Here's what I know after having reflux for almost a year and trying everything to stop it. This may be different for others but this is what I know about the reflux that effects me:
1) It is caused by my inability to digest foods properly, especially complex carbs. My opinion only.
2) I don't take any PPI's or any anti reflux medication because they don't work for me (my symptoms are mostly LPR).
3) Stopping eating before at 7:30PM really helps except if I eat complex carbs, then I need more time before I sleep, if not I will wake up unable to breath.
4) Raising head of bed and laying on left side does help unless eating complex carbs close to bedtime, then nothing helps.
5) Avoiding Lactose and High Fructose really helps
6) Having stress over a period of days makes the reflux alot worse.
7) alcohol doesn't seem to effect me one way or the other. Milk on the otherhand I'm unsure of, since I drink litte of it anyway I'm not sure.
8) I take probiotics but am unsure if they do anything.
9) Feel my reflux was started by extreme stress and antiobiotics but that is only theory.
10) In one year since I've had reflux I've only been completely reflux free for 3weeks, not sure why that happened and why it came back. Though for a couple months I was about 98% free of reflux.
11) I'm not sure what to do next. I feel I may have to control it and get back to 98% gone and just live with it.

Thanks for sharing this, Neddy. I think especially the part about not eating after 7:30 pm is almost universal! It seems like when I forget to abide by that, that's when I suffer the most. This certainly is a mysterious disease.

I also think since I am unable to digest food properly, the pressure that is built up (bloating, pain in gut or under rib, belching etc.) is causing pressure against the stomach which in turn releases the valve and stomach acid is sent up. Though from talking to others I feel this is only in some cases (like mine). For those of us who have the stomach pains and pressure(IBS?) and get acid reflux mostly when sleeping have you wondered how even sleeping at an angle or even upright you still get acid reflux hitting your throat (LPR). I feel all the pressure against the stomach is causing the stomach to release the acid far up your throat. In my opinion, relieve the pressure, relieve the reflux. Of course how that is done is the trick.

Thank you very much! I feel the same concerning many clauses. And I also feel I'm not only one who suffers the same.

I'd like to add that it's better to put something under legs of a bed to raise the head end of the bed to 15-25 cm, because if you do it with pillows, you may feel uncomfortable (for instance, I have horror dreams. Some people feel reflux is even worse, because the gullet, or oesophagus twists and it provokes to reflux.

And I know that antibiotics really may cause reflux disease.

Yeah, I feel the same about antibiotics. I've had reflux twice in my life (during 46 years). Both times were after heavy antibiotic use due to sinus infection. Last time it took me about a year to get back to normal, this time it's already been a year, looks like it may take alot longer.