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So doing much better. Yeah, that stupidly expensive Medcline wedge thing with the body pillow costs around $300, but WOW if you need some sort of sleeping wedge for a medical issue (I'm pretty sure apnea, copd, and some other conditions besides acid reflux benefit from the incline sleeping position) then I really really recommend this one. The wedge is pretty firm and holds you up well, and it has a 'stuffer' pillow so you can change which side you sleep on (the other conditions it doesn't matter, only acid reflux really needs it to be left). Also, don't get the cheater $220 version without the pillow to use your own, the candy cane shaped body pillow for the extra money is awesome. It's really comfortable, the top wraps around you and stays in place amazingly, and the long side trails down to go between your knees for a spine alignment support. If they can 'fix' this acid reflux and I can sleep flat again, I'm SO keeping this candy cane pillow thing. IT's that amazing. If anyone else here has my issues, this was completely worth the money, and going to pay for itself in a few months from the amount of medication I'm not buying now. So between the Gaviscon (works much better for reflux than the pink stuff, it really does not only neutralize the acid but creates a sort of foamy barrier that helps keep the rest of the acid in place) and the Medcline I'm doing MUCH better. I've stopped taking the Prilosec (lots of potential side effects with long term use) entirely, and in the last week only needed the Gaviscon once. I think I'm winning! Feels good to win, but man do I miss my garlic. I miss garlic more than I miss chocolate. I have a serious garlic bread craving going on, but I'm not brave enough yet. Food actually became scary. Will this make me burn? How little can I eat and still live so my throat isn't on acidfire? IT's a weird feeling to be scared of food. Not just nervous about calories or sugars, but actually frightened to eat at all. I'm told on a forum I persused by other people with the condition looking for control information this is a fairly common reaction for those who don't have it under control, and it will fade away again with time. You know me, research gerbil. Still going to see a doctor to talk about this when I can, find out if something slipped out of place inside, some sort of hormonal issue (it all started with that months cycle, I really hope this isn't gonna be a cycle thing or a menopause one, I am getting close to that age), or what. The websites all indicated even losing a couple pounds will lessen it, in my case I lost 15 and it got worse. So I have no idea how to take that. Maybe my stomach is just really mad and wants to digest me. On the state of the Nikki: He's genuinely happy with his job now. The utter lack of drama and actual ability to do his job and solve problems instead of just playing message tag with corporate people has done WONDERS. He's putting in some long hours right now, but they use completely different systems than his old job and he's learning what he needs to know to master it. It's amazing how much our life situations change how we feel and are. I think its' done as much for the dysthymic depression as the pills are doing really. so is having a more natural to his bio rythms sleeping habit. Having all of that together is really bringing him back to his old self. Which is doing wonders for us as a couple, and an education in how much when one spouse is not doing well it affects the other one, as I'm also doing dramatically better inside as a result of having a happy spouse again. He bought powerball tickets cuz the jackpot is huge, and turned and asked me if we beat the odds and won, would I still wanna go to Florida? And was all relieved when I said no, we'd just get a nicer house in new town than we could afford now because I can see how much he loves his job.​ But in 10 years it would be early retirement and this couple would be moving to my beloved Florida. ​So life is good, house feels like an unending pit of work to try to get it ready for listing (that has slowed down as a result of his hours, a lot of the stuff that needs done now is things he is good at and I just sorta maybe understand how), and we bought a new car that gets really good mileage for all the commuting (and both our current cars be old and tired). After much searching we found a good deal on a former rental car with only 17k miles on it. Yay! We did look into potentially getting a bridge loan and went to our credit union to crunch the numbers to see if we could afford to move now and just pay a higher mortgage until this one sells, but the first and only downside of using our credit union in our 15 year history with it cropped up, they only do home loans within the county. Car loans are statewide (so we were able to snag up our great deal, with was 25K less miles and $4k cheaper than any available in my town, everything in my town has a weird expensive bubble) but we can't get a home loan for new town. They offered us an equity loan to use as a downpayment to try to help, but managing THREE home loans at once seems...out of control. We're going to research options with commercial banks, but I doubt it will really happen and we'll probably just stick with the original plan of being trapped here til it sells. Hope everyone here is doing great and making all your dreams happen!

Hey Bree, Delighted to hear how you and Nikki are doing! I'm also making terrific strides and need to write about my progress soon. xxxoooxxx Emma

Thank you Chrissy. I'm on Prilosec, and it helps, but it's not controlling it. I discovered this liquid antacid called Gaviscon that I'm taking before bed, it supposedly created a foam in the top of my stomach to hold the liquid in as well as neutralizing the acid. So far it's helped tremendously, and I got my stupidly expensive wedge today, so here's hoping. ​ I had to give up chocolate, I am a very unhappy Bree. I like chocolate. Good to know that about ice cream, will avoid until I sort all this out. Thanks Emma! It might end up in a surgical situation, as I have a hernia issue that is probably related, so until there is insurance there really isn't much I can do but damage control. Nikki is still plugging away at ACA forms to see if we can't get help with that insane Cobra payment, and the lifestyle changes seem to be starting to take hold, today was a good day. Right now he's yelling at the computer, apparently it's hiding the place where he needs to input my passport info to prove I'm a citizen. Apparently aca has doubts about me or something. LOL At least Nikki is doing great. Loves the new job, is currently face deep in car shopping (our buick is about dead and the van is a bit old to be doing hour commutes, it's time) and working hard on the house and prepping for the upcoming move to my mom's. I'm having a bit of an odd reaction to that, it's the second longest place I've lived in my life, at just over 11 years. Apparently it's the longest for Nikki. But it's the first that wasn't a rental (that I'm old enough to remember anyway). Sleeping better, has pep again, and it's amazing how much getting out of a bad job situation can do to improve all aspects. Now if we can just sell a house and move to new town, life will be awesome. It wasn't easy, and I freaked out more than once, but the more it comes together the calmer I am. ​ It's nice to have my old happy Nikki back, that's the best part!