I am currently scheduled to have my second ablation in a few weeks. I’m currently having second thoughts on going through with it. I’m a 32 year old male, who’s relatively healthy. In the past 3 years I’ve had multiple instances of AF, have had 3 cardioversions, and one cryo ablation. Out of the 5-6 times I’ve went into afib every time I have had alcohol in my system. I’m not a big drinker though. It could be just a drink or two and it makes something switch inside of me and puts me into afib. Curious if anybody else has a similar story, or general thoughts for me. I don’t want things to progress, which is one reason I am considering a second ablation. I also would love the chance to have a glass of wine with dinner or to go out and have a beer with my friends. Any feedback is appreciated!
Should I have second cardiac ablation? - Atrial Fibrillati...
Should I have second cardiac ablation?
There is life, a good life, without alcohol.
I’ve not been on here for quite some time. I’m still recovering from what was probably an unsuccessful ablation 8 months ago. I come back on and this is the first post I see. 🤦♂️ Honestly lost for words with this one. Your 32 years old and your willing to put your heart through a traumatic and risky event like an ablation just so you can drink alcohol? Absolutely crazy beyond words. You know what causes it, stop drinking alcohol. Problem solved.
Do you mind if I ask what was unsuccessful about your ablation 8 months ago?
It hasn’t worked. I still have af and my heart is alot worse now than it was before I had it done. I haven’t worked in 8 months. Better question would be to ask what was successful about it and my answer would be nothing.
Many people have had success with them, I’m just not one of them. It may work for you but to have one just so you can drink is beyond crazy. Just don’t drink 🤷♂️ It’s not difficult and your life will be no worse off for it.
I think you have come to your own conclusions as to what triggered your AF. It’s a well known trigger, not for everyone, but for many.
You don’t have to be a big drinker and more and more studies are showing that any alcohol can cause damage to heart and brain
medscape.com/viewarticle/96...
Trouble is that we are socially conditioned to believe that ‘to be sociable’ we need to accept an alcoholic drink. We really don’t - there is a good life without alcohol.
I gave up alcohol completely for about 5 years when AF was at it’s worst and it helped, but AF didn’t go away. Now I have a very occasional white wine spritzer with soda water when out for a meal, only with food and ensure I drink plenty of water but that doesn’t trigger AF.
My view - is why bother to have a second ablation if you are going to undo all the medical hard work to free you of this condition if you are going to go drink alcohol?
Whilst I agree totally with what others have said, you must surely know that cryo ablation often leaves signals that later need "mopping up " with an RF ablation. Nothing is 100% but at your age with maybe 60 years ahead of you I wouldn't hesitate one second.
To recap. stop drinking alcohol and have the second ablation.
Stop drinking alcohol and don't have another ablation. I've had 3 ablations and numerous cardioversions, have been told they can do no more and am now in constant AF.
Look at your diet too as anything with artificial additives/sweeteners/caffeine can be a trigger, as can being over weight. I wish someone had given me this advice at the start of my AF journey
Jean
I had AF for over 30 years and believe it or not I have now had 7 ablations.
5 years ago I stopped drinking alcohol to help my EP with his sterling work. I was never a heavy drinker but felt I had do all I could to reduce any triggers.
I now have been virtually AF free for 2-3 years. The only real trigger I now find is an issue is stress. I made a very bad mistake yesterday afternoon and decided to watch Saints v Man City and developed AF half way through the second half. 😂
As a Saints supporter my wife has now banned me from watching Southampton play football I was already banned from attending live matches at St Mary’s Stadium.
Pleased to say that extra Flecainide did the trick and I am now back in NSR.
On a serious note I think avoiding alcohol is worthwhile considering. Regarding the second ablation, if your doctors say it is a good idea go for it!!!
Pete
I stopped drinking alcohol about 10 years ago as it was definitely causing AF. My cardiologist even told me to try an extra dose of Bisoprolol, which I was taking at the time, prior to having a drink. I still got AF.
At first I missed drinking at social events, but very quickly I didn’t even notice it. Sulphites in wine are well known triggers for AF.
I would have another ablation - at your age you want to stop this AF settling in and distorting your heart. And give up alcohol. Except for a sip of watered down bubbly at a wedding, nada, nothing. Have a good Moab about it, feel sad, stock up on non alcoholic beers and bubbly Kombucha but give it up. It clearly isn’t worth it. Good luck!
I can’t imagine that alcohol is causing your arrhythmia, rather, this will be because of changes in the cells lining the left atrium, cells that have become arrhythmogenic for some reason. My son's colleague has had four ablations since quite a young age and has been free of arrhythmias for very many years - and he likes to drink socially, but in a limited way. He's now 77 and has just begun to have paroxysmal AF again, but he's coping well. My elderly friend with permanent AF now, and who is 88, also enjoys a drink now and then.
The changes that lead to AF and other arrhythmias don’t seem to be well still understood but ablating the atrial cells around the pulmonary veins does stop them most of the time, and, it seems, a second or third ablation can be needed and work well when the first one or two fail. The failure is likely to have been because it is hard for the doctor to ablate closely enough or deeply enough in the area needed for fear of causing permanent damage to the pulmonary veins or other structures of the heart (I gather, for example, that in some people, the heart wall is extremely thin, and in others, the oesophagus presses too closely for comfort against the atrium).
At 32, if I were you, I would ask to see a cardiologist and request a stress cardiac MRI to evaluate the cardiac system as well as modern medicine allows. If paid for privately, this isn’t cheap, but it’s the gold standard cardiac imaging test, I gather. Your family history is also important, as are aspects such as sleep apnoea, high BMI, hypertension, diabetes, lethargic lifestyle.
Steve
I have the same experience with alcohol and afib. I choose zero alcohol policy. I had RF ablation and a couple instances of AF during first 20 days after. They prescribed 200 mg of amiodarone after the second instance. NSF now. I’m 82 however. At your young age I would certainly take the second ablation so long as you are well healed from the initial one.
I cut out alcohol completely some years ago and I have most certainly had less AF episodes and generally speaking a better life. I really do miss a glass of wine with a good meal but I consider it a small price to pay. It's very rarely I wake up in the night with the bouncy heart now. I have never had an ablation, but I think if I was being offered my second to tidy up after my first, I would also be seriously considering what lifestyle changes would also help ,and cutting out alcohol ,which I know triggered my AF , would be one of the things I would do. I wish you all the best in your decision making. Kath
Same experience here. It’s not the alcohol per se but the acetaldehyde it eventually breaks down into. So … even small amounts eventually affect the heart. I’ll see if I can get you the study showing this. Here it is:
Alcohol was the initial trigger for my a-fib in the early years of my having the condition. Cutting back didn't work, as it already created errant pathways in my heart. I haven't touched a drop in 8 years since I realized the connection, but the damage was done. I wouldn't take the risk.
Is there non alcoholic beer where you're at? I understand some of it is pretty good.. Seems like the best thing to do would be not drink if you know it's going to cause Afib? And maybe keep from having an ablation? Take care and be safe. Hope you find what helps you.
I just had a second ablation yesterday and feel pretty good! As for drinks, I do ok with Tito’s and soda with a splash of cranberry. Tasty. I can only have one or two and just here and there. Tito’s is corn based. I was a ketel one drinker, but even one gives me afib. (Wheat based)Good luck with your decision!
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