1. My Wife Counted Six In One Dinner

I work in sales. I talk for a living. I never noticed the sound until she stopped mid-sentence and asked if I was getting sick — I'd cleared my throat six times since we sat down.

2. The Coating Was There Before I Said A Word

Mornings were worst. Before coffee, before breakfast, that thick feeling was already sitting there. Water bought five minutes. A cough drop lasted until it dissolved.

3. I Spent Two Years In The Allergy Aisle

Antihistamines. A nasal spray. Then another one. I used everything exactly as directed — with no congestion, no sinus pressure, and no runny nose. My nose felt fine. My throat did not.

4. "No Heartburn" Didn't Rule Out Reflux

The ENT asked whether I ever got heartburn. Never, I told him. He paused and said that doesn't necessarily rule reflux out. It was the first time I heard the words silent reflux.

5. Pepsin Was The Missing Piece

Pepsin is a digestive enzyme that belongs in the stomach. During reflux it can travel upward and reach the more delicate tissue of the throat — and that irritation can contribute to clearing, hoarseness and mucus.

I kept asking what was wrong with my throat. The better question was what kept reaching it from below.

6. An Explanation Isn't A Plan

I ate earlier, cut back on foods that seemed to set it off, and slept slightly elevated. Some of it helped. I'd still wake up the next morning back at the sink.

7. Everything I Read Kept Pointing Downward

Late nights, medical articles, discussion boards full of people describing my exact symptoms. The same four ideas kept surfacing: prebiotic fibre, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and apple cider vinegar.

For the first time I wasn't reading about another spray.

8. GR-9 Had All Four In One Formula

I ignored the headline and read the label:

• ✅ Organic apple cider vinegar — supports healthy digestion
• ✅ Inulin from Jerusalem artichoke — nourishes beneficial gut bacteria
• ✅ DigeZyme® enzyme blend — supports the breakdown of food
• ✅ L. acidophilus LA85 — supports a balanced microbiome

9. The Change Was Quiet Enough To Miss

Two capsules a day with a meal, and I deliberately didn't obsess over it. Then one morning I finished my coffee before realising I hadn't spent ten minutes clearing my throat. Another day, the water glass beside my laptop was still full after a long call.

10. Sixty Days Made It Easy To Decide

I'd already bought enough things that ended up half-used in the bathroom cabinet. Sixty days was long enough to follow it properly instead of judging it after two mornings — and if it wasn't right for me, I wasn't stuck with it.