Got Afib for the first time last new year. Had it around four times since. Been reading all of the posts on here about triggers and reckon mine is caused by alcohol and a bit of stress. I’m taking magnesium from natural rhythm in the US. I live in the uk so getting them is a bit of a pain but I’ll do anything to reduce the ectopics. Anyway so far they have reduced significantly and I’m assuming that’s down to the magnesium. In regard to the Afib I only seemed to get it when I had alcohol so I’ve gone teetotal and the result so far is great. I’ve had no episodes. I seen my cardiologist and he wasn’t sure about the magnesium but suggested that I should consider blood thinners. My chads2 score is 1. Anyway I’ve not gone on them yet. Sorry about the preamble but my question is regarding blood thinners. Are they prescribed only to prevent strokes when you’re in Afib.
Afib and alcohol: Got Afib for the... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Afib and alcohol
No, strokes can happen at any time, not just when you feel you are in AFib. This article shared earlier today explains it well.
healthline.com/health-news/...
Thanks Kaz. My cardio said to me that my risk was around 1% but the dilemma I have is that with blood thinners the risk of bleeding on the brain (and recent announcement of dementia being higher with blood thinners) is something I have to factor in to my decision
AFib increases the risk of dementia but being on anticoagulants helps protect you:
Blood thinners is the wrong term entirely as they don't. They are anticoagulants which slow down the clotting process. Bleeds should only occur due to injury or inherent weakness in the structure and as I reported a doctor recently told us you can treat a bleed but you can't undo a stroke. It is all about risk /benefit and how you view this.
AF makes us all five times more likely to have a stroke. Five times what I hear you ask? Ah the 64k$ question. That is where the CHADSVASC score comes in so with a score of 1 anticoagulation is optional if you fear bleeds so much. Most of us fear stroke far more. The dementia factor is complex but on balance your risk is higher without anticoagulation due to the risk of micro embolii getting into the brain without physical symptoms and building up over time.
In othern words you are permanently at risk regardless of if you are in AF or not.
We have a number of members who were told that they were low risk and didn't need anticoagulation who almost immediately had strokes.
Thanks Bob. It is a complex issue but my cardio did advise that he would put me on Apixaban (5mg twice a day). Read on here that, generally, you get very few side effects but it's the taking of drugs long term that, like everyone, I'm not overly comfortable with. The other thing is that I've got haemochromatosis which means I need to give blood about every six months. Does that mean I have to stop the anticoagulants before the venesection?
So that is why you have AF then. AF is a known side effect of haemachromatosis amongst many other problems. Can't advise re donoring and anticoags but really would not want to stop once on them. With apixaban at least 24 horus should be long enough and start again right after I suspect.
Thanks Bob. The cardio knew I had haemo but didn’t say there was a link.
Iron overload of any organ can cause major problems as you know. We had a member about six years ago with it which is why I know that it can cause AF in people with no other history or risk. No comfort for you I know but I understand it is very rare.
My specialist tries to keep me below 100 for ferritin. I’ll maybe ask to go lower
I'm a very long retired nurse so don't take this as gospel but venesection is much the same as having a blood test from the amount of physical trauma so would think a little longer pressure on needle site afterwards would be all you needed.
Presumably they discard the blood anyway as you would not normally expect to receive anticoagulated blood?
Sure to I would think.
I’ve had cancer so they discard anyway. I’ll ask my specialist regarding the extra pressure needed. Thanks for your replies
Statistically you're correct in saying that those with AF are 5 times more likely to have a stroke, but is it the AF that causes the stroke or the AF combined with comorbidities that lead to them. Very little research has been conducted on those with ''lone' AF, i.e. those, like me who are fit and healthy in all other respects with no comorbidites. What research has been conducted suggests that I'm no more likely to have a stroke than those without AF. Btw I've suffered from paroxysmal AF for 30 years and it's only over the last 3 months that I've been on anti-coagulants because of a recent ablation and I'm due to come off of them very shortly because my EP considers me to at very low risk of a stroke.
This may be of interest.
Does your heart have any structural problems on echo?
I've had 2 EP's say that if there is no other heart concern on echo (and just occasional Afib) then blood thinners are absolutely not needed!
Mine basically refused to use thinners for just Afib (I had episodes every 2 weeks) given the echo was normal.
Put this to your EP and see what they say.
Cheers,
Marcus
Yes the echos are normal and the specialist said that I had excellent heart function. Interesting regarding what some other cardiologists say
Are you in the UK Marcus
Quite often, y'know, the afib isn't necessarily brought on by alcohol. It could simply be something as simple as the dehydration that alcohol causes. Particularly the following day.
I mean, you obviously have those that are unlucky enough to suffer immediate afib upon drinking any form of alcohol, or the after-effects of drinking excessive alcohol. I thought alcohol was one of my main triggers too, but I've found that it was actually dehydration. I drinking water like a fish these days. I cut out alcohol for 6 months after my diagnosis, and continued to be alcohol-free until 2 months post-ablation for 8 months continuous in total
Following that, I gradually reintroduced it, just to see how I got on. I mean, I was 36 at the time and I had wanted to at least drink socially, or be able to have a few whiskies or beers. I didn't have an issue. In fact, some times, the day after drinking I wouldn't get a single PCV or PAC. I made sure to drink lots of water before bed the day I drink, and lots the following day too.
Also, I found the guys at afibbers a great help. They advised on the benefits of taking magnesium, potassium, taurine and L-arginine. I've found these supplements, in varying amounts, a huge help in reducing ectopics and palpitations prior to - and following - my ablation.
After ablation i gave up drinking alcohol
6 months later the afib returned so I went back to having red wine
I find it helps me relax and isn't a trigger
Everything in moderation guys
I reckon you might well be right about the dehydration. I've thought that mine is due to that, and the last one I had when I'd been drinking far too much may have also been due to the accompanying rich food, or to the dehydration due to the alcohol. I never seem to notice naturally that I've got thirsty, or think much about how much water I've drunk. Luckily, my wife tends to remind me to drink more.
That’s interesting. I have had Afib sometimes after drinking but it tended to occur in the early hours of the morning. Mostly though it didn’t occur when drinking.
I’ve got pip (flecainide) and that works really well to get back to NSR. Big dilemma on whether or not to take Apixaban.
I’ll try the water to ensure hydration and see how it goes.
Many thanks
Profound15, please do not stop your anticoagulants or your statin as they are both protective against the stroke risk you now have (having had atrial fibrillation the risk is now for all time whether you are in normal sinus rhythm or not).
You should continue your anticoagulant even though you are having venesections for haemochromatosis - all you need to do is apply pressure for at least two minutes over the puncture site after your venesection to clot the blood. (I also have haemochromatosis & have had over fifteen weekly venesections to bring my serum ferritin down to below 50 - I now have three monthly venesections).
Haemochromatosis is only one of the rare causes for atrial fibrillation and I am sure in my case that the af is more likely due to excessive training for marathon running in my 40s & 50s or 50 years of drinking moderate levels of alcohol. I think the advice about rehydration when drinking alcohol is the right way to go to lessen a recurrence of the af.
Thanks coco. I’m not on any medication but have flecainide as a pill in the pocket if needed. My dilemma is regarding starting on anticoagulants. My cardiologist said that NICE in the uk now recommend anticoagulants even although my chads2 score is 1 (my age only). I also believe my Afib is due to the vagus nerve issue. My Afib generally occurs when I have acid reflux and when I’ve been sleeping (waking up around 1 or 2 in the morning with it). I’ve had palpitations (ectopics) for 35+ years but I only had my first Afib episode last December. Had it four times since then. It tended to happen after drinking alcohol and having reflux. Most of the time when drinking alcohol it doesn’t happen so it’s the stomach where it’s being triggered. I’m now taking magnesium to help the ectopics and they seem to help. However after eating I can still get the palpitations but they do settle down.
I get all my supplements from i herb.
Com
They are a Canadian company very reasonable charges I take their now magnesium chelate every day
In my opinion it's not moderate drinking of red wine its stress that triggers a/fib
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