Chantix - Quitting Smoking Medication

Alright, so I should probably highlight that I have not actually tried this product myself, the experimentee in this case was my boyfriend. I do not smoke, so therefore do not have any need to quit smoking. Boyfriend however, smoked like a chimney, and really did want to quit; in part because I can't stand the smoking, in part because he'll live longer, and in part because it has become so outrageously expensive to smoke in New York State.

Chantix basically takes the joy out of smoking for smokers, it stops nicotene from reaching the parts of the brain that get pleasure out of it. Boyfriend stated that this part of medicine worked, he no longer got the same kind of high from smoking cigarettes as he used to. He also stated that it helped at work, he no longer felt the need to run out and smoke every hour, and that this was particularly helpful in meetings that went on for a few hours... he no longer became antsy and unable focus in longer meetings.

However, he said that he still was used to the habit of smoking, he still had the need to smoke out of habir and oral fixation, and also as a social gathering situation. The habit was not completely kicked. Although he did state that taking the Chantix did get him down from a pack a day to about half a pack a day.

The particularly scary part of this medicine though is the psychological effects it had on boyfriend. He said that he was no longer able to sleep as well as he did before taking Chantix, and that when he was able to sleep he had crazy dreams in which he felt like killing people or himself. And I can attest to the fact that he had nightmares which caused him to kick and punch in his sleep ... I ended up with bruises, in fact. And boyfriend also said that even during his waking hours taking Chantix made him feel slightly more depressed and less upbeat about life in general.

So all in all, I think that the risks outweigh the benefits here. Even though boyfriend had a mild case of depression and nightmares, there have been studies where this medicine has made people suicidal, and there have been record suicide attempts. Scary, scary stuff. There have got to be better ways to quit smoking.

And on that note, the newest tax hike in New York State appears to be what finally made boyfriend quit smoking, at over $10 a pack, $80 a week is a habit he cannot afford. So through sheer will power (and nicotene lozenges - which are $3 a pack) he has finally managed to quit smoking. So basically... stay away from the Chantix, it is bad news.

One A Day Weight Smart Vitamins

So I'm willing to try just about anything that I will think help me lose weight, and I had a coupon for One-a-Day vitamins, so I figured, what the heck, may as well as try out the variety that might help me lose weight as well.

Now, I will admit that I do feel a bit more energetic after taking these vitamins, which I suppose can help me lose weight, as it might make me more likely to take the stairs, or go for a walk on lunch. But, on the converse side, I do not seeing myself losing any significant weight.

Since I weighed myself since starting these vitamins two weeks ago, I have lost 1.5 pounds, but the human body fluctuates about 2-3 pounds all the time, so I can definitively say that the weight loss was due specifically to the addition of these vitamins to my life.

Another negative is that these vitamins are HUGE ... you need to take them with quite a bit of water, otherwise they're really hard to swallow. And you also should probably take them with food, because I personally have found that taking these vitamins on an empty stomach can leave you feeling a bit queasy.

All in all, I would probably give these vitamins a B+ ... they work well as vitamins, and even give you a small energy boost, but their weight loss properties were greatly overpromised and underdelivered.

Colgate Luminous Crystal Clean Mint Toothpaste

I tried this toothpaste, because I had a coupon for it, which made it extremely less expensive than my usual toothpaste. All in all, it is a decent toothpaste, the minty flavor is much more appealing than a cinnamon or bubble gum toothpaste would be. And my mouth does feel clean after brushing.

The one downfall to this toothpaste is the fact that it does not really whiten my teeth. I prefer the Colgate Total products that have whitening qualities in addition to cleaning and cavity prevention. My teeth are not so extremely yellowed that I need to ALWAYS use whitening products, but I do like to maintain a certain level of white in my teeth, as I am a coffee drinker.

Alli Diet Pill

Ok, so I know wer're all looking for the wonder pill that will help us magically kick weight while we pig out on fast food and ice cream. This is not it. If you do go for Alli, you should get the books and try to live the whole plan instead of just taking the pills. Taking the pills will cause your body to not process about 30% of the fat you each, however, it does this by making stool somewhat more liquid. So if you continue to eat massive quantities of fat and just take this pill, figuring that any help is better than none, life is going to get a little gross. And if you can't deal with gross, stop reading here. While taking this pill, it can turn passing gas into a situation where a diaper would have been useful.

The drug’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline, has even been up front about the pill’s side effects, suggesting that first timers wear dark pants or bring a change of clothes to work until they get used to Alli's potential consequences. All in all, while it may help you kick weight, you shouldn't take this pill unless you're willing to stick with the complete program.

Magic Powder by Prescriptives

Hands down my favorite loose powder. Prescriptives Magic Powder has a number of benefits. First, it doesn't clump anywhere on your skin, leaving you with a smooth finish. Second, it takes all shine off your face. So if you are looking for that powder that will make your face less shiny in all the pictures your friends are taking... this is it.

It is a little odd that when you brush it on your face it feels cold. But that is the chemical reaction which makes it "magic" ... pun intended.

Downsides include that it is a little expensive, and that Prescriptives pretty much never offers a gift with purchase. But it's the best powder I've even owned and has made me come out so much better in all the photos that are taken, so I do buy it regularly. I usually purchase it at my local Macys, but I know it's also available at Sephora and other department stores.

Oral B Pulsar Toothbrush

Now, I have always been a manual toothbrush kind of girl. Mechanical toothbrushes have always creeped me out a little. But, on sale at CVS the other day were Oral B Pulsar toothbrushes, on clearance for $1.75 a piece, with the batteries included, no less. And as we needed new toothbrushes, I picked some up.

Now, I have to say, I'm really in love with this toothbrush. It does not brush too hard, as I thought mechanical toothbrushes might. And it has different length bristles, which I feel get in between my teeth better. And with the vibrations, I feel like my teeth are getting more brush strokes per brush, and they do actually feel cleaner. And I feel as if my teeth are even getting somewhat whiter because of the better cleaning going on.

The only downside to this toothbrush is that it is not rechargeable or replaceable. It is merely supposed to be tossed out after the battery expires. And at $1.75, this isn't too horrible of a thought, but normally these tooth brushes are $7-8. I think next time, I might go for a toothbrush that is rechargeable with a changeable brush. I feel like it's a greener option.

All in all though, for the price, this time around, I would say I am really pleased. I don't know that I'll ever go back to the manual toothbrush.

Clinique All About Eyes Moisturizer

Clinique's All About Eyes Moisturizer is touted as being able to diminish the appearance of eye puffs, darkness and fine lines. It is also marketed that the formula actually helps hold eye makeup in place.

I have been using this moisturizer for a few weeks now. I was initially excited, because I do have dark circles under my eyes, and there is nothing I would like better than to have them disappear.

The moisturizer's texture is nice, it's not greasy, and it applies smooth. And I have noticed that I am less puffy around the eye area than before I started with the moisturizer. However, there has been no affect whatsoever on my dark circles, which are just as dark as they were before I started using this moisturizer.

I'm not sure what to say about the claim that this moisturizer helps keep eye make-up in place. I do not wear eye make-up every day, usually only for special occasions. I wore some the other day for Easter and was wearing this moisturizer as well, and my eye make-up did stay in place all day long. But I'm not sure whether to credit that to the make-up itself or to this product.

This product is a little pricey at $28 for a small bottle/tube. And for what it is supposed to do, I am relatively unhappy with it. Most of my moisturizers prevent puffiness, I was really looking for something to reduce dark circles, and this just didn't cut it.

As per usual though, I did receive a gift with purchase, so it's not a total loss.