One other question on lorazapam why do they make a pill that needs to be cut in half or qtrs. why would a doc not prescribe the lowest possible dose ?

Dose and money: In the beginning, it is usually to get to the right dosage -- we write for more and you take little bits until it's a good amount. But then, it's often so you dont have to pay as many co-pays. Either way, if it is stressing you, discuss it with your doctor. We want you to be okay with taking your meds, and if you're not, we want you to tell us. I'm sure your doc will be ok with changing the size.

Depends on person: Standard doses of medications are determined by population studies. The dosage of a medication therefore, is more an "average" of what respond to for certain illnesses. However, it is impossible for a physician to know how an individual is going to respond to a given dose before it is actually given. So, we start with the standard and move up or move down as necessary. Hence, the scoring system.