Twenty days on from my last PAF, thinking will probably clear another 40 days to the next as per usual pattern. Great day, trip to the seaside, lunch with old friends, home to relaxing small dinner, feet up. Had slight constipation last few days, thought I would give a try to a new version of Fybogel, now in chewable tablets. Yeh, chewable if you've got the teeth of a JCB, but never mind, ground my way through, although said to the wife, not sure I'll try these again. Time for bed, quick read before lights out. Bam! Tightening of throat, fast heartbeat. Managed to drift in and out of sleep during the night, but still in AF all day, just had to sit around, out of action, wondering how long this will go on for. But really curious what triggered it. I've been blaming the Fybogel and can't identify another culprit. They've got quite a list of ingredients, top of my suspects list are sucralose and aspartame but I'm no chemist. Any thoughts from anybody, any similar experience?
Another trigger?: Twenty days on from... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Another trigger?
Trigger guessing is a sport we all like to play, but lose as often as we win 
Could be the those artificial sweeteners, or the chewing action itself on what sounds like horse pills, or even the constipation, as afib is so tied into the gut.
Did your doctor ever discuss a PIP (as needed) antiarrhythmic like Flecainide to get you out of these episodes faster? I also used to wait them out, but now Flecainide converts me in 1-4 hours without fail.
Jim
The cardiologist advised that flecainide is an option if symptoms become intrusive. That's a bit open to interpretation but will discuss with GP whenever I am honoured with an appointment. Meantime, pleased to say am now back in sinus after resting for the day, so will put this one down to a reaction (to something).
Without doubt I would say it’s the sweeteners. In particular aspartame.
I was prescribed chewable calcium tablets when I became intolerant to dairy. After the first one I was in AF. Looked at the ingredients and they contained aspartame.
Aspartame is a common trigger for AF and should be avoided. Other sweeteners should also be avoided too, but this is quite difficult.
Triggers: artificial sweeteners, gut health issues (use a nutritionist not off the counter 'sticking plasters' and sounds like you may have to focus on more lifestyle improvements to avoid vagally mediated PAF - eg OK with a great day day, relax at night and AF starts before or during sleep.
Having struggled with constipation and ectopic beats for years, I am sure there's a link between the two. A cardiologist looking for causes of a clicking sound in my chest and palpitations many years ago showed me on an X-ray that the two organs can physically press against each other, separated only by the diaphragm muscle. Any constipation, gas, bloating or large meal. or even certain body positions such as stretching or crouching, can do this and set of palpitations or worse.
I have been using Fybogel but have decided it's too full of the wrong ingredients (colouring, emulsifiers and... packaging!). I'm now trying psyllium powder, which is all that Fybogel is (they call it ispaghula husk to make it sound more special!). Sadly, the one I bought is so fine it's hard to mix, but it is working as well as - if not better than - Fybogel sachets.
Steve
You need psyllium husks, NOT psyllium powder! The psyllium powder can be used in baking as a binding ingredient in baking.
Thanks so much for that. I've now ordered some to replace the powder we have. It's far from clear on Amazon that there are two types, and I hope this will be more like Fybogel to use. The powder is the oddest stuff!
Steve
Yes, it’s like unflavoured fybogel. It makes a great “sawdust shake” 😋
Strangely, as they're the same thing, I've never found Fybogel especially effective. I can only think that there's too little fibre in each sachet compared with a spoonful of psyllium, but most of all it so expensive, extravagantly packaged and has a list of ingredients that is off-putting.
I'll report back on the husks! Thanks again for you advice on this.
Steve
Sometimes just being busy in a nice way , with a slightly later bed time can trigger me
AF triggers are always a bit puzzling. Trying to live without stress is difficult but we do our best. Milled flaxseed from Costco has certainly improved my digestion and I am no longer constipated.
The ordinary sachets also have aspartame. Like others mention, I recently bought Psylium Husk instead. You don’t need to use much.
Glad to discover recently that Gaviscon have brought out a new product called GaviNatura. No aspartame - though it does have sugar.
aspartame and sucralose always get my heart out of rhythm. Almost immediately. I’m the one who can’t even chew gum with aspartame without it causing my heart to go crazy.
Flecainide 100mg taken when you first feel your heart going crazy usually settles it back down to normal within a few hours! It did for me - now take it regularly am and pm so hardly have any episodes but if one occurs I just take another tablet and it doesn’t last long! I check progress with my Kardia. I’m 79 and female by the way - similar age if not sex!
Hi there, I have been on Fecainide for two months with no problems 50MG morning and night. I always worry about HR going up to 230bpm as when diagnosed in hospital. I dont take a beta blocker but Digitlzam once in the morning. Happy to know that possibly an extra Flecainide will keep the HR down. How frequently do you have episodes and what does it feel like? Female and 68 soon.
So sorry not to have replied earlier. I can’t remember the last time I had an episode - could check on the Kardia- but I know I had a few around the time I caught covid near the end of January, that I only knew when took a test after our daughter who had visited found she had tested positive, as with no other symptoms and when I was given some from a different supplier which I reported to yellow card. I would just take an extra 100 mg as PIP. Episodes never last more than a few hours and I’m very pleased that I have had another episode free day after just taking a pill at night and cutting out the morning one in an attempt to put an end to the unpleasant side effects of the drug I experience now!! Good luck finding what works for you and apologies for taking so long to respond.
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