My advise is similar to Docs. In my early 20s I used to carry around a big bottle of extra strength Tums everywhere I went. I never thought much of it and it was kind of a joke with my drinking buddies. My doc told me I had hiatial hernia and food like steak would get caught in my throat if I ate too fast and I would get pain and the hiccups until I threw it up most of the time.
The heartburn got worse all the time and I had times when I would wake up in the middle of the night with acid reflux depending on what I ate that night (certain foods like spag & salsa were the worst). I figured I was stuck with it and it was just life. Until my wifes friend at work came in on a Monday and said her husbands throat had bothered him so much that they took him to the ER on Friday. After tests they found out he had cancer in his esophogus and it was advanced, maybe 3 months to live! Turned out it was only 5 weeks and a very painful 5 weeks for him. Very sad.
That actually saved my life. I promised my wife the day of his bad news that I would go to a specialist. I had an upper endoscopy done (camera down your throat, outpatient) and it turns out I have Barretts and I had never heard of it a week before. At 35 and with kids I now was scared and felt stupid for having never checked with a specialist. The thought of dying at an early age is a wake up call that you never want to have!
He put me on Prevacid which worked pretty good. I've been on Prilocac and it didn't work for me. As my wife's insurance changed so did my medicine for my GERD/Barretts. By far, the best working for me was Nexium/40mg. I have to pay a bunch extra to get it because my insurance company says to use a different med but it didn't work so I'll pay the extra.
All of the tips that Doc gave you work. I would recommend that you go to a doctor ASAP and have an upper endoscopy done to see what you really have. I hope it is not what I have. Hopefully the doctor will get you on Nexium and will tell you to not eat at night, lose weight (if it applies), stop drinking ( I used to drink JD like it was water and I know that was my downfall. I have a few beers here and there now.) watch what you eat and eat smaller meals.
I have down most of these things but struggle with eating late at night. A terrible habit that I am trying to overcome. It has been 7 years for me since I was diagnosed and I get checked every couple of years. I needed to change my life to keep my life and you probably will have to also. If you are having extreme pain it may be a bad sign. I hope I am wrong but please get it checked and make it a priority TODAY! I wish you well.
