Hey Brit, don't worry, the medicine will make you feel 100% better, and if it doesn't there are other medications that should work. I have ARD too, and I hate it. I take one Aciphex a day and it makes a world of difference. Ever since I started with the Aciphex I've gone back to eating and drinking everything I used to, and the only time I have a problem these days is the old, dreaded "once a month" for a few days. Then I could take 2 or 3 Aciphex a day and it does no good. 
Prevacid is a real popular medication for ARD, but that wasn't working for me. I tried just using Pepcid twice a day too, but that didn't do the trick either. The thing with these medications is that they are sooooo expensive (over $100.00 for a 30 day supply). Thank God I've got great insurance - hopefully your parents do too.
Popcornbird, you have a little "flap" at the end of your esophagus that allows food to go into your stomach, but does not allow all the stomach acids to come back up into your esophagus. ARD is when that little flap doesn't do it's job and your stomach acids come back up into your esophagus and throat - causing continuous really bad heart burn. It makes sense that foods with more acid - tomatoes, oranges, etc - would aggravate the problem because then there is more acid to come back up.
Most of the medications out there stop your stomach from producing so much acid and there is then less to come back up. They do not address the flap at all - which I fail to understand. If closing the flap is the problem, why not make a drug to do that?
If left untreated this can lead to cancer of the esophagus and other really serious conditions, so it's a good thing you're getting it taken care of. I heard on TV once that they are finding out that ARD is actually caused by a bacteria and can actually be cured by taking a combination of ARD drugs, antibiotics and Pepto-Bismal for about two weeks, but evidently that information is still too new because I searched the internet and didn't find anything out about that, and I asked my doctor and he didn't know anything about it either. So for now it's one Aciphex a day for me and life is good again. 
One thing you should try to do Brit, is take some self help class or something to help you deal with stress. You are way too young to be getting something like this (I'm 40 - almost 41) and the sooner you learn to relax and deal with stress, the better off you'll be your whole life. I've found that yoga helps.
Good luck with everything and let me know if you have any questions. I'm no expert, but have been dealing with this for at least 4 or 5 years now so I might be able to help.
Tubby
Spring 1986 - Dec. 11, 2004
RIP Big Boy
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Peanut
Fall 1988 - Jan. 24, 2007
RIP Snotty Girl
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Robin
Fall 1997 - Oct. 6, 2012
RIP Sweet Monkeyhead Girl
Geez. Guess what I have just been diagnosed with today? Acid Reflex Disease.
I guess I kind of inherited it, although it might not have been the case. The disease is in my father's side of my family. My grandparents and my father all have it. My mom is getting my medicine when she gets off from work, which should be soon.
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