Because pain is an acidic condition...meaning at the receptors, there is an acid reaction, the dual nature of the AlkaSeltzer is useful because of the presence of the bicarbonate. It temporarily blocks this action, and for us on PN it can last for 4-8 hrs.

It is only about $2.00 for 36 doses of 2 tablets/pack. If you only use one, that is 72 doses. I typically use 2 tablets about 2 times a week on average. This of course blocks irritation to the GI tract from the initial dosing, but the systemic effects on bleeding remain. That is why I only use it occasionally.

One shouldn't chew aspirin... it erodes your tooth enamel, and may damage your gums. The only indication for chewing an aspirin is when a heart attack is suspected and the aspirin is for aborting that.

ALKA seltzer - between it's name and the fact you said it LOWERS acid, you made the connection for me between ALKAseltzer and ALKAlinity.
I add ALKAlinity Increaser to my pool when needed, acid to lower it, (mostly to lower PH) which is closely related to alkalinity.
My 10lb bag of ALKAlinity Increaser is Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, PH Increaser's the same w/o Hydrogen.
What's interesting is I take Vitamin C 4 to 5x/day to make urine acidic to fight UTI's since spinal cord injury 23yrs ago. Was discharged from NYU/RUSK this way and surely will continue it.

btw...1 adult aspirin at bedtime's still working excellent for my sleep time leg jolts & the stoma/bleeding issue seems to have adapted.

Alkalinity Seltzer

Eddie Cranberry capsules are better to avoid UTIs.

AlkaSeltzer was originally formulated decades ago for hangovers.

Since then we have learned much about effervescent products, and that they deliver drugs (and some vitamins) quickly into the blood. We've also learned about acid/base swings in the blood, which are really kept by our body's systems to a minimum. But at the receptor sites for pain, there is an acid gradient to activate the pain impulse. This was posted on a pain site.

What the bicarb in the AlkaSeltzer does, is block receptor and also that of histamine. Histamine does many things in the body and brain. In the brain it is the signaling molecule for the release of other neurotransmitters.

So today, AlkaSeltzer is much more than a simple hangover remedy-- plop plop fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjb2UJZ-5I

Here is a little story from this summer. Our son came upNorth to visit for a short while and we went out to lunch and he and I had a perch basket. Nice perch...I love perch..and they were very generous with it.
I wondered why...since perch is expensive. Then we went back to the island and he took his camera to explore and I picked up my major book Pillars of the Earth, and when he came back he said his feet were burning...and so were mine! I thought...aha...the fish was going old, and had that histamine thing which causes tingling and burning. So we both did the plop plop fizz fizz and within minutes we were back to normal. He was IMPRESSED ... not many things impress him about us anymore! LOL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scombroid_food_poisoning
our case was mild.... but this can be a very uncomfortable thing to have from old fish.

Eddie, isn't it nice to find a simple, cheap solution to such a vexing problem? So happy for you!

Eddie, I was not asked to take aspirin until I got the disease Polycythemia Vera, in which there CAN be lowered circulation in the peripheries (toes, legs, hands). The doctors said they didn't know what caused the spasms or jerking, but they wanted me to take the aspirin because it makes the platelets in the blood less sticky, and thus they pass through vessels more easily. But I am convinced you are right--poor circulation induces spasm, makes PN pain worse.
I cannot take aspirin by mouth, so I grind it up in heavy skin cream and rub it on my skin. Some hematologists are suspicious that won't work, others say it seems to work, some say it might even work better that way. So I keep rubbing it on, about l/4 of one uncoated powdered aspirin per day (equiv. of a baby aspirin a day). If I did not do it this way I would not do it, because of stomach pain. It is a requirement for Polycythemia Vera, so I had to think of a way; actually my late husband thought of this way. I miss his engineering mind.
It's sad when a beautiful mind goes away.

Hey, you can try a migraine formula which contains tylenol, and asprin plus a small amount of caffiene. Does't keep me awake or anything. The caffiene helps with the opening of blood vessels also. Just a thought.

Another plus for taking some ASPIRIN.

jackD

The constant annoying while I try to sleep leg jolts (mind you I take 140mg baclofen/day) that aspirin helped and then didn't help, was a sign to take 6 day oral medrol dose pack. It worked as it has the last few times taken, usually every 6 months it works out to be. I kept taking the nightly adult aspirin, and the past few days switched the aspirin for a ibuprofen and leg jolts are staying at bay (at night anyway). Thought ya'll would like to know.

I'm glad you are finding relief. My Doc once told me, if I had to use an OTC pain med, to switch back and forth. It works better. I guess you found that out..