Hoping someone can calm me down...I have a long history of chronic gastritis. Had an endoscopy back in 2014 which diagnosed me with gastritis and h pylori. Took the antibiotic treatment for h pylori two times until it was confirmed gone. Afterwards I still got boats of gastritis on and off over the years, and would take omperazole when needed to control any flare ups. Flare ups would only come once a month and coincidentally just a few days before my period.
Last March (during the first Covid lockdown), I got acid reflux really badly for the very first time in my throat, and the doctor prescribed me 80mg of omperazole which got it under control after a few months. When I was on that high dose, the gastritis also disappeared.
For the past few months, since September I've been attempting to lower the omperazole dose slowly down to 60mg, which I managed to do. We moved house and were busy so just carried on taking the omperazole as I was so relieved the reflux had calmed down. We are also abroad and my husband was between jobs so we didn't have health insurance which is why I didn't go back to the doctor.
This December I even got down to 40mg of omperazole but after two weeks of being on 40 mg , my gastritis has flared up again (the week before my period). I'm just so scared as to why I can't seem to maintain being on 40mg omperazole without experiencing any gastritis. Why do I a need higher dose to be symptom free? I do also take gaviscon before bedtime since the reflux.
I have an appointment with gastro doc on Sunday but am dreading it as I know she will suggest an endoscopy which I'm petrified to do again. Will opt for sedation but still scared shitless.
Any advice at all? I'm trying to improve my diet at the moment and trying to eat healthily. I love coffee and chocolate and since the reflux started have been trying to reduce my intake with some success but I did indulge a lot over Christmas which obviously hadn't helped.