Actress Ufuoma McDermott Reveals How Excessive Drug Use Damaged Her Kidney

Nollywood actress Ufuoma McDermott has opened up about the cause of her stage four kidney disease, revealing that it stemmed from long-term misuse of powerful painkillers she took for chronic migraines and headaches.

Speaking on a recent episode of the *WithChude* podcast, McDermott explained that her decision to avoid wearing glasses due to concerns about her appearance led to persistent headaches. To cope with the pain, she turned to strong painkillers, unaware of the potential damage they were causing to her kidneys.

At 43, McDermott shared that she and her brother were both diagnosed with kidney disease, raising fears that it might be hereditary. However, after further investigation, they discovered the root cause was the overuse of medication.

“I really wish everyone would understand the importance of health,” McDermott said. “My brother was diagnosed late, at stage four, and went straight into dialysis with complications. I was fortunate to be diagnosed earlier.”

The actress revealed that she had been on medication for nearly 12 years, and it was only when her brother was diagnosed with kidney failure that they traced the condition back to drug abuse. She had struggled with migraines and eye pain for years and had taken strong painkillers, hoping to alleviate the discomfort.

In 2017, McDermott tragically lost her brother to kidney failure, a loss that further deepened her understanding of the disease’s impact.