Ritchie Herron, a biological male from Newcastle, told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview that the 2018 surgery left him badly damaged and that he knew immediately after the operation he had made a mistake. His situation first became public last week when he tweeted about it under a pseudonym.

“‘Oh God, what have I done?’” Herron recalls thinking as the fog of anesthesia cleared.

The 35-year-old gay government worker said he battled depression and gender dysphoria before deciding a sex change operation was the answer. But he said the procedure, which he calls “‘the biggest mistake of my life,’” has left him infertile, incontinent, and in constant agony.

Herron said his ordeal with the NHS began a decade ago when he sought professional help for depression, which he attributes to being gay and living in the closet. He had recently learned about gender dysphoria in an internet chatroom, where others convinced him he was transgender.

He said he was referred to a psychologist and then to the Northern Region Gender Dysphoria Service, run by the NHS. In 2014, a clinic diagnosed him as “transsexual” after just two 30-minute appointments. A psychiatrist recommended medication to block testosterone production in preparation for a gender change.

Herron said a relative who accompanied him to the clinic tried to warn staffers that he was on anti-depressants and had mental problems, but the system kept pushing him along. He changed his name to “Abby” and began identifying as a woman while taking hormone treatments.

On May 23, 2018, he completed the sex-change procedure with operations to remove his penis and testicles and construct an artificial vagina.

“‘I didn’t even see the surgeon,’” he said. “‘I was very much in the mindset of ‘I’m here now, there’s no stopping it even if I wanted to.’”

The Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, which Herron says he is suing, denied that patients are sped through the irreversible process without proper counseling.

“‘Care plans are collaborative and tailored to each patient’s needs and goals, and treatment decisions are made following a thorough assessment in line with national recommendations,’” the agency told the Mail.

The radical ideology is coming under increased scrutiny as more people like Herron come forward. In The Daily Wire’s new documentary, “What Is A Woman?” Matt Walsh explores the new ideology and finds that many on the Left believe doctors randomly assign genders at birth and that they have nothing to do with genitalia.

Herron’s planned lawsuit accuses the NHS of pushing him into the surgery without considering his mental health problems or explaining the risks of the radical operation. He said he went public because he believes there are many other so-called “de-transitioners” who regret being pushed into surgery.

“‘This is an avalanche waiting to happen,’” he said. “‘Transition is now being sold to people on a mass scale. It’s like PPI, but more sinister.’”

“‘In a few years, I’m sure we’ll have law firms asking people if they transitioned and would like to claim compensation.’”

Reporting from The Daily Wire.