What Are the Side Effects of Fibermucil?

Fibermucil is a dietary supplement that contains blond psyllium or psyllium husk derived from the seeds of the Plantago Ovata plant. Despite its being marketed as a natural product for maintaining good cholesterol levels and removing waste from the digestive system, the psyllium husk contained in Fibermucil poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Types of Side Effects

• Side effects of psyllium husk include gastrointestinal effects like gas, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and nausea. Other less common side effects of psyllium husk are also possible, such as headaches, backaches, a runny nose, coughing and sinus problems.

Features

• Psyllium husk is safe for most people to take provided that the capsules are taken with water to prevent gastrointestinal side effects. Drink approximately 8 ounces of water for every 3 to 5 grams of psyllium husk, suggests RxList.

Drug Interactions

• Psyllium husk has the potential to decrease the effectiveness of the epilepsy medication carbamazepine and the bipolar drug lithium, posing a risk for seizures or the recurrence of mood swings, respectively. Psyllium husk also decreases blood sugar levels and can cause hypoglycemia in patients who use insulin or oral medications for diabetics.

Risks

• Psyllium husk has the potential to cause severe allergic reactions in some patients, resulting in skin rashes, chest pain, difficulty breathing and trouble swallowing, warns the Physician's Desktop Reference. The supplement also has the potential to cause swelling of your nasal passages, throat and eyelids due to allergies.

Considerations

• If you are pregnant or nursing or have a history of difficulty swallowing, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, it may not be safe for you to use products that contain psyllium husk like Fibermucil, cautions the Physicians Desktop Reference.