Lately I've been hearing a lot about new studies liking anxiety to obesity. Cortisol, I think, is the name of the chemical in the body that is responsible for keeping the fat on nervous wrecks.

I have a long-term history of severe anxiety disorder. Right now, my anxiety is 100% under control unless outside forces sneak in or if I abuse alcohol or caffeine. For example, I'll be having a perfectly normal day, but my boss could raise his voice and set my anxiety off without warning, and I'll be left with my heart pounding and hands shaking (which is lame considering I couldn't give a rat's ass what my boss thinks since he's clueless.)

Even 1 cup of coffee is too much for me, but I still drink caffeine in several forms because I'm a junkie, plain and simple.

When I was in my 20s, I was spending more time in Emergency Rooms than at work, so my doctor put me on fulltime disability for 2 years. I couldn't leave the house without having a full-blown anxiety attack. It was awful, because I would try my hardest to mentally fight them off. I had nothing to be anxious about, nothing scared me, I had no fears, no phobias, but the physical attacks were debilitating, and according to experts, were residual breakdowns from an abusive youth. At one point I was taking four 1-ml Xanax a day just to keep from hyperventilating. If you ever took Xanax, four pills could knock out an elephant for a week. Today, I only take about 1/2 a month around PMS time, or I keep one with me for emergencies.

I noticed "Corti-Slim" is a new OTC diet drug that addresses this problem. I haven't bought diet pills since Phen-Fen, so I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this new discovery, or if Corti-Slim is any different than any other speed pill, like Dexatrim, for example.

Normal diet pills give me major insomnia, but I took both doses of the Corti-Slim yesterday and slept like a baby. Any and all info/comments/warnings/suggestions appreciated. Alex, Donali?

I tried Corti-slim and it did nothing, nada, zilch for me. The "magic ingredient" is b Vitamins (forget which one, I think b6, but the b vit that you can get over the counter to help calm ya down). The b vitamins are what are helping you sleep. They are a common ingredient in over the counter natual sleep aids.

Good luck with it tho......

Sorry, DeLarla, I know nothing about Corti-slim or anxiety, really, at all. Did it help you eat less?

Well this is gross, but I've gotta say it: Be careful with high-dose B vitamins if you've got hemmoroids. After about 5 days of B's they make me ITCH like CRAZY! It always takes me awhile to figure out what's going on because it doesn't happen right away. I don't know how there could be a build-up since they're supposed to pass thru but they definately make me want to scoot around on the grass like a dog with worms!

(You really needed that visual--right!?)

Great visual, Kare!! lol

Sorry, don't know anything about CortiSlim... Any pill like that that interests me invariably has normal ingredients you can buy, so I end up not getting it... Try the B Vitamins alone. I haven't taken them, so can't confirm Kare's warning, but I'll take her (?) word for it...

I can't tell if it's the Corti-Slim or the extra Diet Pepsi I had yesterday, but I made it an entire day without goodies. Dr. Billy prescribed the book, Picture Perfect Weightloss, which I'm now reading. One part (summarized) says regardless of whether you have physical hunger or mental hunger, there are several chemicals that are responsible for making us want to eat. So instead of depriving yourself, make a healthy choice and eat.

Last night I looked at some of the healthy choices vs. the bad choices pictured in the book, and I ended up with a poppyseed roll with a smudge of P-butter compared to the prior night's quarter gallon ice cream, Cookies, etc. I'm was very pleased with myself.

So, is it the Corti-Slim? Is it the book? I think it's a combo deal of both of them added to the fact I'm drinking shakes again in the morning.

I'll finish off the box then let you know if they help me (Miss Anxiety, USA.) But I've slept like a puppy since starting them, which I never do. I'm not scooting on the carpet yet, but I'm twisted enough to really have enjoyed that visual!

Did I mention my doc gave me a B-12 shot, which did nothing for me? What's the diff between that and the B vites in Corti-Slim?

P.S. Corti-Slim is the only diet pill I've taken that doesn't make me nervous or jittery. I've been taking diet pills since I was a teenager, anything from street speed (Black Beauties, Whites) to Dexatrim to prescription meds to PhenFen. They all made me insane. Corti-Slim doesn't have that affect. I'm sure the dangers of this new miracle pill will start to unfold in court cases across the country, but I'm calm for a change... imagine that?