dannic1

Hi all,

I know that I have acid reflux, because I can definitely feel food regurgitate back up my throat after I eat and it has that awful taste to it. Sorry to be graphic, but just want to establish that I feel I do have GERD. However, I've had other symptoms - the constant belching that comes and goes, the heartburn, feeling that food sometimes get stuck in the back of my throat (especially tortilla chips) and lately here again, the "lovely" hypersalivation. It's so hard not to focus on my swallowing, when I feel that my mouth produces too much saliva. I think it has maybe thrown me in a bit of a vicious OCD (obsessive-compulsive cycle) now. I had this back in high school under a lot of stress/anxiety and then it went away on its own. I think during periods of stress, though, the GERD must get worse, causing the hypersalivation. I'm sure any excess swallowing probably adds to the belching, although sometimes I belch anyway, without swallowing. The only thing that really seems to help me is to chew sugarless gum. One would think it would have the opposite affect, but for me, it helps me. I don't know if this is do to the peppermint or something in the gum neutralizing the acid or maybe it somehow helps me to relax, even though I don't chew it a lot. I find I keep my jaws apart more when the gum is in my mouth. I'm sure that I do also have TMJ - maybe an important connection here as well. Anyway, has anyone else noticed an unexplainable increase in their saliva with the onset of GERD symptoms? I have also heard that low thyroid can be a cause. I briefly saw an ENT, who said he didn't find any stones and who said that I was probably just "focused" on the problem. Hello? Try having excessive saliva in YOUR mouth and see if you don't focus on it as well? He said he could measure output and then if he found a problem, put me on medication to dry me up. However, he also mentioned that the medication would probably have "neurological side effects". I opted not to go that route - I've tried toothbrushing and mouth wash, although I don't like using alcohol-based mouth washes a lot due to the whole possible connection with mouth/oral cancer. The gum is a "miracle" cure for me, but I hate always having to keep gum in my mouth. I want my old life back again when I felt and acted normal. I am in treatment for OCD, just for the record, but how can my psychologist treat hypersalivation? Can that part really be anxiety or OCD or just plain, logical GERD? I've tried aciphex before - seems to help at first for a little bit, but then the hypersalivation eventually comes back and I think it may increase my anxiety after using it for about a month. I have also had the cough thing happening on and off and sometimes get excessive mucous. Any suggestions? Maybe I need to try a gastro dr. or a dentist?

God bless.

danni