Anyone else unable to work due to esophagus spasms?

I experienced my first attack of pain 9 years ago and it was that severe I thought I was having a heart attack. A&E told me the cardiogram came back normal and suggested the pain was a pulled muscle. I felt extremely embarrassed.

I have suffered ever since sometimes daily, weekly and monthly.
In June this year I had a severe attack and collapsed at work. To cut a long story short, I have since been admitted to hospital 5 times and experience pain daily, sometimes hourly. Because I live in Britain the health care is free but it has taken months to get a diagnosis as I waited 3 months to see a cardiologist to rule out my heart.

I do a desk job, customer service. Work are in the process of medically retiring me.
The GI specialist has told me I will be unable to work for the foreseeable or maybe never again. I am on Tramadol and Diazepam both which dont stop my big attacks they only stop the little stabbing pains I get hourly.

Is anyone else unable to work? What impact has this had on your lives?
Does this illness class as a disability?

Hi nobodyspecial

Do they kmow what caused these spasms?
Could you have a hiatus hernia ?

Maria

Hi Maria,

I'm awaiting further tests in April as the specialist has told me he suspects it's the DES form. As it stands they can't tell me what's causing it. I'm having a tube down up my nose and down my esophagus for 24 hours to measure the vibrations. The specialist didn't go into too much depth with me and says he will when he's got my results back but he says I show all the symptoms and my explanations to him points towards nothing else but esophagus spasm's.