Normally I would say don't ask such a question on the internet, but ask your
doctor as this is always best. If you are a student, you may have a student
health service and may be able to ask a doctor for little or no cost. This
would of course be best.

But I know how it is to be a student, so following is some "budget"
information (keep in mind you get what you pay for). Seems to me from
reading the following, for "some" people, a lower dosage may work, but it
may not work for everyone. People are different.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/omeprazole.html

<me@privacy.net> wrote in message

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:24:03 -0500, me wrote:

Prilosec OTC (and all of the proton pump inhibitors) are easily destroyed
in a highly acidic environment like the stomach. That is why they all use
some form of delayed-release mechanism or buffer.

Prilosec OTC uses a coating on the tablet to achieve delayed release. By
breaking the tablets you are essentially creating an immediate release
formulation. Much of the drug will be rendered ineffective in the stomach
due to the exposure to a low pH environment (stomach acid). That is the
reason that the package states not to break the tablets.

Some of it may survive, but the resulting dose will be smaller than the
10mg you were expecting. How much smaller depends upon alot of factors,
including the pH of the stomach at the time it is taken, rate of the
tablets movement through the stomach, how much of the coating was
removed, etc.