your whole life has been taken away from you.
‘I was scared I was going to be a vegetable in a wheelchair forever.’
Days passed and Ms Dudley wasn’t improving. She was given B12 every day as she was severely deficient.
Ms Dudley spent two months trapped in a hospital bed. She couldn’t feed herself.
Her mother would break down in tears as she watched the young woman attempt to hold a spoon.
‘I was bed ridden and sh***ing and p***ing in a pan,’ she said.
Physiotherapy helped her regain movement in her arms and legs and after two months she was able to walk again with the help of nurses.
Ms Dudley gained notoriety in 2017 after she shared her rant towards a taxi driver for going the wrong way
After three months she was able to walk on her own. However, she still has sensitivity in her toes and fingers are still not back to normal.
She said she wanted to share her story to warns other of the risk associated with the drug.
‘Not once in my head did I think “this is going to make me paralysed” or f***k “I might end up like a vegetable forever” not once did it cross my mind. Because you don’t think that’s going to happen to you.
‘I need you guys to know Nangs are not SAFE. These things can ruin your life forever.’
In 2017 Ms Dudley posted a tirade to her thousands of Snapchat followers after a Black & White Cab driver wasn’t sure how to get to her desired destination.
Canisters of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘nangs’, are being sold on the Gold Coast in packs of 10 for $10 (stock)
Traditionally the drug was used for sedation and pain relief but more and more people are using it to get high. Effects of the drug include dizziness, euphoria, uncontrollable laughter and giddiness
‘I put in the GPS, so follow the GPS. What’s so hard? What’s so f***ing hard about following the GPS?’ she ranted.
‘You picked me up and you’re a cab driver and you’re telling me to get out because you don’t know where you’re going?
‘I swear to God, if you get lost again, there’s gonna be a lot of trouble so make sure you know where you’re going, swear to f***ing God.’
As well as repeatedly swearing, she added captions on the social media platform
Other cab drivers said incidents like this were fairly common.