Prilosec is the brand name for the generic medication known as omeprazole. It is a delayed-release type of medication. This means that after you take it, the medication is released from the capsule very slowly into the bloodstream over an entire 24-hour period. Prilosec comes in 3 dosages.

• 10-mg, amethyst/apricot capsules, marked with "606" on one side and "Prilosec 10" on the other
• 20-mg, amethyst capsules, marked with "742" on one side and "Prilosec 20" on the other
• 40-mg, amethyst/apricot capsules, marked with "743" on one side and "Prilosec 40" on the other

Prilosec can be bought both with and without a prescription.

How to Find the Right Dose

The doctor is always the best person to decide which dose is right, based on current health status, body type and age. For adults with GERD and the related erosive esophagitis, which are the most common uses of Prilosec, the usual starting dose is 20 mg, taken once daily. Most people will take it for 4 to 8 weeks. Children may take 10 to 20 mg a day, depending on their body weight.

For duodenal ulcer healing, most people take 20 mg a day for 4 weeks. For gastric ulcer, the usual dose is 40 mg a day for 4 to 8 weeks. A few people with related conditions where too much acid is produced, such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, may take 60 mg or more a day on an on-going basis.