A Dalbeattie man lost one-and-a-half litres of blood after his drink was spiked while in the pub.
Now Mark Whalen is warning other people to take care when on a night out.
The 30-year-old recently shared his experience on Facebook in a bid to make people aware of what can happen and ensure they aren’t next.
Mark, who has a nine-year-old son, said: “I just want to make everyone aware of it – it has been absolutely horrible.
“I want to make sure everyone looks after their drink – if it comes to the worst and you see someone doing something, get another drink – the worst is you’ll have to pay for another one.
“I want to make sure everyone is okay.
“I didn’t even want to put it on Facebook but the messages have been unbelievable, from people I don’t even know.
“I want to make folk aware – underagers, any ages, any pub. This could have been somebody else’s family, someone with health issues.
“It was a horrible situation to be in, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
“If it wasn’t for the staff at the NHS I wouldn’t be here.”
Mark had been in a pub in Dumfries town centre watching an Old Firm game on TV last month when his drink was spiked.
He said: “I was only having a few as we were working all day on the Monday. We got the half six bus back to Dalbeattie and I can’t remember much after that.
“I got back home and fell asleep in my clothes.
“When I woke up about 11pm it was absolutely carnage after that.
“I was sick a lot and threw blood up the wall and my dad phoned the hospital.
“I lost over a litre and a half of blood and had to get resuscitated twice in hospital, which is when my family got called in.
“I didn’t know if I was going to make it – I’ve a wee boy who is nine, I thought I’d never see him again.
“I went through 15 bags of fluid. I asked the doctors if I was going to die and they told me they couldn’t answer that.
“It was a nightmare, it was the worst experience I’ve ever had.”
It’s now a month since the incident happened but Mark, who works at Greggs in Dumfries High Street, said: “I’m still struggling.
“My work colleagues have been brilliant, everyone has texted me and the staff have been absolutely fantastic with me.
“I’m still struggling at work, some days are so draining.
“I just want to make everyone aware.”
