Hello, dear fellow sufferer.   Obviously, if your symptoms are bad and chronic, you must see a doctor. My doctor has me on Nexium "for the rest of my life." You could substitute Prilosec, which is over-the-counter, but only with your doctor's blessing for long-term use. I've found that taking it at night, right before bed and on an empty stomach is best.   I still get "attacks" when I eat too much at one meal, especially dinner, and/or when I eat too fatty a meal. When an attack occurs, it helps a little to chew a couple Gaviscon chewable tablets. It also helps to drink a small glass of aloe juice mixed with a little apple juice. It also helps to suck on a hard candy like butterscotch that is mild and not sour, mint or citrus flavored.