My symptoms were heartburn, acid reflux which woke me with choking at night (most unpleasant) a feeling of a lump in my throat and a burning whenever I drank a hot drink. I would get nausea too and a feeling like I was going to gag. It's a sliding hernia which is the most common.
Before I started on omeprazole I cut out alcohol and chocolate which would always give me the night-time reflux and I also found bread, cakes, biscuits troublesome. After starting omeprazole I could eat and drink everything again. I do have a flare up at the moment though due to having to have nurofen for two weeks following two minor oral surgeries which were a bit tricky - certainly didn't feel minor to me - so if it doesn't clear up in the next week I shall ask the GP whether I need to up my dose for a while.
That throat spray tastes so horrible doesn't it? The first endoscopy I had was fine although I hated the spray. I needed a child's mouthpiece and I mentioned this for the second one but they didn't have one when I went so they tried to use an adult one which caused so much gagging that they had to stop partway through (so embarrassing) so I was then referred to the hospital so I could have sedation. We're lucky that our surgery has a endoscopy unit but obviously they don't carry as much kit as the hospital!
Taz x