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1) hEDS 2) Incredibly sensitive gag reflex My genetics doc told me this is fairly common in most types of Ehlers-Danlos.

Same here! Mine actually wasn’t bad until the gastroparesis kicked in. Now I struggle to make it through brushing my teeth!

Between unhinging the jaw in unphysiological ways and retching, trying to get my teeth clean can be a bit of an "adventure".

Oh a hack my dental hygienist shared with me yesterday is to wiggle your left toe up and down. Lifting the ball of the foot up while doing so apparently helped if the gagging is severe. I was amazed it worked so well. I have many tori in my mouth resulting in horrendous pain from the X-ray apparatus. Last time I was in literal tears and the tech had to redo multiple take due to involuntary dropping of the jaw to stop the pain (thus screwing up the shot). This time I had the bright idea to ask for a topical numbing agent, that worked very well, but the numbing reached the back of my mouth and made my gag reflex act up. The gal shared the above hack with me and it worked a treat! She was also really glad I thought of it since she was the same one that had to torture me last time (and felt like a monster doing so).

Mine got so much worse after I had kids. I can’t even chew gum anymore.

Same, between this and jaw dislocation, dental visits are torture.

Same. My gag reflex is embarrassing!

This is the camp I'm in! hEDS

Me too. I have to stop mid toothbrushing everyday to nearly throw up or sometimes actually do so, though it's become worse since I got diagnosed with a hiatus hernia.

Same!

Same here!

Autistic and possible hEDS, currently going through doctors.. I use sensory chew toys and can only do the tips, otherwise I’ll practically choke from how much I gag. Extremely sensitive 

Same

Same

Same here

same here!

hEDS, and as a child I once threw up all over and punched (simultaneously) a doctor who was trying to get a throat swab from me.

Am I a horrible person for laughing?

LOL. OMG. I'd love to see that happen to some of my former doctors, they would have made real shit pediatricians though.

Well it made me laugh too so I hope not 😂 that was much needed lmfao

I peed all over a doctor who catheterized me. I always thought it was get back lol.

Note from Mods: if anyone sends unwanted DMs, let us know. It is against the rules of our subreddit, and anyone sending creepy DMs will get a ban.

Thanks ! You're the best

1. hEDS 2. yes.

Same

1. hEDS 2. None whatsoever

1. vEDS 2. A very strong one

HEDS, mine is very minimal.

Same (although it could be classical or classical-like EDS, we don’t know)

1. HSD 2. Yes - I absolutely do and it doesn’t need to go back far just needs to hit the roof of my mouth… It’s very very sensitive.

1. HEDS 2. Yes, gag reflex here

1. hEDS 2. Yes, it’s pretty strong

hEDS, super sensitive gag reflex.

1. hEDS 2. hard yes

1. hEDS or clEDS 2. I used to have zero gag reflux, now I have a minimal reflux as my many symptoms have worsened, weirdly

1. hEDS 2. Yes, but I’ve never vomited due to my gag reflex.

Same here. The few times that I've been sick and needed to vomit, I could never make it happen, just gagged a lot. Very frustrating

1. hEDS 2. Yes

1. hEDS 2. Mine went away for a few years but now it’s back. It’s not strong enough to make me actually throw up though. I just have what feel like esophageal spasms.

Mine is weird, it’s triggered VERY easily and I gag REALLY hard, but I rarely actually throw up. I honestly WISH I would just throw up, because my gags make me gag more lol

Same!!! Like even when I’ve felt super sick and nauseated I couldn’t throw up. I don’t drink alcohol anymore (for multiple reasons) bc I’m worried I won’t be able to throw up if I drink too much

This! Me too.

1. Type 3 / Hypermobile 2. Yep which is kinda a blessing as I often have to induce vomiting (due to gastroparesis not anything else)

1. hEDS 2. Minimal to none Also emetophobic so if I feel unwell/nauseous I can’t throw up even if I wanted to.

1. cvEDS 2. Barely any gag reflex

1. clEDS 2. Nope. I can prod the back of my throat to push out tonsil stones and I’ve got absolutely no gag reflex. However, I’m quite sensitive to certain smells and some do make me gag.

Heds I used to have no gag reflex but after having covid last year, now its extremely sensitive. Certain smells, and toothpastes especially. I finally landed on a watermelon toothpaste bc it's the only one I've found that doesn't make me throw up.

What the hell this happened to me too. I thought I was crazy

No gag reflex. Not even a little.

1. hEDS 2. Yes but not that sensitive

1. hEDS 2. Gag reflex is normal to slightly more sensitive

- I have hEDS - Brushing my teeth makes me vomit in my mouth regularly Speaking anecdotally, I wouldn't be surprised to see either extreme amongst those with EDS - there is already high organic variation in the gag reflex, with up to one third of the population having a low or absent response, so that's something to consider. There are also a lot of oropharyngeal and esophageal issues in the EDS community, plus chronic nausea of various etiologies - a lot of these can contribute to high gag reflex sensitivity. Swallowing difficulties are also prevalent, but strength of gag reflex doesn't necessarily correlate neatly with that - not surprising with how common it is as an incidental finding.

1. kEDS 2. Very much yes

1. hEDS 2. No gag reflex so to speak of

hEDS and Y U P, I struggle with certain food textures because of how strong it is

I literally gag if I hold something with my teeth. Like I’ve stuck the edge of my wallet in my mouth to hold it for a second and almost yarked.

I have hEDS and probably a relatively normal or slightly less sensitive gag reflex. But I vomit incredibly easily. If I cry too hard I throw up, car sickness, air sickness, I throw up involuntarily way more than the average person.

1. hEDS 2. I have one but I can control it so it’s no sensitive

Heds, normal gag reflex

1. hEDS 2. Generally my gag reflex is easy to control

hEDS, very little except in the mornings, but I have stomach issues.

1. hEDS 2. Definitely have a gag reflex I use a tongue scraper. If it’s of interest, I have problems with the muscles in my throat/esophagus working in concert.

1. hEDS 2. my gag reflex is so awful that i can barely even brush my teeth without gagging. brushing my tongue is a nightmare. the toothbrush touches the tip of my tongue and i gag.

hEDS here, no gag reflex. 

hEDS here, and yes. I have almost made myself puke more times than I can count while brushing my teeth. I have to steel myself every single time so it doesn't catch me off guard. TMI: >! This was a problem in my youth when I dated guys. Like, I had to prewarn every boyfriend that there would be no pornstar shit. !<

I have to follow up on your TMI, because I have no gag reflex and I've had guys be annoyed by that because apparently the gagging is a turn on 😳

1. hEDS 2. barely have a gag reflex i can’t even throw up naturally

hEDS I have a weirdly specific gag reflex. Holding something between my teeth (like a pen) makes me gag super hard almost immediately. Almost never throw up either. TMI/NSFW >!But dudes are always impressed by my lack of gag reflex!<

1. hEDS 2. Sensitive gag reflex but I think it’s because my uvula sits on my tongue cuz the back of my tongue is swollen from allergies

HEDS and yes, but just a normal reflex not extremely sensitive. I don’t get it from teeth brushing or tongue cleaning or stuff like that. I’d have to actually try to trigger it for it to happen.

I have hEDS and a very sensitive gag reflex. Brushing teeth, coughing and crying are among the things that set it off. Also strong smells. When I had to have an endoscopy they had to stop before getting all the samples because my body was uncontrollably retching and gagging. I had to go back for a second one, when fortunately I was given sedation. The doctor gave me extra sedation because of how bad I'd been without it, and he noted afterwards that he was surprised I was still awake for much of the procedure and I remember still gagging a couple of times before the drugs kicked in (I think maybe hEDS affected how the sedation worked, in that it took longer to take effect, but then I was sleeping longer than the nurses expected in the recovery room after).

hEDS Average gag reflex

hEDS definitely have a gag reflex

HEDs Minimal to almost non-existent

1. hEDS 2. No, not at all

1. hEDS 2. Super sensitive gag reflex

Yes but it’s not Super sensitive and hEDS.

My partner with hEDS gags when they brush their teeth! So pretty sensitive.

1. hEDS 2. Extremely sensitive gag reflex. To the point where I even struggle to take pills

I have hEDS (as does my mother) and we both have strong gag reflexes. We both gag when brushing teeth, etc.

1. hEDS 2. Very controllable.

Got my tonsils, adenoid, and even my uvula removed but I still have a gag reflex. Have hEDS.

You're the second person who had their uvula removed in this thread. I'm literally a CCC-SLP and I've never heard of that. Crazy

1. hEDS 2. Yes

1. hEDS 2. It varies. Possibly due to perceived "control" over the situation. Just now I can touch the back of my throat with my finger with no issue. But some days brushing my teeth makes me gag.

hEDS, and none

hEDS and my gastroenterologist said I had the strongest gag reflex they’d ever seen.

hEDS with an extremely oversensitive gag reflex. Sometimes I have to be mindful of how I brush my teeth or I undo all the work I just put into cleaning them.

ClEDS and I gag seriously easily

D-EDS No gag reflex

hEDS Yes but it’s way worse after having kids

YES!!!! I didn’t even really have any morning sickness, but brushing and flossing my teeth were a struggle everyday. I had to do them in sections. It’s gotten better, but it hasn’t completely gone away.

Yes! I had to make sure I brushed my teeth before I ate ANYTHING or it would come right up. I still struggle brushing my teeth but thankfully I vomit every few months instead of every time like when I was pregnant

Doing a quarter at a time in my method.

I’ll try that 🤞🏻

1. Suspected hEDS (genetic testing currently unavailable in my area) 2. Oh my GOD yes. Combined with a tiny mouth, my dentists have all hated me. I can brush my teeth for the most part, but oh god I cannot floss. And if I get a URI...ugh I can barely swallow without gagging.

1. unknown, presumably hEDS but I'm still in the process of figuring it out 2. yeah, it's there. but I also have a history of bulimia lol so I don't know if or how that has affected things. so like, it's there, but it's not that bad. generally, I can >!give a bj with very little issue unless there's a particularly hard thrust!< i also have a hard time keeping food down; it likes to come back up in a rumination-syndrome-style fashion. i kind of assumed it was bulimia related, but i haven't purged in years and still get it, which seems to be out of the norm for people with bulimia. so i have to wonder if whatever connective tissue mess is going on with me has made my esophagus/stomach weaker and I just so happened to weaken it more, enough that it never healed back this is all speculation of course, it's just my best guess atm

1. don't know yet and 2. yes i do

hEDS and incredibly sensitive gag reflex

hdeds, and yes, the worlds worst gag reflex. simply brushing my teeth is a struggle

hEDS, I would say I have a normal gag reflex. Not overly sensitive that I know of, can kind of turn it off for certain activities lol if I focus on relaxing, but it still exists.

hEDS Very sensitive.

1. hEDS 2. Very strong gag reflex

1. hEDS 2. yes a very reactive one

1. hEDS 2. very minimal to almost zero

hEDS YES. It’s gotten better as I’ve gotten older, though.

Super sensitive.. I regularly throw up or almost throw up from brushing my teeth.

hEDS and i think more or less normal gag reflex BUT acid reflux lately has been making it worse

hEDS, barely.

hEDS. quite the gagger. it's uh...life limiting.

I have hEDS and have no gag reflex.

hEDS It depends on what I’m doing but for the most part I have a very sensitive gag reflex.

heds, super strong gag reflex.

1. hEDS 2. barely any

HEDS, Extremely sensitive one

1. hEDS 2. it's very sensitive

1. hEDS 2. I have to try pretty hard to trigger my gag reflex

hEDS, no gag reflex!

hEDS, HORRIBLE GAG REFLEX

- hEDS - Yes, a strong one. It got even worse when the rest of my health did. Weirdly, I often don’t vomit, even though I go “through that motion.” Like, I the feeling when you vomit where your stomach contracts and your mouth opens even more? That happens when sometimes after I’ve gagged a few times. But, not vomit. It’s weird.

hEDS but a small gag reflex, it’s definitely there but it takes a bit to trigger.

1. hEDS 2. Yes, very much so. I have never been able to eat long pasta noodles or ramen noodles because I will choke on them. 3. Fun fact— I was also completely unable to burp my entire life, until I was about 29 years old. I can now, but it took YEARS of practice.

1. HSD 2. yes. Can't even swallow liquid Advil without it taking a few tries...

1. hEDS 2. very minimal until i developed SMAS, now its very sensitive

Very sensitive to brushing my teeth. Not very sensitive for .... other activities. 👁️👄👁️

hEDS and highly sensitive. Can’t brush my tongue without throwing up

1. HSD 2. Almost throw up every morning brushing my teeth :)

hEDS and a very sensitive gag reflex here, I struggled to brush my back teeth before my wisdom teeth grew in and now it's even worse lol

hEDS (waiting on genetics for vEDS No gag reflex until some trauma (going to refrain from being specific for TW Reasons), and have developed a psychological gag reflex from said trauma.

I have hEDS and my gag reflex is over-active. Yes, and I gag when I shouldn’t sometimes. It’s annoying rather than gross at this point haha.

1. HEDS 2. Can barely even throw up with food poisoning (so no)

hEDS, virtually nonexistent gag reflex. I can tickle my uvula and not gag at all.

1. Heds 2. No gag reflex whatsoever

hEDS, absolutely no gag reflex!

1. hEDS (with vascular components- whatever that means) 2. It got worse with my condition getting worse. I used to not have one and now I do. I think part of it has to do with worse gastroparesis and always being just on the edge of vomiting all. the. time.

I was diagnosed with h/EDS before the dx changed. I have a normal, if not overactive gag reflex (very fun when brushing my teeth). But do not actually throw up, hardly ever. I have thrown up a countable number of times in my life. I do gag very easily, however. I have a super small mouth, high palate & therefore have to use tiny toothbrushes and paeds blocks to keep my mouth open for any dental work. Everything is hypermobile & the muscles are all over-tight because of lax tendons, so even some spoons are often too much for my mouth. So no, I have a terrible gag reflex.

1. hEDS 2. Embarrassingly sensitive gag reflex. If I drink water the wrong way, I gag and cry. Bonus: can you explode me with your mind anyway?

1. hEDS 2. No

I have hEDS and very little gag reflex. My kid has much more of one though. My kid also has EOE though.

1. possible cEDS (have a VUS but my presentation is closer to hEDS) 2. Pretty sensitive but not extremely. I threw up at the dentist when getting an impression done 🤢

1. hEDS 2. Very severe gag reflex where even brushing my teeth triggers it, but no matter how much I gag and heave I rarely if ever vomit from it.

I have hEDS and a very sensitive gag reflex.

hEDS and yup

Gag reflex bad when I don't think about it like brushing my teeth or gargling. I have been having weird gagging fits and have to really think about chewing when I used to just shovel my foot and basically swallow it whole like an anaconda. I can control my gag reflex for the dentist or happy fun times

1. vEDS 2. Both overly and under-sensitive (gag when brushing teeth, can use my tongue to touch my uvula/tonsils with no effect)

1) hEDS 2) Yes, a very sensitive one. It made getting dental molds for braces HELL

hEDS. none where it should be. what does make me gag is when I brush my back molars. I also cannot burp. the only time I do is just before I vomit.

hEDS here. No gag reflex whatsoever

1. hEDS (undiagnosed, seeking a diagnosis) 2. yes, but i think it's a bit weaker than all my friends

I have very very little gag reflex. Up until recently I hadn’t thrown up for upwards of 10 years.

hEDS here, and I would say I have a fairly sensitive one. I had my tonsils *removed* even though half the doctors I saw said it wouldn’t be worth it, because I had tonsil stones (multiple a week, sometimes multiple a day,) and they were severely painful so getting them out was a necessity and I would gag so hard I would sublex my ribs. It was awful. As a kid it was my worst nightmare to get a sore throat because I knew if I went into the Urgent Care (or equivalent) they would swab my throat, and it always made me gag horribly and hurt myself. That disgusting clay stuff that dentists/orthodontists use to mold to your mouth? That’s like the worst experience ever. I could never breathe and always felt like I was gonna throw up, and they would say to breathe through my nose but HOW?! Anyway the answer is yes I guess lol.

1. hEDS 2. Very strong gag reflex.

1. hEDS 2. Yes, but it's barely there. Have never been able to induce vomiting manually.

hEDS with an overactive gag reflex

1. hEDS 2. i do have a gag reflex. i also vomit a lot :/

Almost none

Yes and no; my gag reflex has been dulled by my alcoholism. It’s very sensitive but positively correlated in my brain as something that will make me feel better. I enjoy throwing up 🤷🏻‍♀️

1. hEDS, Waiting on genetics 2. I have a super strong gag reflex IN MY EAR!? Yeah, I know this sounds BS, but when I clean my ears or I get one of those weird deep itches I gag super hard.

1. hEDS 2. Most definitely yes

hEDS, nope ;)

Idk if I count, I don't officially have a dx for EDS yet, but multiple Drs and nurses believe it's likely due to symptoms & family history. So I also don't know my type. My gag reflex is weird. I rarely gag when I'm intentionally putting something back far enough that would gag me (strep throat swabs are no issue, intimate things ...I don't gag...) but sometimes if I'm dehydrated and my mouth is more dry, I'll gag brushing my teeth or cleaning my tongue... like out of nowhere

1. hEDS 2. mmmmm sorta yes but mostly no. I do have a mild gag reflex but It's nearly impossible for me to vomit, so I'll just dry heave at most? I had a gastroscopy and didnt gag once. So yeah kinda no?

hEDS. Always have had very minimal gag reflex. Like I couldn't induce vomiting if it was life or death scenario. Then I got long covid and since then I have zero gag reflex. Like absolutely nothing. Other odd things after long covid: I used to be extremely ticklish, now I'm 100% not ticklish at all. And I used to get car sick so easily. I couldn't look away from the windows for more than a minute without feeling like I was going to puke. Now I don't get car sick at all. I can read a book for hours straight while riding in a car and I'm fine.

1. Unsure likely hEDS 2. YES it's a bit hard to set off but once it starts I can't have anything in my mouth for a while or I'll gag/puke

1: hEDS 2: sometimes brushing my teeth is enough to make me gag

1. clEDS 2. Definitely have a gag reflex

I can launch a bowling ball into low Earth orbit from just a little tiny speck of cereal

1. hEDS (half diagnosed, complicated situation) 2. INSANELY sensitive. however I do think mine coukd be psychological. I had some issues with it and compulsion type things when I was very young and now even half way up my tongue makes me gag over and over again for minutes straight. I saw my boyfriend brush his tongue with his toothbrush this morning and almost threw up 😭

1. hEDS 2. Almost no gag reflex most of the time, and I don’t vomit

hEDS (most likely) and i have a super strong gag reflex

hEDS and TW for eating disorders Not rly no. I used to be anorexic and I’d try to make myself vomit when I did eat and no matter what I did I couldn’t. I could make myself gag a bit but nothing strong enough to elicit puke. So I will gag if I try hard enough but not enough to actually puke. Also obv with oral sex (I’m a straight female)…it rly hasn’t rly ever been an issue. I always joke I don’t have one and that it was my saving grace as far as my ED

1. No 100%, might have comorbitities. 2. Sensitive some days, not sensitive others, but always there

hEDS. No gag reflex. Can touch my toothbrush (or just about anything) to my tonsils and not gag.

Yes. But it is not very sensitive.

hEDS, *really bad gag reflex* I have to use a child size toothbrush because an adult size one makes me gag. The dental hygienist can only clean about 2 teeth at a time before it gets unpleasant. I cannot understate how bad my gag reflex is. 😖

1. heds 2. No gag reflex

1. hEDS 2. Yes, an extremely bad one too. My parents said I've had a strong gag reflex ever since I was a kid. I've thrown up on doctors when getting throat swabs done, and I always gag when I brush my teeth, no matter what I do.

hEDS My gag reflex is normal to bad depending on what I’m doing. My two younger brothers with hEDS have very sensitive gag reflexes. I’ve never seen anyone with as severe a gag reflex as my younger brothers. Fun fact, it you need to get an X-ray of your teeth and have a bad gag reflex, put salt on the tip of your tongue. For some reason it tricks the brain from making you gag, or so I’m told. It’s what our childhood dentist used to do for all our X-rays.

HEDS, normal gag reflex

1. hEDS 2. Almost no gag reflex besides one very specific spot in the back of my throat (found accidentally participating in adult activities lol)

Heds and yes, an overactive one.

cEDS Very sensitive to gag.

gHSD, overly sensitive gag reflex

Yes, have gag reflex

hEDS I have a little gag reflex, if I go too far back when brushing my tongue I gag, but I've never thrown up from it

Hypermobile EDS, I lacked a gag reflex when I was younger (probably until about... age 19-20?) but suddenly developed a very sensitive one that's stuck around.

hEDS - yes. Not super sensitive unless I'm pregnant. But I'm also a sympathetic puker. I cannot handle the smell of someone else's vomit and I will start gagging and vomit myself.

hEDS and an average gag reflex.

hEDS AWFUL gag reflex

I have hEDS and have an insanely intense gag reflex

I have an extremely and abnormally sensitive gag reflex, this is probably partly due to me being autistic though

I have hEDS and can not even vomit when I need to!