I was on lansoprazole for 1 month, the side effects were awful, it took me a while to realise it was the medication making me feel worse, I had migraines. Diarrhoea, heart palpitations etc. so I stopped taking them and started taking gaviscon. I take it 4 times a day and I take silicol gel before meals. I am feeling much better being off the ppis.

I was first given Axid, which gave me a heart arrhythmia
Then I took prevacid 30 mg for about 12 years. After my gastric sleeve surgery I switched to 15 mg. It seemed like it was making my gastritis worse, so I tried Kios-DS which I am still using today.
I used to use gaviscon and it works well but the aluminium worries me.

When I first got this terrible condition, I tried Zantac 75 a couple of weeks. I had researched acid reducers and most of the data said the H2 blockers had far less side effects including potential bone loss. I only noticed a subtle difference so I quit. Meamwhie I took one omperazole pill when my stomach was just killing me and that's it. I scared myself away from taking any more. This was before I knew what I had.
Up to now I took Zantac upped to 150s a week or so recently with soso results. so I took one Dexilant neww PPI I had been given after my endoscope then promptly scared myself away again. I have not been taking anything in the hopes it will heal with bland diet.. at least for now. My stomach has actually been feeling better.
I hea so much about folks taking PPIs and crossing then the point of no return where they are physically stuck on them long term or the rest of their lives! I like you am concerned about worsening my osteoporosis.

I took dexilant for 2 months prescribed by doctor, I got better but I stopped too early and too quickly. Now I have been taking it again for one month and a week. I have no side effect and all the pain disappeared. My doctor said that the problems with calcium and bone loss are only for a small percentage of the population and only for people taking it for a very long time.
I take DGL licorice also, sometimes slippery elm and pepzin GI. They bring some relief but not as much as the PPI.

littlemart, you seem very anxious about taking the PPI. I used to be too. But now in retrospect I wish I took the PPi earlier. Some people have side effects but some don't and it helps a lot people. You can just try it a week, a month or even two months (with your doctor approval), nothing should happen to your calcium level or bones in such a short time and it might be enough for your gastritis to calm down.

I'm currently on Dexilant, and it has worked well for me. However I had a lot of bloating/gas from it. A good quality probiotic helped me sort that all out though.

Do ypu have to take anything in the afternoon, I build up with gas and bloating everyday around. 4, so I take a Pepcid.

I am taking Lameprozol this time around, I had Omeprozol last time, for me it was a no decission, after 24 hours of non stop burning which Gaviscon did not touch and little sleep, taking the PPI and instant relief is worth it. I know there are some side effects as with every drug but without them I don't think I could heal in a lifetime! I will only use them to help me on the road to recovery and then stop, I must say I notice very little side effects this time compared with last on the Omeps, but sometimes I wonder if there is a psychosomatic response after reading all the possible side effects on the enclosed leaflet, suddenly I could have them all!!!! But realistically I thnk that most are rare cases

No PPI for me. The doses high enough to do anything gave me side effects.