Hi belly-achin,Welcome to Healing Well! I totally agree with the Carafate suspension recommendation. I have a reactive stomach and it makes a world of difference. It coats your esophagus and stomach and lasts up to six hours.
If you're having a flare-up of your stomach and it's also causing esophagitis, you need to be SUPER careful about what you eat. Before I had my Nissen surgery whenever I got gastritis I'd automatically get a very raw esophagus.
It's important to eat smooth foods, and eliminate everything that is acidic, or spicy. Of course, no alcohol. When I had flare-ups I found that the only thing that felt good in my stomach was egg custard. Be sure to chew your food carefully so it's smooth before swallowing, so you don't further irritate your esophagus or stomach.
It does take a long time to heal, so be persistent and consistent about your very careful eating. It always took me about 2-3 months to heal. When I asked my GI doc when I could go back to normal eating, he said to wait until, "[I] feel perfect for two weeks, then introduce foods back into my diet gradually."
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.Maybe you won't have it as bad as I did.
Good luck. Hope things clear up quickly for you!
Denise