I rock my 14 mo. old son to sleep... How can I help him learn to fall asleep on his own without CIO?

My little guy is coming up on 15 months old and has never been what I would call a "good sleeper". He has slept through the night a few times, usually wakes up 1 or 2 times unless he is teething. He had reflux when he was between 2 and 8 months old. Due to the "silent reflux" that he had, during the night I did a lot of rocking, cuddling and soothing because he was hurting. Got him on the right medicine, and were lucky enough to be able to get him off of Prilosec at 8 or 9 months. I rock him to sleep every night and any time he wakes up because it's the only way we can all get some sleep without having him cry and cry. We DID try CIO several times... each time he got so hysterical that he started hyperventilating. I can't do that to my baby... he is my first and will unfortunately be my one and only more than likely. He initially goes to sleep just fine because we have a good routine... but when he wakes up at night, I leave him alone and try to get him to go back to sleep by himself but it won't take long before he starts screaming or I hear "mama...mama...MAMA!!!!" Before you know it I am up and getting him to go rock for 20 - 30 minutes or as a last resort, bringing him to bed with us. Wow... it is frustrating and exhausting... I am just at a loss. He will not take a pacifier (never has), doesn't show interest in another type of comfort item... I am his comfort item. Trying to get through all this, I have gotten myself to the point of exhaustion so bad that I had pneumonia for 1 1/2 months... Now I am finally healthy but it is because I have broken down and just brought him to bed or rocked him to sleep every time. I just want some HELPFUL advice... CIO does not work for Mason... he is VERY strongwilled and I cannot bear to hear him scream off and on for hours. What else can I try because I feel as though I have tried it all... I just want what is best for Mason. Thanks!!!!