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Patient Instructions

You have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition causes food or stomach acid to come back up from your stomach into your esophagus. This is called reflux. It can cause heartburn and other symptoms.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your heartburn and reflux.

If I have heartburn, can I treat myself or do I need to see the doctor?

What foods will make my heartburn worse?

How can I change the way I eat to help my heartburn?

• How long should I wait after eating before lying down?
• How long should I wait after eating before exercising?

Will losing weight help my symptoms?

Do cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine make my heartburn worse?

What changes should I make in my bed, if I have heartburn at night?

What medicines will help my heartburn?

• Will antacids help my heartburn?
• Are there other medicines that will help my symptoms?
• Do I need a prescription to buy them?
• Do they have any side effects?

How do I know if I have a more serious problem?

• When should I call the doctor?
• What other tests or procedures do I need if my heartburn does not go away?

Are there surgeries that help with heartburn and reflux?

• How are the surgeries done? What are the risks?
• How well do the surgeries work? Will I still need to take medicine for my reflux after surgery? Will I ever need to have surgery again for the reflux?

What to ask your doctor about heartburn and reflux; Reflux - what to ask your doctor; GERD - what to ask your doctor; Gastroesophageal reflux disease - what to ask your doctor

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.