damn drs! & need ideas for dealing with heartburn

 so my surgeons office has given up on my heartburn/ burping/ stomach pain issues and has told me to see a gastroenterologist. they didnt know of anyone local so they told me to get my referral from my pcp. i talked to my pcp's office and they told me to find one that accepts my insurance and they would refer me there. i knew of 1 cause he did my scope for my hemotologist so i gave my pcp his name. they told me they would send the referral but i had to call to schedule the appt myself. unfortunately they cant get me in until the 21st so i get to be miserable for another 3 weeks. i am taking my ppi every day like i am supposed to. i am taking pepcid twice a day. i am taking reglan before my main meals and at bedtime. maalox doesnt help at all and i am probably taking close to 3x as many tums as is recommended. i am sleeping with three pillows. it doesnt matter what i eat or how much i eat. i am still miserable at least 6 hours a day. HELP!!

Have you tried any of the other PPI's ?
For many if one doesn't help, another brand sometimes works. Like Prevacid or Prilosec or the generic form of those.
Some of them they tell you not to take Maalox or tums with it.
Also it is recommended to take the PPI as soon as you get up before you eat or drink anything and wait for a bit before you eat. Also don't forget to take it 2x a day.
There is also Protonix but that one you need a prescription for.
Good Luck

 i have been on prevacid, prilosec 2x a day, protonix and now, dexilant. none of them worked for more than a few weeks. i always take my dexilant 1st thing and the only thing i put in there within a few hours is a protein shake. my dr wont let me take the dexilant more than 1x a day as it is SUPPOSED to be the longest acting ppi available (according to the dr).

Try taking your PPI twice a day.  You can also ask to change to Dexilant 60mg daily.  It has a dual-release mechanism that is pH-induced and not time-released, so you don't have to worry about short bowel -- you'll get all the medicine. 

 i am on dexilant 60mg a day already.

I take very high doses of a lot of heartburn meds. You might need to add to the pile.

I take prilosec 80 mg in the morning and 40 at lunch and at night.
Zantac 300 mg. Three times a day.
Tagamet 200 three times a day.

That mix had been working for me for a very long time.

I also take a prokinetic/antiemetic that doesn't cross the brain barrier, like Reglan. I take two of those twice a day.

I take sick amounts of calcium too.
See if you can mix it up and find the right formula for yourself. Do not suffer.

 what is the name of the prokinetic that you take? i worry about the possible side effects of the reglan.

FYI, I took Reglan for a couple of years.  A couple of months after I started it, I began this teeth grinding chewing like motion with my mouth.  I didn't quite associate it at the time.  Now I have a very noticable motion going on, it's called tardive dyskinesia and is a somewhat rare side effect of the Reglan.  I quit taking Reglan a couple of months ago, but still do it.  My PCP believes it will probably be permanent.

My opinion.....get off the Reglan......just sayin

 Maybe it is something you are eating?

Elevating the head with pillows doesn't work. Try putting blocks under the bed frame at the head of the bed to elevate the bed inself at an angle. Might not help, but worth a try.
     Would your pcp be willing to try carafate? 
      And don't eat for several hours before going to bed.

Sorry, that's all I got.

Larra