,,, and reflux, to boot

I've suffered from GERD for over 20 years. First step should be to have an endoscopy. If you've never had this done before, don't worry, it's easy. The doc will scope your throat while you are anesthetized. He will then treat with appropriate meds if you have a problem. Don't mess around with this. My best friend died from esophageal cancer because he never had any symptoms until his cancer was in advanced stages. He was also an avid CPAP user and advocate for over a dozen years. Most advice on this thread is good, but don't delay. The sphincter muscle between the esophagus and stomach can be relaxed with some foods and these should be avoided at all costs in the evening. These include chocolate, tomato products, onions, caffeinated products and many others. Some foods help the muscle contract and help it to stay closed. An apple is one that is good. A few slices with a little peanut butter is a good evening snack. There are others but I am having a senior moment. References can be found easily and should be looked up. I got turned on to these watching Dr Oz. Luckily for me, my CPAP equipment has lessened and almost totally eliminated the GERD I would experience during the night when I overate close to bedtime. Good luck and get it checked out!