Patient information from BMJ

GERD: questions to ask your doctor

Last published:Jul 16, 2020

If you get heartburn more than twice a week, you may have gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).

If your doctor has told you that you have GERD, you may want to find out more. Here are some questions that you might want to ask your doctor:

How do you know that I have GERD? Do I need any tests?
How likely is it that my esophagus has been damaged by GERD?
Do I need to take a prescription medication to treat GERD?
How likely is it that GERD will get better on its own?
What will happen if I don't get treatment?
How often should I take my pills?
Do the pills have any side effects?
For how long will I need to take the pills?
Will I still need to take pills once I stop having symptoms?
Are there any changes I should make in my life that might help ease my symptoms? Are there things I should avoid?
Is surgery an option for me? What are the pros and cons?

The patient information from BMJ Best Practice is regularly updated. The most recent version of Best Practice can be found at bestpractice.bmj.com. This information is intended for use by health professionals. It is not a substitute for medical advice. It is strongly recommended that you independently verify any interpretation of this material and, if you have a medical problem, see your doctor.

Please see BMJ's full terms of use at: bmj.com/company/legal-information. BMJ does not make any representations, conditions, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that this material is accurate, complete, up-to-date or fit for any particular purposes.

What did you think about this patient information guide?

Complete the online survey or scan the QR code to help us to ensure our content is of the highest quality and relevant for patients. The survey is anonymous and will take around 5 minutes to complete.

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer