Flecainide and excess gas

[Profound15]

I’ve been having real bother with excess gas over the last few months. I’m on 50mg x 2 of flecainide daily and wondered if it causes the gas problem. I take the first dose at 6am and generally pass a lot of gas in the next two or three hours. I’m just trying to figure out if the flec has a history of this side effect. I’ve been on it for around 3.5 years.

[Bagrat]

I would be surprised if flecainide would be the problem after a few years. Maybe worth reading up on the gut microbiome. Has your diet changed??Good starting place live yoghurt. Look at cautions but consider fermented foods too, kefir, unpasteurised sauerkraut, kimchi. Start gently though. Are you eating/drinking more sugar or sweet foods?

Just a few random thoughts!

[Profound15 in reply to Bagrat]

Thanks Bagrat I agree. I’m actually on one sachet of Laxido a day which I think may be the root cause of the problem but thought I’d ask if anyone had an issue with flec. Suffering from bloating and excess gas. I presume the laxido continues to work in the gut for the full 24 hours so that would mean suffering the gas throughout the day and of course night. The bloating is worst at night and early in the morning. I have a constipation problem (had it for a few years) and hence the Laxido. I’m wondering if I can stop it or probably wean myself off Laxido as I now use Peristeen TAI.

[Bagrat in reply to Profound15]

Damned if you do damned if you don't. Slow gut transition also a source of breath taking gas!! Are you a porridge fan, soluble fibre is good stuff

[Profound15 in reply to Bagrat]

Yes have porridge some mornings and oatibix others. The stomach bloating can be horrendous due to trapped wind. Been looking at windeze (Simethicone) but haven’t tried yet. On bisoprolol as well and just finished a course of rifaximin as the consultant thought it was bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) but still got the same amount of gas. The laxido seems to have bloating and excess gas as common side effects. Seeing the specialist on Wednesday and going to find out the easiest way to get off laxido. Been taking it for a couple of years but recently had modified/increased/decreased the dose as I was suffering from rectal dysfunction. Now I’ve got Peristeen I’m less worried about stopping the laxative.

[Profound15 in reply to Profound15]

The dosing changes was suggested by my GP. Take three a day etc

[Bertie1234 in reply to Profound15]

Hi Flecainide has a side effect of constipation so I guess it is all linked. I'd echo use of sauerkraut and yoghurt and add drink lots of water, eat lots of fibre. Potassium rich bananas etcetera.

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Bagrat]

Hi

I'm without a gall bladder.

I had bad stomach pains and wind from GHERKINS which I think ferment in vinegar but vinegar can do it too.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[Bagrat in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Oh that must have been horrid

[Buffafly]

Unfortunately the mix of Flecainide and bisoprolol is probably what causes the constipation. So if you haven’t been offered an ablation or pace and ablate it might be a good time to consider one of those.

[Profound15 in reply to Buffafly]

Thanks. Been looking at a pulsed field but the medication is doing ok at the moment. In terms of the constipation I’m now on trans anal irrigation which helps. I’ve had constipation before I was on the medication and I think it might be to do with me having a tortuous colon which can cause the problem. Clearly the medication is probably exacerbating it.

[Buffafly in reply to Profound15]

Yes, my colon is extra long so Propafenone plus diltiazem was the last straw. My sympathies

[Profound15 in reply to Buffafly]

Thanks

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Profound15]

Hi

An Australian Dr doing my colonscopy said I had the longest colom crammed into a small space.

He prescribed COLOFAC 135mg x 1 with a glass of water 1 hour before breakfast. It works everytime or a kiwifruit in season. Figs, dates, prunes are all good even a handful of nuts.

cherio JOY

[Linley]

It's a yes from me, always been a bit of a windy person but only been on Flecainide for 6 weeks and it's def worse so hopefully the Homeopath will sort me out as she did for my reflux😳, also having a loopy colon does not help in my case

[Profound15 in reply to Linley]

Thanks Linley. I think in my case I’m taking a laxido sachet every day (bloating and excess gas are side effects) and it could be that this is mixing with the flecainide and causing more excess gas. Just a theory though. Side effects of flec inc gas but this is rare apparently. Been on it since 2020 and only had this problem for last three months. My doctor told me to take more laxido sachets daily and I think it’s affected me by bloating and excess gas. I’ve dropped back to one a day at the moment but would like to stop them gradually. This part I’ve not got a clue how long etc

[Auriculaire in reply to Profound15]

Just because a side effect is rare does not mean that you won't get it! There have to be some unlucky people who get the " rare " side effect. Also the classification of side effects on the packet insert tend to come from what emerged in the clinical trials where everything is done to keep them to the minimum. Post marketing is where side effects really emerge and quantification of these depends on doctors or individuals reporting them to regulatory bodies like the MHRA. There are studies that show that underreporting is common - indeed that no more than 10% of side effects are reported. So what is indicated as "rare" on the leaflet may not be so rare after all!

[Bagrat]

Have mentioned before I am a fan of the "squatty potty". Have a Google ( other search engines are available). Putting ones feet on a pile of books when 'contemplating' works just as well

[Profound15 in reply to Bagrat]

Was going to buy a little stool as what you suggested is a good idea

[opal11uk]

I used to suffer quite a bit and very uncomfortable and painful until I discovered a Kefir drink, which I now drink, just a little, after my last drugs at night, first the glass of water, the drugs, a Rich Tea biscuit and the Kefir, I have been doing this now for 2 years and its definitely worked for me. I would add that this was not related to Flecanide but the other drugs I am taking together, I think they conflict with one and other anyway, all good now.

[Vonnegut]

That’s it! I’m on 100mg twice daily and I suggest you read the information sheet that comes in the packet. It works very well at keeping my heart in order but does come with flatulence as a “rare” side effect!!

[Tapanac]

no I haven’t had this side effect. Could it be something you eat the night before??

[TootingBelle]

have you been tested for the h.pylori bacteria? I discovered that was the cause of my trapped wind and discomfort. A specific stool test is the most sensitive, doesn’t always show up on biopsy. Whatever the cause, good luck with finding relief.

[Tarikor]

I have often commented on this AF group forum that almost all heart issues (and for that matter, most other health issues in the body) start in our GUT. I also have HUGE issues in my gut and have found after two decades of heart problems that most of my arrhythmias happen at night when I am aspirating gas and food contents from my stomach/intestines which reflux upwards and this causes my lungs to spasm and close up, lowering my blood oxygen and thus causing my heart to beat much faster and also erratically to try to keep the oxygen to the brain up.

Unfortunately, our (Western) medical system is incapable of looking into the body as a WHOLE and just dissect each little section not worrying about any other body part connected to in this case, our heart. No amount of surgeries and drugs will ever fix your arrhythmias if it is being caused by your gut. I have had four ablations already, plus drugs for decades, and the AFs and flutters (plus infinite ectopics of all types) continued to pop up. Until you address the REAL root causes of your heart issues, these will unfortunately, not resolve.

Now, onto the gas issue. (Western) medical doctors are woefully ill-equipped to deal with what happens in the gut, especially the small bowel. They do thorough inspections and checks on the stomach and part of the duodenum and also very comprehensive colon studies, but it is like they are allergic to the small bowel and avoid it entirely. I have tried so bloody hard to get doctors in Spain, the UK and now in Australia, to please look into my small bowel, and, I kid you not, they all just say one single thing: TAKE AN ANTIACID. That is it. That is all they have.

So, try and find a Medical SCIENTIST who specialises in the gut and the microbiome and see if they can help you. I am currently awaiting test results for stool microbiome (the complete analysis one, that no country's medical system covers, you have to do it privately), complex breathing test (hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulfide, Australia only does the hydrogen one, you have to go private for the other two!!), and a full urine and blood test as well.

I tried carnivore two years ago and surprisingly, ALL my health issues, except for gas, disappeared, I also lost weight eating a huge amount of grass-fed, grass-finished beef fat haha... quite the opposite of what main stream media will have you think. All my skin issues disappeared (have quite a few as I have allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.) and all my constipation problems also disappeared, on zero fibre diet.. go figure!

I was also on Flecainide for many, many years, and a dose higher than yours, and have not taken it regularly for six years now. My gas issues only started four years ago so I don't think it would be that, however, you may be taking other drugs that may interact? For example, my unfortunate gut issues history started with Verapamil (a calcium channel blocker) which caused my haitus valve to go on holiday and allowed my food and stomach contents/acid to reflux up. Calcium channel blockers also slow down food digestion which can then cause SIBO/SIFO and this in turn causes constipation, which in turn causes more SIBO/SIFO which in turn makes your life a living nightmare of bloating, flatulence, gas, breathing problems, heart problems, skin problems, etc.

Sorry for long post, but most people do not know how all of our organs are interconnected and doctors will almost NEVER inform you. Your nutrition is also VERY important, as is exercise (better 5 minutes a day, then several hours a single day a week), and NO STRESS. Stress is the mind/body killer.

Ok, enough from me, I am sodding off now, let me know if you have any questions, cheers!

[Karenjaninaz]

Yes!!! Retired nurse anesthetist here (US). That gas caused me so much grief. I know all the remedies people give who have not, themselves, suffered with flecainide gas. The gas would start within a few hours of each dose. I was so distended that it interfered with my breathing aaaaaaand I have IBS. I managed somewhat with simethicone, miralax and glycerin suppositories. I even went to a gastro who did a small bowel fluoroscopy with dye: results normal. Not much change with diet,

The flecainide was stopped one-month after my PFA and I am blissfully back to normal.

[southkorea]

it certainly upset my stomach m!!

[Villador]

Good morning to all,

I have been taking Flecainide since last October and, although it seems to do its job for me, I’m now concerned that my loss of weight since October is possibly due to this medication. Has anyone else noticed weight. loss while taking Flecainide ?