A man who has been left in agony and bleeding from his backside after an operation to treat a burst appendix says he has been left in a "living nightmare" as medics struggle to determine the cause of his symptoms.
Mark McArthur, 41, had an emergency operation in September 2018 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, following an appendicitis.
Mark, from Knightswood in Glasgow, has been left in constant, chronic pain and has been bleeding from his rectum for four years.
He now says the turmoil he is suffering has left him at his wit's end.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Mark said: "I went through an operation four years ago with a burst appendix, it perforated and I got emergency keyhole surgery.
"I've been bleeding ever since and I've been in agony ever since. I've lost my life.
"I was on 23 tablets a day at one point for the pain. It's been an absolute living nightmare and it just seems to be never ending. The pain is a 10 out of 10 most days."
Mark claims that doctors who have been treating him have been unable to diagnose the cause of his bleeding and pain and he is now desperate for answers.
He continued: "The doctors I'm dealing with haven't found out what is wrong with me. The last time I was in hospital I saw a specialist and was sent for an MRI. I was told then if it came back clear there was no treatment they could continue with and it was clear. But I'm still in agony and constantly bleeding."
Mark added that the impact of his symptoms on his daily life have now left him unemployed and struggling to cope with poor mental health.
He said: "Four years ago, I was working as a joiner and life was good. I tried to go back to work a couple of times but couldn't manage because of the pain.
"So I've gone from from earning £1,000 a week to living off £300 a month in benefits. It has played with my mental health and I eneded up in hospital twice because of that too.
"I don't know where to turn to anymore. The doctors there's nothing they can do. I'm at the stage now where I'll do anything to get help, I'm just desperate. I just want to live a normal life."
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "While we cannot comment on any aspect of an individual patient’s care, we would like to apologise to Mr McArthur for any distress caused.
"We will contact him directly to discuss his treatment and address any concerns he has.
"NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde supports professional discussions between clinicians about individual patients, where appropriate, and ensures that anyone referred to our hospitals for either an urgent appointment or a routine assessment is given access to the relevant care."
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