Flecainide & Constipation

[ramblerbaz3]

Hi All,

I was diagnosed with PAF in September 2020 & I take 5mg x 2 of Apixaban as anti coagulation & was taking 100mg Flecainide as PIP.

My episode’s of AF increased a couple of weeks back & had 5 episodes in 1 week. I contacted my EP who has now put me on 2 x 50mg of Flecainide twice daily (am & pm).

The problem I have had since taking this daily, is I am getting constipation each morning when going to the toilet. This I never had before !!!

I have a very varied diet, including Fibre & keeping fairly well hydrated.

I am considering taking a Magnesium supplement to hopefully help with this problem.

Any suggestions/advice on what type/make to buy, or any other remedies that may help, will be much appreciated .

Thanks very much for any help, .......... Barry

[BobD Volunteer]

I've not taken flecainide for many years Barry but not heard of this issue. To clarify is your dose 100mg twice daily or 50 mg twice daily?

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob.....my dose is 50mg twice daily...1 morning & 1 night. Thanks

[BobD Volunteer in reply to ramblerbaz3]

quite a low dose then.

[The_Lord_is_with_Us]

I just got off 4 months of the same dose Flecainide you're taking.

I, too, had the stopping effect. I took a tablespoon of organic psyllium husk powder (brand: Organic India) mixed into a full glass of water in the morning. Start off with 1 glass a day .... progress to a second in the evening, if nothing improves. (Don't take meds within an hour or two of psyllium).

Magnesium is always a good supplement.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to The_Lord_is_with_Us]

Hi..... Thanks for that I will look into it......all the best!!

[cuore in reply to ramblerbaz3]

Rather than water, I put the psyllium husk powder in my oatmeal in the morning.

[Londonlass]

I had same problem with Flecainide. Magnesium citrate 1 tablet 150mg from Nature’s Best helped or small glass of prune juice.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to Londonlass]

Hi.... Thanks, that make is 1 of the ones I have looked at ...all the best !!

[mobradley]

yes, I had exactly the same on the same dose, talked to the chemist and he gave me a remedy which was gentle but effective. Not on flec any more and its gone away.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to mobradley]

Hi.... Thanks for your reply, it’s not just me then..all the best!!

[secondtry]

I have been on 200mgs Flecainide a day for years and have also experienced a 'slowing up' in that department. I suggest trial and error is the only way to find what works best for your individual system. I eat fruit incl prunes, 3 pints of water a day, exercise x2 per day etc and it is not a real problem. I also take Nutri MegaMag Muscleze which is a magnesium compound but has much more than that beneficial to the heart - prescribed by a London Naturopath partnering it with CoQ10.

[The_Lord_is_with_Us in reply to secondtry]

CoQ10 .... a powerhouse heart supplement. Naturopaths are some of the best consultants. Good for you . . .

Also, sounds like you have been controlling your arrhythmia nicely for years with Flecainide. Demonstrates there is hope for sufferers for long-term med control that keeps the malady at bay.

Magnesium is a superstar for many things .... but I found it smoothed out my continuous ectopic beats that were driving me crazy. Thank you! magnesium . . .

[secondtry in reply to The_Lord_is_with_Us]

Thanks, a lot of homework to get a reasonable understanding of AF and frustrating as you don't know which action is the leading one. I think the answer, rather than focussing on the goal of eradicating AF, is to enjoy achieving 'every day small improvements'. Best wishes.

[ramblerbaz3]

Hi secondtry, Thanks for your reply, have just started eating prunes & going to up water intake....will look into the magnesium compound....all the best !!

[Opoho]

Add a kiwi fruit a day!

[Tapanac]

Yes I had this too, but I contacted my GP as had had a problem that way for over a week and he gave me a prescription for Laxido. I took this for one day and touch wood have been fine ever since. You can buy this over the counter for £7.50 as it is ok to take with any pills. Good luck as I know this problem is very uncomfortable. Good luck.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to Tapanac]

Hi Tapanac .... Thanks for that, will definitely look into this . All the best.

[tunybgur]

150mg flec every day.

Home made Kefir every day, very cheap to make and has a marvellous effect on digestive/immune system....regular as clockwork and feel great!

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to tunybgur]

Hi tunydgur, Thanks for your reply & advice....sounds great 👍 All the best.

[bassets]

I ended up with the same problem and have been taking a probiotic each morning which seems to have alleviated the symptoms.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to bassets]

Hi bassets, Thanks for your info....that seems well worth trying....All the best!!

[The_Lord_is_with_Us in reply to bassets]

Probiotic is very powerful for immune system and entire constitution. Excellent advice . . . Everybody should be taking it in some form. So much in modern society destroys the life sustaining benefits of probiotics .... especially antibiotic use.

[bassets in reply to The_Lord_is_with_Us]

Certainly!

[bassets]

👍

[babayaga]

One more suggestion Barry : do you like dried apricots? and are you anywhere near a health food shop? The reason to get them there (or dried pears or peaches) is that you can get organic unsulphured, and they are healthier. The unsulphured ones can be hard sometimes, and it may be a good idea to soak them in hot water, then eat them with your cereal (if you eat cereal) or whenever. I use them as snacks.

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to babayaga]

Hi babayaga...... Thanks for that, will look at dried apricots, have just been giving prunes a try .All the best!!

[babayaga in reply to ramblerbaz3]

Yes,, I forgot to mention prunes and figs. But I've stayed off prunes because my dad used to say sometimes, when I made him angry, "You're full of prunes!!"I take magnesium as well.

--Barbara

[ramblerbaz3 in reply to babayaga]

😁👍.....Barry