I always thought the idea behind Alka- Seltzer was to come to the aid of a queasy stomach. To stop indigestion. To cure gas. To help with heartburn and nausea. Maybe even diarrhea. Well, something is seriously wrong with me then. Alka- Seltzer does do a few of things it is supposed to, but it also creates a problem or two.

THE PRODUCT:

Alka- Seltzer is supposed to help treat the following symptoms:

* Indigestion
* Heartburn
* Nausea
* Upset Stomach
* Diarrhea

The product comes in a tablet that is about the size of a poker chip and you simply drop it into a glass of water wait for it to dissolve. The tablet will give off bubbles and even make a hissing sound as it begins to dissolve in the liquid. Once the process is complete you simply drink the concoction and you should begin to notice relief from your symptoms in a short period of time. A nice feature is that you can carry the product with you since it comes in a relatively small wrapper and is not a liquid.

THE WARNINGS:

First a warning about children: You should never use any type of product that is similar to this one, or Alka- Seltzer itself if your child or teenager is vomiting while recovering from chicken pox or the flu. If a child is vomiting while recovering from these illnesses, consult a physician immediately as these maybe signs of Reyes Syndrome, a rare but serious illness.

Yes, that was taken directly from the label, but I felt that it should be posted in case anyone is ready to run out the door to purchase something for their recovering and vomiting child. So, the other warnings:

* If you are allergic to aspirin it is suggested that you avoid the product as an adverse reaction is possible.

* If diarrhea or a high fever persists for more than two days, consult a doctor.

* Consult a physician if you are pregnant or nursing.

* If you are taking blood thinning medication, consult a physician.

* You may notice a temporary darkening of the stool after taking Alka- Seltzer.

WOW! A lot of warnings for something as simple as Alka- Seltzer. The bottom line is to use common sense when taking this product or any other.


DOES IT WORK:

So, after spending 27 minutes on the can while trying to figure if you need to consult a physician, will Alka- Seltzer really work? In my experience Alka- Seltzer works quite well when it comes to heartburn, indigestion, and nausea. Not only does it work well, but it also works quickly and that is important to most of us.

However, I have found that Alka- Seltzer does not work well when it comes to diarrhea. In fact, on occasion I will take Alka- Seltzer for something like heartburn and then end up with a nasty case of diarrhea. Hmm, never have been able to pinpoint whether the heartburn was a prelude to the diarrhea, or whether the Alka- Seltzer caused the diarrhea. Regardless, I would suggest Imodium AD if diarrhea is your ailment.

THE VERDICT:

I would recommend Alka- Seltzer for the treatment of heartburn, nausea, and indigestion. For other ailments, there are better options.



Recommended: Yes

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