oh yeah, i know that searing esophageal burning. medication doesn't help at all (or didn't in my case) because it's a physical, structural problem. you have a hole in your diaphragm! when i had the hernia repair (and i was 17 at the time), i also had a procedure called a nissen fundoplication - basically 1/4 of my stomach was wrapped tightly around my esophagus, kind of like a beef roast. now, my stomach acid stays in my stomach, where it belongs. i can't throw up, but it was absolutely completely worth it to stop that pain.