I realize there may be different reasons for chronic bb so this is probably not a cure for all...I vowed that if I ever were relieved from this condition..I would try to help others.
Here is my story:
When I became pregnant with my 3rd child (I was 25) I developed this horrific taste in my mouth and I could smell it myself when I exhaled. Around the same time I noticed that I could smell ALOT of things that I could never smell before...the garbage disposal stunk, I could smell the garbage can from across the room, I could smell pee even after scrubbing the bathroom, ect. I just wrote the super sonic sense of smell off as a side effect from the pregnancy. The taste made me insane...I started rinsing my mouth with undiluted Peroxide (which fizzed insanely in my mouth, no matter how many times I did it). After delivery, I still had the HORRIFIC taste/breath and the super sonic sense of smell..I lived this way for 11 1/2 miserable years. It ruined my marriage, I had zero confidence, having problems holding a job, ect. I never told anyone about it but did see the dentist all along and complained that I had a bad taste in my mouth. The dentists would give me a "special" rinse, which made the taste/smell worse. Finally (after 11 1/2 years), I had enough (my kids are the ONLY thing that kept me from s*****e) and broke down and told my mom. She cried because she saw me bawling but told me that she never noticed I had bad breath. I didn't believe her. I could not understand how she couldn't smell it because it was so incredibly strong, I'd convinced myself that people could smell it from 10 feet away. I figured since I gathered the courage to ask my mom I could ask other people. I asked my kids and they said they've never smelled it, I asked my ex-boyfriend of 5 years (who I never open mouth kissed) and he said he noticed I had morning breath but that's it. I was convinced for MONTHS that they were all lying to me. I went to see an ENT in a neighboring big city and told him my symptoms: Horrific bad breath, chronic sore throat, white coated tongue that never gets better no matter how many times I scrape it, occasional post nasal drip, constant thirst, and some difficulty swallowing. He said I know exactly what you have: LPR. He put me on acid reflux pills (ppi) 2X day. This was in January of this year. I was elated! I thought finally I have a cure......but the taste persisted.....and persisted..and then I lost my sense of smell entirely which meant I had no idea if I was getting better or not! I wanted to jump off a bridge. I went to see a world renowned taste/smell doctor and he did diagnose me with smell loss. I was devastated and told him how bad I stunk before and now I won't know...he said he couldn't smell anything on me. He told me the acid probably affected my olfactory nerves and distorted my senses. So, although I am positive I had bad breath from the reflux...it probably wasn't nearly as severe as I thought it was. After a few months I slowly started getting some of my sense of smell back along with the bad taste (although it was much more muted) I had become even more determined to find out what was wrong with me. I had an Endoscopy in June (this year) and they found bile in my esophagus. The doctor gave me Carafate to weigh down the bile. I take it 4 times a day. I noticed a HUGE improvement within the first couple days. The ppi's by themselves didn't work for me but the combination of the two drugs did wonders. I had a PH test (dual probe) which did confirm that I have acid reflux but the other problem is I reflux bile (and other digestive enzymes), which is harder to control (but the Carafate helps) I have much more to share about my experiences but this message is getting very long. I just want you to know that I was like all of you...I tried every product out there and even spent $2600 on a Halimeter but my bb was not oral in origin so no matter what I did nothing helped!
INTERESTING AFFILIATE LINKS
DESTROY DEPRESSION
BAD BREATH FREE FOREVER
TEETH WHITENING 4 YOU
CANDIDA CRUSHER
HEARTBURN & ACID REFLUX REMEDY REPORT
I might be able to help some of you
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bbforyears
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halitosisux
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Hi and congratulations on what you've achieved.
Good useful feedback there on what happened to you. The more info the better so keep posting if u have more to say.
Some very interesting insights with what you described. The olfactory system can suffer with problems that distort your sense of odour perception in just the way you described. It can cause people not only to falsely smell odours that dont exist but to distort odours that do into odours that are perceived as foul.
Good useful feedback there on what happened to you. The more info the better so keep posting if u have more to say.
Some very interesting insights with what you described. The olfactory system can suffer with problems that distort your sense of odour perception in just the way you described. It can cause people not only to falsely smell odours that dont exist but to distort odours that do into odours that are perceived as foul.
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bbforyears
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More info that may be helpful
I wanted to add a couple things..I have no doubt whatsoever that I had bad breath even though people told me they couldn't smell it. They probably weren't lying to me....they just couldn't smell it because I developed habits during the 11 1/2 years I suffered. I would always maintain a safe distance from people when I spoke to them (but I always felt that they could still smell it), chewed gum every moment of the day which probably masked it, and never open mouth kissed my boyfriend (and held my breath when I did kiss him). My breath was probably bad to others on occasion (and yes, I have been told before that I had bad breath) but to me it was INSANELY bad ALL THE TIME because my olfactory nerves were irritated by the acid. I could tell by some people's behavior that they could smell it. They probably have a highly sensitive sense of smell as well. But not everyone could smell it....so if you have people telling you they don't smell anything they ARE probably telling you the truth! I could smell my own bad breath all the time...and the floss tests and wrist lick smelled god awful. My nerves were irritated which gave me such a strong sense of smell! That doesn't mean other people perceived the odor as I did. My guess is that most people that are diagnosed with Halitophobia probably have severe acid reflux. They are not CRAZY! What they are experiencing is VERY real!
And...it pisses me off to no end that these supposed bad breath doctors push their products on you (which make it worse to you) and then tell you that it's all in your head when you complain that they are not helping. They don't even bother to tell you it might be a medical condition. They won't do that because they keep insisting that their products work and they want you to keep buying them.Their Halimeter's are useless because they don't pick up acid reflux. I bought one..and there were times I could smell horrible breath on myself but the dumb machine would say like 80 (which is supposed to be normal).
Another thing I wanted to mention is that the taste was better when I was on low carbs. Still horrible, but not as bad. My theory is that since Bile breaks down fat (and since I now know that I reflux bile in addition to acid) and eating all those proteins gave the bile "something to do".
I want to help people...that is my goal.....I don't want people to suffer needlessly as long as I have. One thing is that you must be DILIGENT and demand all of the tests. The barium swallow showed nothing....I was on PPI's for 5 months when I got my endoscopy so that didn't show much damage either (except that I had bile in my esophagus). I don't have a hiatal hernia, which is common with acid reflux. The dual probe PH monitoring is the way to go. Even better is the test that shows acid and alkaline reflux. DEMAND the dual probe PH test! LPR affects everyone differently. Some people merely have a lump in the throat or a cough...in some people their anatomy allows the acid to creep into the back of the nasal cavity and make them smell and taste horrible things!
Let me breakdown my response to LPR. These are the symptoms I experienced either daily or very frequently:
BAD BREATH/BAD TASTE
WHITE TONGUE (sometimes coated with slimy mucous, sometimes just dry and white)
EXTREME SENSITIVITY TO ALL SMELLS (sometimes a powerful odor would make the breath/smell worse)
6 YEARS INTO IT I DEVELOPED CHRONIC DIARRHEA (which smelled really bad and made the bad taste/smell even worse--probably Gastris from all the refluxed acid and bile constantly going up and down my esophagus while my body was making more)
LUMP FEELING IN THROAT
EXCESSIVE THIRST
TASTING MY FOOD ROTTING IN MY MOUTH AFTER I'D EATEN
WHEN I WAS REALLY STRESSED I HAD DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING
HUGE TASTEBUDS ON THE BACK OF MY TONGUE (they too were irritated from all the acid)
SORE THROAT
BURNING TONGUE FEELING (especially in the back)
EAR FULLNESS (I always felt like I had water in my ears)
EUSTACHIAN TUBE PAIN/DISCOMFORT
NOSE BURNS WHEN I BELCH
EXCESSIVE GAS & BLOATING
RUNNY NOSE ( I never had buggers!)
POSTNASAL DRIP
LOAD STOMACH NOISES (even when I ate)
GNAWING PAIN IN MY STOMACH (not all the time)
SNEEZING/COUGHING UP LITTLE MUCOUS BALLS (not tonsilloths)
If anyone has any further questions, please ask. I had other symptoms but these are just the ones off the top of my head.
Good Luck to all!
HAIR LOSS (Good thing I had thick hair when this all started)
And...it pisses me off to no end that these supposed bad breath doctors push their products on you (which make it worse to you) and then tell you that it's all in your head when you complain that they are not helping. They don't even bother to tell you it might be a medical condition. They won't do that because they keep insisting that their products work and they want you to keep buying them.Their Halimeter's are useless because they don't pick up acid reflux. I bought one..and there were times I could smell horrible breath on myself but the dumb machine would say like 80 (which is supposed to be normal).
Another thing I wanted to mention is that the taste was better when I was on low carbs. Still horrible, but not as bad. My theory is that since Bile breaks down fat (and since I now know that I reflux bile in addition to acid) and eating all those proteins gave the bile "something to do".
I want to help people...that is my goal.....I don't want people to suffer needlessly as long as I have. One thing is that you must be DILIGENT and demand all of the tests. The barium swallow showed nothing....I was on PPI's for 5 months when I got my endoscopy so that didn't show much damage either (except that I had bile in my esophagus). I don't have a hiatal hernia, which is common with acid reflux. The dual probe PH monitoring is the way to go. Even better is the test that shows acid and alkaline reflux. DEMAND the dual probe PH test! LPR affects everyone differently. Some people merely have a lump in the throat or a cough...in some people their anatomy allows the acid to creep into the back of the nasal cavity and make them smell and taste horrible things!
Let me breakdown my response to LPR. These are the symptoms I experienced either daily or very frequently:
BAD BREATH/BAD TASTE
WHITE TONGUE (sometimes coated with slimy mucous, sometimes just dry and white)
EXTREME SENSITIVITY TO ALL SMELLS (sometimes a powerful odor would make the breath/smell worse)
6 YEARS INTO IT I DEVELOPED CHRONIC DIARRHEA (which smelled really bad and made the bad taste/smell even worse--probably Gastris from all the refluxed acid and bile constantly going up and down my esophagus while my body was making more)
LUMP FEELING IN THROAT
EXCESSIVE THIRST
TASTING MY FOOD ROTTING IN MY MOUTH AFTER I'D EATEN
WHEN I WAS REALLY STRESSED I HAD DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING
HUGE TASTEBUDS ON THE BACK OF MY TONGUE (they too were irritated from all the acid)
SORE THROAT
BURNING TONGUE FEELING (especially in the back)
EAR FULLNESS (I always felt like I had water in my ears)
EUSTACHIAN TUBE PAIN/DISCOMFORT
NOSE BURNS WHEN I BELCH
EXCESSIVE GAS & BLOATING
RUNNY NOSE ( I never had buggers!)
POSTNASAL DRIP
LOAD STOMACH NOISES (even when I ate)
GNAWING PAIN IN MY STOMACH (not all the time)
SNEEZING/COUGHING UP LITTLE MUCOUS BALLS (not tonsilloths)
If anyone has any further questions, please ask. I had other symptoms but these are just the ones off the top of my head.
Good Luck to all!
HAIR LOSS (Good thing I had thick hair when this all started)
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Archimonde
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bbforyears
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Acid and Bile Reflux
Sorry about all the details..I guess after keeping it to myself for so many years I feel the need to offer as much information as I can to help.
Yes, I suffer from acid AND bile reflux. Bile reflux is much harder to treat BUT the carafate does help. I take ppi 2 X day, and Carafate 1 hour before meals and at bedtime.
Carafate weighs the bile down. Do you still have your Gallbladder? Bile reflux is actually fairly common after Gallbladder surgery. I had mine removed 5 years ago and got worse...I didn't know I had acid reflux then and removing the Gallbladder caused me to reflux both.
Yes, I suffer from acid AND bile reflux. Bile reflux is much harder to treat BUT the carafate does help. I take ppi 2 X day, and Carafate 1 hour before meals and at bedtime.
Carafate weighs the bile down. Do you still have your Gallbladder? Bile reflux is actually fairly common after Gallbladder surgery. I had mine removed 5 years ago and got worse...I didn't know I had acid reflux then and removing the Gallbladder caused me to reflux both.
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Archimonde
- Super Angel
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Bile refulx can definitely cause bb. I also had it, because bile was found in my stomach during endiscopies. I hope that the antireflux surgery I had is going to stop that reflux too.
I had Ursofalk for one year but it did little about my bile reflux. Carafate and Ursofalk help temporarily with bile reflux. It is like the acid reflux - once you have it, its for good.
There is a sugrery called Roux-en-Y to correct the flow of bile, but there is little evidence about it.
I had Ursofalk for one year but it did little about my bile reflux. Carafate and Ursofalk help temporarily with bile reflux. It is like the acid reflux - once you have it, its for good.
There is a sugrery called Roux-en-Y to correct the flow of bile, but there is little evidence about it.
Thanks for the post. This is really interesting. I've had almost all of the same symptoms for about 2 years (including the extreme sensitivity to smells), and haven't really had any good leads. One additional symptom that I've noticed is that my breath seems hot, and I can see my breath in far warmer temperatures than any of my friends. It sure does seem like some kind of reflux after reading your post. On the downside, I've pursued the reflux cause before and haven't had any luck.
Hi bbforyears,
tnx a lot for sharing that with us, I also had acidreflux, and almost all of the symptoms as u, including hairloss, and tnk god I also had strong hair, it doesn't look like i lost any hair,
I did the acid reflux ph testing, but my MD said he didn't really see anything. I asked him to give me a prescription for carafate, but he didn't
i was too embarassed to keep asking for it, : /
tnx a lot for sharing that with us, I also had acidreflux, and almost all of the symptoms as u, including hairloss, and tnk god I also had strong hair, it doesn't look like i lost any hair,
I did the acid reflux ph testing, but my MD said he didn't really see anything. I asked him to give me a prescription for carafate, but he didn't
i was too embarassed to keep asking for it, : /
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Your Friend
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I'm so sorry to hear what you have been going through wnaysha. It seems that you have been in pain for such a long time.
I am glad to hear that you have finally found something to help minimise your acid reflux which ultimately helps with your bad breath. My only concern is that you have not been given advice on how to prevent acid reflux.
All too often we are given medication to control conditions instead of solutions to get rid of them. Unfortunately this is how the drug companies make their money.
I wish you every success in your fight against bad breath.
All the best!
Have you tried www.halitosisgoneforgood.com?
I am glad to hear that you have finally found something to help minimise your acid reflux which ultimately helps with your bad breath. My only concern is that you have not been given advice on how to prevent acid reflux.
All too often we are given medication to control conditions instead of solutions to get rid of them. Unfortunately this is how the drug companies make their money.
I wish you every success in your fight against bad breath.
All the best!
Have you tried www.halitosisgoneforgood.com?
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bbforyears
- Newbie
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Reflux and BB
Hi my fellow sufferers...sorry I haven't been on for a while. I was having some computer issues. To answer your question on whether I am cured or not: yes, mostly. I still have bad days but I would say 90% better. The main problem with me is mostly psychological now. Being in my own private hell for so long has definitely changed me. I've got lingering self esteem issues from it.
I don't want to take 6 pills a day forever so I am opting to have the Nissen Fundo surgery. I am really interested in how Iva is doing after her surgery. Iva, why was the Nissen not an option for you? Just curious.
Brian, you have what I have....I am sure of it. I also had "hot" breath. I could see my breath on even warm days and my breath always fogged up mirrors when I breathed on it. It doesn't do that anymore...I wouldn't abandon the reflux idea...keep in mind I was on PPI's for 6 months before I saw any improvement along with Carafate for about a month. It is possible that you weren't refluxing the day you had the PH probe or that you are just refluxing alkaline (bile) which a standard PH monitoring test will not detect.
Question to Iva and Brian: Has anyone you trust ever given you an objective opinion on your breath odor? If so, what did they say it smelled like?
Hang in there people! You WILL figure this out and beat it...but remember that even when the smell/taste is gone you may still struggle with your self esteem. It took years to tear me down so I understand I am not going to be confident instantaneously...
xxxxxxxoooooooo
I don't want to take 6 pills a day forever so I am opting to have the Nissen Fundo surgery. I am really interested in how Iva is doing after her surgery. Iva, why was the Nissen not an option for you? Just curious.
Brian, you have what I have....I am sure of it. I also had "hot" breath. I could see my breath on even warm days and my breath always fogged up mirrors when I breathed on it. It doesn't do that anymore...I wouldn't abandon the reflux idea...keep in mind I was on PPI's for 6 months before I saw any improvement along with Carafate for about a month. It is possible that you weren't refluxing the day you had the PH probe or that you are just refluxing alkaline (bile) which a standard PH monitoring test will not detect.
Question to Iva and Brian: Has anyone you trust ever given you an objective opinion on your breath odor? If so, what did they say it smelled like?
Hang in there people! You WILL figure this out and beat it...but remember that even when the smell/taste is gone you may still struggle with your self esteem. It took years to tear me down so I understand I am not going to be confident instantaneously...
xxxxxxxoooooooo
Hi, bbforyears
I can relate to what you are saying about being mostly cured. I also have bad days but I would say much better. The main problem with me is mostly psychological now too. Being in my own private hell for so long has definitely changed me as well. I do not know if I shall ever overcome these psychological issues.
Nissen fundoplication was not an option for me because it hid too many risks that I was not willing to take. Forums are full of terrifying posts of people with failed Nissen fundos. With my Esophyx procedure the worse thing that may happen is not to work, while a failed Nissen is a far more complicated thing. And it is done laparoscopically while the Esophyx is done endoscopically which is safer and gives a better result.
I have never discussed my bad breath in such details with anyone and I have always wondered what it smells like. What I know is that the licking of the dorsum of the hand smells like vomit to me.
I can relate to what you are saying about being mostly cured. I also have bad days but I would say much better. The main problem with me is mostly psychological now too. Being in my own private hell for so long has definitely changed me as well. I do not know if I shall ever overcome these psychological issues.
Nissen fundoplication was not an option for me because it hid too many risks that I was not willing to take. Forums are full of terrifying posts of people with failed Nissen fundos. With my Esophyx procedure the worse thing that may happen is not to work, while a failed Nissen is a far more complicated thing. And it is done laparoscopically while the Esophyx is done endoscopically which is safer and gives a better result.
I have never discussed my bad breath in such details with anyone and I have always wondered what it smells like. What I know is that the licking of the dorsum of the hand smells like vomit to me.
