worry wort

I think my boyfriend has pretty severe GERD and I was hoping to get some advice.
He has always been an asthma sufferer and was recently prescribed 2 different inhalers ( not sure the names but he's been taking them everyday for a couple of months now). He also has a lot of back problems. He's been diagnised with degenerative disc disease and has been trying out several different kinds of pain killers including cortozone shots once a month.
Last week I took him to the ER because he was having trouble breathing and swallowing, had white spots in his throat, and felt really dizzy.
The docs there send it was tonsilitis and referred him to an ear nose and throat doc. They also gave him some anitbiotics and steroid pills for his throat. He has an appointment with this ear/nose/throat guy but can't be seen for another 2 weeks!
The antibiotics are not working at all. His throat is only getting worse. He had one day where he said he felt really great and then everything seemed to come crashing back full force. He constantly complains of horrible heartburn and trouble swallowing and he gets these awful bouts of hiccups that sound to me like their killing him!
I keep saying we should go back to the ER but he won't go. I think he's afraid of what they'll tell him.
I wonder if the problem has been acid reflux related the whole time and not tonsilitis.
He was tested for mono and strep but both of those came up negative. Why didn't any of the doctors ever screen him for acid reflux???

Am I overreacting?