Acid Reflux: Prescriptions not helping: What works for you?

At first I was confused about your comment about feeling light-headed. Then I read here:
https://microsoftstart.msn.com/en-us/health/ask-professionals/expert-answers-on-gastroesophagealrefluxdisease/hp-gastroesophagealrefluxdisease?questionid=3v0e8yv0&type=condition&source=bingmainline_conditionqna
"Occasionally, stomach acid reaches the tubes leading to the inner ear. This may irritate the inner ear and cause dizziness in some people." "answer provided by Dr. Himanshu J. Vats"

It sounds like you've tried eliminating foods that cause problems? Do you have any more detail about how long you've been dealing with this and what foods you've found to be bad or good for controlling it?
Does your doctor think surgery is a good option for you?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20361959

@seniormiz, you might also find these 2 discussions helpful:
- Acid reflux: Anyone had Nissen fundoplication to stop GERD? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/acid-reflux-2/
- Acid reflux: Anyone out there? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/acid-reflux/

I do a low-acid/low-fat diet as outlined by Dr. Aviv. There is a FB group that has recipes, Acid Watcher Diet Warriors. It's basically a whole foods diet. I also read the online advice of an ENT, https://jamiekoufman.com. She has a diet book too. Based on my reading, I take Gaviscon Advance aniseed as needed, sleep elevated (actually sleep sitting up for the first few hours), alkaline water mixed in with my tap water (gargling/nose drops), sugarless gum, giving myself at least one hour between eating and exercising (and using the Gaviscon before exercising and gum during exercising). I also made a cheap version of Iqoro, a European-approved device that supposedly exercises your muscles around the esophagus. It's not available in the US. I bought a $12 mouthguard with a strap and followed the exercise routine as outlined on the Iqoro site. I feel like I am making progress, tho I do backslide on the diet periodically and can feel it afterwards. Since I am doing a lot all at once, I have no idea which of these steps to credit. I also am experimenting with HCL capsules. I don't take them with every meal. So far I haven't felt any side effects like stomach pains from that. But HCL is controversial in the medical world, since a lot of doctors say it is very rare that too little acid is a problem. I had been on omeprazole 20 mgs daily for four years, but dropped it after I developed Chronic Kidney Disease state 3 and severe osteoporosis. There is no family history of either condition so I felt fairly sure it was the drug. I would say if people take PPIs long term, they should be monitored for the more severe possible side effects. My doctor never did even a CBC panel on me for the 15 years I saw them. My problems were uncovered only after I demanded a DEXA scan after losing 1 inch in height in a short amount of time.

Have you had a barium xray...mine stopped helping but found out esophagus was nearly closed and I had symptoms of a heart attack...

Buy the book " The acid watchers diet off Amazon.
Cut out acidic drink and foods. No eating 3-4 hrs. before bed.
Raise your headboard 6". No soda or booze or citrus drinks.
I only drink low acid coffee (Healthwise Brand), unsweetened almond milk,
decaf green tea, and lots of water. No fried fatty foods.

I have had acid reflux for about 2 years. Any food or drink with acid sets off pain, discomfort and a feeling of flakiness. My meals are prepared from recipes on the internet and from books that supply acid reflux friendly recipes...however, sometimes I mistakenly choose the wrong food or drink and the pain and discomfort are there. As I said before, the prescription drugs are minimally helpful. The OTC drugs are better, but the belching, the incredible burps and the head fog frequently are there. I am 90 years old, so surgery is not suitable.

It sounds like you are already taking a lot of responsibility for managing your condition. It must be very frustrating to deal with this! Do you have any days that you are free of the head fog/feeling of flakiness? Do you have any days that you are free of the pain from the GERD?

My gi doc said sleeping on your left side us better than the right side. The way the stomach drains it is harder to drain sleeping on left side. Drain is at the top. Right side sleeping drain is at the bottom making it very easy to cause reflux.

No. The GERD symptoms appear frequently. There is no freedom from them...only occasional escape for a short while.

No, but I did have a hernia repair and a LINX Augmentation done in 2018 and it was 100% successful
. I was having acid reflux 84 times a day and taking prescriptions and Tums to no avail.