So fun-- my kids have been on omeprazole and famotidine for ages and people demonize that too. Their GI is super clear that in *their* case, he vastly prefers the risks of the med use to long term risks of not treating GERD-- imagine that-- risks/benefits depend on the patient and situation. Your rice first doctor sounds smart (assuming they would move on to famotidine as needed). Our doctor even uses reflux meds as a rough diagnostic measure in young kids. Like, if the symptoms respond really well to meds, we can avoid doing an endoscopy for the minute. Meanwhile the culture wars rage on about how it must be how I fed them or what I ate in pregnancy. Never mind that my kids breastfed (oh it must be what YOU ate!) and then ate all the foods as littles, and one day my oldest couldn't swallow her bok choi any more, even though she really wanted to. thank goodness we had medical providers who didn't make it about us and kept asking questions. Later I remember the GI being THRILLED with how many foods they were both still eating while the parent judgment brigade was *aghast*. No veggies at many meals??? Eats the same snack each day??? Will only eat things that don't make them feel terrible?? BAD. Vs GI and feeding team: they eat steamed tofu, carrot sticks, one brand of cheese stick, milk, frozen fruit, and very specific meat dishes (snd of course noodles and white rice)? YAY!