A Scottish man who dismissed a painful lump as piles has described how it developed into a deadly flesh-eating infection that left him fighting for his life in intensive care. James Lamont, 43, from Dumfries, initially treated the lump near his bottom at home with creams for three weeks before his condition deteriorated dramatically.
From home treatment to emergency surgery
Mr Lamont became increasingly unwell and vomited whenever he ate. He realised something was seriously wrong when his testicles suddenly became swollen. "I thought I had an abscess and never imagined how dangerous it really was," he said. "I was sick for days, vomiting every time I ate, and I had a bath to soothe the pain but it only made everything worse."
"By the time I woke up the next morning, my testicles were swollen to the size of a melon and I couldn't walk at all. It was an intense pain and swelling in the abscess as it grew bigger," he added. "My balls felt really warm and were purple. When I saw how swollen they were, it was frightening and a shock. I knew something bad was happening."
Diagnosis and life support
Mr Lamont was rushed to A&E, where doctors took him to theatre for emergency surgery within an hour. He and his family were then told the infection had developed into necrotising fasciitis and Fournier's gangrene, before sepsis spread through his bloodstream. The infection destroyed much of the tissue around his groin and scrotum, requiring 11 operations, a stoma and skin grafts.
His partner, Tracey Dickie, 43, who stayed by his bedside every night, said being told he might not survive was one of the most frightening experiences of her life. "For me, one of the hardest parts was being told that the person I loved might not come home," she said. "My mum had already passed away in March, then my family dog of 13 years passed away in July. I thought, 'not again'."
Mr Lamont was placed in an induced coma for four days and put on a ventilator and full life support. He spent 21 days in intensive care and several more weeks in hospital, while doctors also feared the sepsis could cause serious kidney damage and leave him needing dialysis. Fortunately, he did not require dialysis. He was later transferred to Glasgow for skin grafts and had a stoma bag fitted.
Road to recovery
Mr Lamont, whose ordeal began in November last year, said his recovery is far from over. "Even now, I'm still healing. I have scars everywhere, ongoing pain, mobility challenges, and I am still adjusting to the stoma and all the changes to my body," he said. "I still go to appointments and follow-ups, and I know I have a long way to go before I feel like myself again."
He added: "This experience has changed me forever. I don't take a single day for granted anymore. I wish I'd known that something that looks like just piles or a small abscess can turn into something this deadly in such a short space of time. Please, learn from what happened to me. If something doesn't feel right, if you have a lump that won't go away, if you are in pain or being sick, don't wait. Don't assume it's nothing. Get it checked. Your life could depend on it."
