I have GERD and I have done well on Nexium, Prilosec and Aciphex, all Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). I had less success while on Pepcid, and no success at all on Tagemet, both Histamine-2 (H2) Blockers. I haven’t tried any Promotility Agents such as Reglan because, for one thing, the side effects can be very nasty.
In addition to the meds I also have to avoid certain foods entirely (pizza, red wine, soda) and limit others. I also have to particularly limit how much I eat in the evening, and I have to sleep on a slant, with my head higher than my feet, and never on my left side because that puts more pressure on the esophageal valve. I have also lost 30 pounds, which helps, and never eat within three hours of going to bed.
When out of control I not only get heartburn (a fiery burning in my esophagus) but also a feeling as if something is stuck in my throat (possibly equivalent to your lump), a feeling of pressure in my chest, and an increased rate of asthma due to acid getting into my airway.
Others in my family also have GERD. One had to have surgery because he developed a bleeding ulcer in his esophagus, another has Barrett’s Esophagus (a precancerous condition) so he has to let folks run various tubes down his throat twice a year, and one simply has to remain as thin as possible. All three take medications, also.
Some doctors think there is no difference between GERD medications, but there are some people for whom some drugs work better than others. There are also doctors that explain how you can control GERD with additional steps even while you are on the medications better than others. If a return visit to your doctor doesn’t help, you might consider either a referral to a specialist or a second opinion.