My MIL has taken herself to the ER twice, thinking she's having 'the big one' only to find out that it is acid reflux. A slight case of dimentia has not helped with following her doctors orders - plus the fact that she changes doctors quite often.

An article (Sept/Prevention) "Beat hearburn in three easy steps" says that the most effective remedies for chronic heartburn (gastroespohageal reflux) are losing weight, elevating your head at night, and sleeping on your left side.

"Dropping an average of 27 pounds cut symptoms by 40% in one study - probably because weight loss eases pressure on the stomach, decreasing the output of acids. Sleeping with a 'wedge' pillow also reduced eipsodes. And people who slept on their left side and only half the reflux of those who slumbered on their right. .....right side sleep appears to relax a crucial muscle at the top of the stomach, allowing acids to reach the esophagus."

I'd show this article to MIL, but I'm sure she wouldn't remember a word of it by bedtime ;-)