Scots man 'trapped' in top floor flat after antibiotic reaction left him in wheelchair

A Scots man has been left 'trapped' in his own home after suffering a rare reaction to an antibiotic.

Adam Aspinall is now wheelchair-bound, and 'stranded' in the top floor of his tenement flat in Glasgow, after treatment for suspected kidney stones sparked a toxic reaction in his body.

The 32-year-old, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with Fluoroquinolone Toxicity, a condition caused by an adverse reaction to antibiotics, that left Adam with "shooting and burning sensations" in his legs two days after he started a course.

Over the following days, Adam developed cracking joints, pain in his arms, neck, hands, achilles and back as well as freezing cold legs and feet, muscle spasms, a 'weak feeling' in his lower body and a stabbing sensation across his skin.

Adam, who was previously an avid hiker and outdoorsman, described his symptoms as the "feeling you get after doing an intense leg workout". Fluoroquinolone Toxicity can also cause severe side effects, ranging from tendon rupture and muscle pain to depression and psychosis.

Speaking to Glasgow Live, Adam said: "It felt like I'd aged about 50 years in a few days. I also lost around 7kg in the first few weeks.

"There's not a definite reason behind the diagnosis - I saw a specialist in Glasgow who believes it is an immune response; it's rare but it does happen."

Adam says the situation has taken a toll on his mental health and his everyday life.

He added: "It's only getting worse at the moment, it's difficult to even hold my phone or a bottle of water. My life has flipped upside down, I feel trapped in my own home - it feels like my life has been destroyed from taking just two pills."

Adam faces the impossible challenge of climbing down 60 steps from his front door to the ground floor. And he says he has "lost" his freedom and feels incredibly "isolated", adding he feels "cut off from the world".

Adam has since sought out private care at Glasgow's Nuffield Health, after initial treatment on the NHS. He added: "I spent a few days in hospital, but there was very little they could do.

"It feels like I've been slowly watching my body fall apart over the past few months and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it."

Adam lives alone but receives help from his partner with everyday tasks. The 32-year-old has been forced to buy a wheelchair, which he said was unsuitable for his height and not the best for outdoor conditions. He added that the only times he has left his flat in months was for appointments, in which he is transferred via ambulance.

He is now raising money in hopes to buy a stair climber, which is used to transport wheelchair-bound patients up and down flights of stairs, but comes at the cost of £6,000.

He says this equipment will finally allow him to go outside, access essential services, attend important appointments, and reconnect with the outside world.

Adam has, however, found a "supportive community" online made up of people who've had similar adverse reactions him, from across the world.

The Glasgow man has been told he has an 80 to 90 percent chance of making a good recovery within two to five years and he is "trying to remain optimistic", but says it is a "difficult and long road" ahead.

Posting to GoFundMe, Adam wrote: "Your support can make a world of difference in my life. By contributing to this fundraiser, you’ll help restore my independence and provide a much-needed boost to my mental and physical health. Any donation, big or small, will bring me closer to my goal and give me the freedom I desperately need."

You can donate to Adam's fundraiser here.

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