Question on gag reflex

[awieleba]

I was wondering if anyone here has had a hyper gag reflex and then lost it?
Last Winter I had a hyper gag and my neuro said that was good. Well, I have noticed that in the last few months that it is now hypo or lost. I have no speaking issue's or eating or swallowing that I can tell. I went to ent over the summer and he looked down there and said all appeared to be fine. I know that hyper is umn and hypo is lmn.

Maybe it is nothing. Last winter my reflexes were alot more brisk then I think they are now. Just one more thing that is perplexing me. Can you have loss of gag that is lmn and have no bulbar issue's. I would like to think that this is normal for me and last winter the hyper was not normal and it has returned to normal, but this loss of gag is not normal for me. I will not get into details but I know it is less.

Thanks all!

April

 

[KANSASTOM]

Hello April,
I was wondering why your neuro would say "That's good to have a hyper gag reflex". My gag reflex has been hyper since I was a kid.

 

[crystalkk]

How do you know it is hypo now? You can pm me if you want, unless it is something you can't talk about :]

I think alot of people have a hyper gag reflex. I have always had one.

 

[awieleba]

I think that hyper is normal but It is the loss of it that worried me a bit.

I dont know why she said hyper was good, I assume it is better than absent or hypo. So, I was glad that it was hyper and concered that it is not anymore!

 

[awieleba]

crystal~

I had suspected it at last appt in october. When she stuck the stick in, nothing happen and I know in spring I gagged big time! I am not getting overly worried just curious.....

 

[BethU]

April ... yes, I've had that. A year ago, my gag reflex was extreme. Now ... nothing. Don't even know when it disappeared, either. Another of the mysterious vanishing symptoms ...

 

[planningguy]

April,

Do you have any trouble with your soft palate? My ENT tested my gag reflex, which is normal, but because of changes in my soft palate some things that used to gag me don't. I don't know if that makes sense?

Robert

 

[hopingforcure]

April, I would say that if your gag reflex is not hyper anymore, that is probably because your reflexes are not pathologically brisk anymore. My guess is that your reflex (gag) is probably normal now. UMN symptom is absolutely hyper gag reflex. I have never ever seen reflexes improve in ALS, so that is a great sign. Reflexes are on a loop, they can be worse some days and brisk another, but never do they get even close to nor..mal with umn damage. Sounds like good new for you...Hurray

 

[awieleba]

Hoping~
thank you for your input! It is hard to tell what is normal or not since before one gets sick they never ever notice these things!
I was concerned because I thought the change ment that it pointed more to als vrs a form of pls or something. But like I said, I am just curious more than anything.

Robert~
It kinda makes since what you say, and maybe that is my issue as well. I went to the ent but did not have a swallow test and I dont rember him testing my gag reflex. Is the soft palete the top back part of your of the roof of the mouth? what does it do.I dont know and use to google anything and everything butnot now. But I have been using it for adhd for my son.

My gag reflex is not absent just not like a remeber it to me. I cant even talk about how I know!

Thanks all for your input. Just another one of those things.............

 

[hopingforcure]

April, I had to laugh at why you know...Tooo funny....I know what you mean it is hard to keep track of what we used to be like before we were sick...Gosh this stuff keeps us on our toes(so to speak) or off them....

 

[wheeler641]

I have a super gag-relex, I have had it for years so I don't worry too much about it anymore. I have a top plate as the teeth in top were all removed about 15 years ago. I have had several plates made since then, cannot eat or drink with them in, I gag and choke and projectile food on everyone, so I eat and drink without them. My kids say I have gums of steel as I can eat just about everything except corn on the cob. At first I thought it was just a bad fit, then I had several other made, same thing. I very seldom wear them, except for doctor appointments, weddings and funeral and then as soon as it is over I pop them out and put them in my purse. Hope I didn't gross annyone out;-) margaret

 

[ktmj]

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[ktmj]

I don't know how that last post happened - I was on my blackberry and must have goofed something up.

Was probably gonna be a smart aleck anyway.:razz:

 

[rose]

Thanks for clearing up the mystery

 

[lydia]

Yes Rose, but it could have been fun to figure out what he was really trying to tell us. I need a laugh!