ME/CFS
Mild → no benefit
ME/CFS fatigue and pain, tried Alka-Seltzer and a cheaper effervescent, no benefit
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Jul 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
r/chronicfatigue
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
if I have something important I have to do and am struggling to have the energy
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
I wish one did the trick for a week or two but it's unfortunately only effective for about 4 hours. Still better than nothing.
In context ↗
Read from 16 of their posts and comments; links to the 10 this page draws on
Summary
Moon 64794 posted in a chronic fatigue forum that Alka-Seltzer gave a night-and-day improvement in fatigue and pain, clearing the haze by the time they finished a glass, but each dose lasted only about four hours. They used it sparingly, once or twice a fortnight, worried about the sodium, and later found cheaper Italian Crastan effervescent just as effective. They were also diagnosed with hEDS and a hiatal hernia.
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What they tried
Also tried
Alka Seltzer· Helped a lotCrastan effervescente· Helped a lotEner-C· No changeEmergen-C· No changeaspirin· No changeeffervescent vitamin C tabs· Not saidhydrating tablets (Hydralyte, Berocca)· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Alka Seltzer · Helped a lot
Anyone else get a huge improvement in their fatigue (and pain) when they drink alka seltzer? Like it's night and day!
In context ↗ - Ener-C · No change
I tried drinks like ener-c hoping they'd have just as much of an effect but no luck.
In context ↗ - Emergen-C · No change
I tried emergen-c and ener-c but it had no real effect on me.
In context ↗ - effervescent vitamin C tabs · Not said
some effervescent tabs/powders help the flavour, particularly the vitaline or Swiss energy vitamin c tabs
In context ↗ - aspirin · No change
aspirin is useless (to me anyway)
In context ↗ - Crastan effervescente · Helped a lot
I have been using Crastan alternatively (found it in an Italian grocery store) and it's just as good and much cheaper!
In context ↗ - hydrating tablets (Hydralyte, Berocca) · Not said
half an energy tablet added for flavour (hydralyte, berocca, etc)
In context ↗
Their path
They say too little about how ill they were at each step to draw it on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| onset | chronic fatigue with pain, cause not statedAnyone else get a huge improvement in their fatigue (and pain) when they drink alka seltzer?In context ↗ |
| 2023-02-16 | Alka-Seltzer lifted fatigue and pain for about four hoursLike it's night and day! I only use it on days when I have to get stuff doneIn context ↗ |
| 2025-07-18 | using cheaper Crastan effervescent with a similar effect, still only sparinglyI have been using Crastan alternatively (found it in an Italian grocery store) and it's just as good and much cheaper!In context ↗ |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
get a huge improvement in their fatigue (and pain)
In context ↗ - Brain fog
By the time I finish a glass, I feel like I've walked out of a haze.
In context ↗