Hi D.,
I also suffer from bad GERD, but in my case is caused be a Hiatal Hernia, so although it can be controled by medicine such as Nexium or Prilosec, it wont go away unless I have surgery (which I wont).
If possible, you should have a medical procedure (forgot the name, but its like a colonoscopy, but by the mouth) to determine if it can be a bacteria causing your problem, in which case you need antibiotics because in the long run, it can cause cancer or if maybe like me, you have a hiatal hernia, and what are your options. The gastroenterologist should be able to better explain your options.
Good luck, because if its bacterial or just irritation, it can go away!