This is only loosely related to AF so I hope nobody objects. When I had my last episode of AF it was accompanied by a pain at the base of my throat. As this sometimes happens when my heart is stressed I blamed it on the AF, but when it continued for several days afterwards I began to think it might be reflux pain which of course can be associated with AF. I made the mistake of mentioning this to my GP who leapt into action with a prescription for Omeprazole although I told her that Lansaprazole had given me diarrhoea. I could hardly refuse to take it but wish I had. My digestive system went into meltdown with a very rapid transit through my stomach leaving me with hunger pain and nausea followed by dreadful gurgling drain sounds and finally bowel cramps early in the morning. I stuck it out for a few days then gave up. When my system seemed to have recovered I stupidly thought that must have been a coincidental bug so had another try which was worse and included a sort of ‘hot wash’ sensation in my stomach. And after I stopped my system didn’t really recover so I kept getting hunger pangs which I don’t normally do and had to keep snacking. Then last weekend I went down with a stomach virus which I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy and still feel pretty miserable. I’ve never had anything nearly so bad before so I’m putting the blame firmly on the PPI changing my gut balance. After the lansaprazole I ended up in hospital with diverticulitis so I suppose it could have been worse.
The only upside is that although the bug brought on AF initially I am now in NSR after being Unclassified for some time.
Has anyone else had this extreme reaction? I know people take PPIs for years so I’m wondering if I had the effect because I didn’t need them. Any ideas?
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Buffafly
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From your post, l don’t think taking 2 tablets would change your gut balance so quickly. It does sound as if your stomach bug was incubating. A virus can do this and take 3 weeks to rear its ugly head. Having said that, the Omeprazole probably does not suit you if you are unable to take Lanzoprazole, as they are related. Omeprazole doesn’t suit everyone and it does say on the leaflet side effects can cause gas, bloating etc., I have to take Omeprazole to protect my stomach from my anticoagulant as l had stomach issues before AF. It was either stop Warfarin or Omeprazole!! If you are still having problems after your stomach has settled then l would go back to GP. In the meantime Gaviscon liquid might help.
I started the PPI on the 1st June. It is a thought the medication may have stirred up a problem that wasn’t evident before. I do take Gaviscon on the rare occasions I have reflux.
Sorry Buff, l seemed to have misread your post. Very worrying for you, so perhaps see a Gastroenterologist to get some answers. The GP seems not to be helping you.
Personally I will never take any of these dreadful drugs. I was prescribed an "azole" about forty years ago when I first had AF though it was never diagnosed as such. My Gp decided that the "bubbly feeling" I had was stomach related and insisted I took them.
The results were perhaps not qute as violent as yours but I do understand and also eventually discovered why they should not be taken long term. Suffice to say there is plenty of info out there and even a Mayo Clinic paper on how to come off them safely.
My GP knows better than to ever mention them to me now and she wasn't even the culprit backalong.
How horrible for you Buff. You know my feelings on PPI’s and yes I do think they do more harm than good for most people and I believe that is now widely recognised. I’ve had numerous scripts thrust at me by all sorts of specialists and never taken one, nor will I ever.
I only know that when I have been in that situation the only help is starving for 2-3 days, water only or, what works well for me, liquidised water melon so that’s what I exist on until everything settles. Sipping warm/hot water also helps and avoid all cold drinks.
I’ve done the starving 😂 Liquidised watermelon sounds lovely if I hadn’t given my food processor to my granddaughter, much nicer than dioralyte which the 111 dr prescribed. He also suggested flat lemonade or similar (7up is the best because no nasties) but my daughter had a very trying time finding anything that wasn’t ‘Lo-Cal’ - it seems almost all fizzy drinks now come with aspartame and M&S had exactly 1 ‘free-from’ lemonade.
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