A BRAVE woman has revealed her battle against a debilitating condition which has left her unable to eat or drink ever again.

Victoria Weller has not eaten properly for years and instead is forced to rely on a tube in her stomach for nutrition and hydration as well as a cocktail of medication including morphine every four hours and anti-sickness because she vomits at least twice a day.

Now the 33-year-old wants to share her harrowing story to raise awareness of the rare condition jackhammer oesophagus as well as fundraiser for a £40k procedure in America which could enable her to eat again.

The condition, which leaves her in constant discomfort including spasms as severe as a heart attack, has caused her to lose her teeth, her hair, suffer arthritis, insomnia and at one point weigh in at just five and a half stone.

Victoria, who could not even eat on her wedding day in March after nibbling a sandwich in February left her hospitalised, said: “Doctors have told me there is nothing they can do. I feel like the NHS has given up on me. The PEG tube is permanent and I am never going to eat again.

"This is my life and I feel like it’s over already.

"The pain is so intense at times I can't cope with it. I feel like I am dying."

Ten years ago Victoria, from Southbourne, began suffering health problems when she was vomiting every time she ate before suffering a sickness bug for six months.

Doctors diagnosed a hiatus hernia however despite an operation, her condition got worse.

She said: "I couldn't eat anything and I was in absolute agony all day every day."

Baffled medics then told Victoria she had an eating disorder and she was even sent to St Ann’s Hospital as an outpatient.

"The psychiatrist stepped in and said 'no.' I wanted to eat, I just couldn't keep anything down. I was in A&E every other day, I couldn't breathe, I was sweating profusely.

"I knew then it was a serious problem. I was sent home from A&E eight times but I collapsed and it was then I was admitted to Royal Bournemouth Hospital for a month.

"I had a feeding tube fitted through my nose, down my throat and into my stomach for a year so I could be quickly pumped with fluid and food as I was in and out of consciousness."

Following extensive tests, invasive procedures and more surgery, Victoria was diagnosed with jackhammer oesophagus, also known as hypercontractile oesophagus.

"It means anything I swallow gets to a certain point and bounces until I bring it back up," she explained.

"It causes my oesophagus to spasm, causing intense chest pain which is identical to a heart attack.

"It feels like I can't breathe, I feel like my chest is going to explode. It's just horrible. The spasms can last as long as a month.

"It has now reached a point where that is brought on from standing up too quickly, sneezing, coughing, hiccuping, laughing, even just sipping a drink. I'm on a ridiculous amount of pain relief including morphine.

"My immune system is so low I have alopecia and have lost my hair. My teeth are falling out because I don't eat and don't drink so they are incredibly brittle and I have arthritis.

"I am in and out of hospital with regular infections and I constantly feel sick. I'm tired all the time."

The condition also affects Victoria's social life.

She explained: "I've always been a big eater. I used to love food. When I first met my husband Mark, I'm the type of girl who couldn't decide between a McDonald's or a KFC so I'd have both. I have never counted calories.

"Now I don't get invited for meals because people feel bad for eating in front of me. Besides, it's also really difficult taking my feeding machine, spare meds, morphine and kit to ensure everything is sterile."

However there is hope. Victoria has researched surgery, a heller myotomy where the muscles in the oesophagus are cut to allow food and liquids to pass to the stomach.

In one case the patient went from eating nothing for years to eating the next day.

"We have researched and researched but haven't found anyone else with this particular condition so I'd be really interested in hearing from anyone who also has it.

"My condition has got so bad they don't think a normal heller myotomy will work. I'd need a sleeve as well because my oesophagus has scarring from all the bile I bring up.

"The operation has a 50 per cent success rate but is our last option before we lose all hope. It isn't going to make it worse. I'll either be able to eat again or I won't.

"Even if I can't eat properly, even to be able to taste would be amazing. I feel like I'm one of the only people on the planet who will never taste food again.

"I'm not asking for anything special. I just want to be normal."

To support Victoria go to gofundme.com/please-help-vicki-get-the-op