wtf fast af

[Pinkladyga]

can anyone tell me why I’ve been free of this for years & now it came back I’ve been cardioverted all good can I drink again?

[MaryCa]

As in alcohol? Probably not the best idea as alcohol raises heart rate and therefore more likely to kick off afib. You'll see very many people don't touch it any more. Personally I'd rather give the alcohol a miss than have an afib rvr episode.

[Pinkladyga in reply to MaryCa]

Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it. Don’t think it can be alcohol as I have carried on drinking for years never started it. I personally think my business going under and hubby & kids stress anyone know about stress?

[MaryCa in reply to Pinkladyga]

Ok but your question was "can I drink again?". Stress would definitely be a trigger for a lot of people. That's not a good situation to be in to be honest

[Hidden]

when I had my first PAF episode I knew nothing about AF and when I felt better I had a few glasses of wine. Nothing happened. So I had a few more the next weekend and had another episode, milder but still felt bad enough to step back from the wine. I had one more experiment which convinced me to give it up - three years later my AF is minimal and I don’t miss wine at all in fact I feel liberated from a habit of decades. I loved wine and my pension comes from a wine company but I’d rather feel fit.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply I really appreciate it. I’m just not sure there is any conclusive evidence to prove this, I hadn’t been drinking at the time. I just feel this was stress. Does anyone know if it’s stress related, as I said previously in these responses I have drank & had caffeine for years surely if it was going to cause this would have done years ago?

[Hidden in reply to Pinkladyga]

Yup - I’ve had my worst PAF events after being in stressful situations. I left work in an ambulance never to return and only spoke through lawyers after workplace bullying : “I’m going to put you under pressure and that could be bad for your health” It was. It cost them dearly. My mother’s drawn out and troubled passing preceded two more events .

So all in all I have eliminated alcohol, caffeine, people I don’t like …and I’m now an orphan.

Yes, stress for sure can be another trigger to what may well be for me, a genetic confirmation.

On my mother’s death certificate I read two causes noted - Atrial Fibrillation and GI bleed.

Throughout my life, being in the wine and spirits trade I drank one or two glasses more than necessary on countless occasions and also dealt with many, many very stressful situations as I travelled the world but the years have caught up with me…. It was mostly fun ( not all though )

Different people have different triggers I guess - I’m very aware of how I feel after ingesting certain things and experiencing severe stress / desire to hit someone / something (never have I must add! ) - the interesting thing is that my pacemaker has always confirmed what has happened is AF..,

[Teresa156]

Do you know what triggered your episode? As others have said, alcohol is unfortunately known to be a trigger too and i think it was with me. I haven’t touched it for over two years and I’ve had one episode a year since.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Teresa156]

Thank you for your reply appreciate it I’m new to this so you haven’t drank yet still had episodes even though not many but still had without the drink?

[Teresa156 in reply to Pinkladyga]

Hi,

I was having monthly episodes about two years ago. I’ve had afib for 18 years. After lifestyle changes and stopping alcohol, I have had two episodes over two years. I know what triggered my last two. I just don’t want to add alcohol to the mix. I was drinking alcohol with monthly episodes. I’m not entirely sure if they caused them, but I don’t think they helped.

It’s just worth trying to work out what affects you and what doesn’t.

AF can unfortunately be a progressive condition for some and unfortunately cardiversions aren’t a ‘cure’ as there isn’t a cure as such at the moment for this. So we all try and manage it as best we can.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Teresa156]

Thank you

[jeanjeannie50]

I can only tell you that alcohol is a sure trigger for my AF. As are artificial sweeteners.

[Pinkladyga in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Wow never heard of artificial sweeteners that’s crazy is that really a thing?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Pinkladyga]

Well for me it certainly is, and proved lots of times when I've unwittingly consumed something with artificial sweeteners in.

I used to help run a really lovely nursing home. Each day I had my lunch there, but every time we had apple crumble for dessert my AF would kick off. I went to the kitchen and asked what was in it. The cook showed me the tinned apple and said nothing in the topping either. I was flummoxed, then when it was next made the cook came to see me and apologised because artificial sweeteners were in the custard so that patients with diabetes could have it.

I'd been fine heart-wise recently, until I bought a pack of small mints. The ingredients were too small to read. I sucked one while I waited for an ECG at my GP's surgery. As soon as I lay on a trolley to have it done I could feel my heart thumping. It showed my heart rate at 120bpm, another one showed it a 130. The nurse called a GP who said double my dose of Metoprolol. When home I looked online at the ingredients of the mints I had and yes they contained artificial sweeteners.

[Buffafly in reply to Pinkladyga]

Yes!

[dmac4646]

only if you want fast af again !

[Pinkladyga in reply to dmac4646]

I have drank & had caffeine for years I just don’t think it’s related I hadn’t been drinking I was asleep in bed?

[dmac4646 in reply to Pinkladyga]

You may be lucky but there is a shed load of evidence that alcohol is one of the key triggers along with age and obesity

[Hidden]

I forgot to add …. When I stopped drinking any alcoholic beverage I lost weight which encouraged me to become more active and started a whole load of thinking that got me to a much better place. No meds apart from a doac ( I joined a trial ) and a statin. The cherry on the cake was the money I don’t spend on good wine.

Also along this route I took I found this site with many people having similar views on lifestyle improvement as I do and some other handy tips too.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Hidden]

Thank you 🙏 for your reply I already got myself in the best shape of my life, living a healthy lifestyle drinking 2 litres water eating healthy working out getting steps in & losing 3 stone not worked

[Ppiman]

Once the heart conduction systems alter to allow AF to develop, it seems those changes often remain and, for many sufferers, slowly worsen as they get older.

I still enjoy a relaxing drink a few evenings a week, a G&T after a hot day or a glass of wine otherwise. Two older friends with AF are similar. I find that it has no discernible effect on my heart rate, calming it if anything.

Steve

[Pinkladyga in reply to Ppiman]

Yeah I think if this was my trigger I wouldn’t have been able to lead this life. Wish they did more studies.

[javo123j]

I've tried stopping alcohol but it made no difference to me. What works for some doesn't work for all unfortunately. I'm in to fitness and run and cycle most days. I'm fit carry no weight but still get af. Some say it's exercise that causes it. Who knows? Have been in AF for 96 days (previous longest 10 days) and having CV tomorrow.

[Pinkladyga in reply to javo123j]

Good luck with your cv let us know how it goes why wasn't you cardioverted immediately

[javo123j in reply to Pinkladyga]

It went okay today. I don't suffer too much with the AF except for exercise when I get it and it usually goes on its own but this time it lasted over 90 days. Even in AF my pulse is between 50 and 80. I had been signed off by the cardiologist but I asked to be referred to an EP and he recommended the CV.

[Cavalierrubie]

The trouble with AF is that you can’t give a definite answer because we all react so differently. Sometimes it’s impossible to know what triggers it. Anxiety alone can trigger mine. I have the odd glass of wine which l am ok with. Trial and error l think. All the best.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Thanks 🙏 yes I think stress

[Ppiman in reply to Pinkladyga]

I am beginning to wonder whether the "trigger" depends on how "wonky" the conduction system is in the atria. The more "wonky" the more easily it is triggered by various things. Also, it's thought likely that AF has two distinct "types" or general "triggers".

It seems that some of us have what is called "adrenergic AF" which is affected by an increase in emotional stimulation, anxiety, increased heart rate, exercise and similar; while others have "parasympathetic AF" which is triggered when they relax and when a dampening of the adrenergic system occurs such as during sleep, food digestion and similar. Yet others have more complex causes, perhaps existing heart conditions, hypertension, sleep apnoea, replaced heart valves, various kinds of heart block, and so on.

Also, reading that eventually both systems worsen with age to the point many are likely to end up with persistent AF (albeit hopefully and likely at normal-ish heart rate and with few important symptoms) , the "triggers" might not ever be fully discernible.

Steve

[mjames1]

Afib can come and go and in many cases is progressive. For example, my first afib episode was cardioverted and I had ten years until my second. Hopefully, your cardioversion will last as long, or longer, but lifestyle choices can make a difference. That might include exercise, diet and body weight management, as well as controlling cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Not sure how much alcohol you drink, but anything in excess is a red flag for afib. Less than that might vary person to person. Speak to your doctor, who at this point should be either a cardiologist or an ep.

Jim

[Pinkladyga in reply to mjames1]

Interesting thank you 🙏

[Autumn_Leaves]

Nobody can say why exactly you had an AF episode. It’s not necessarily anything you’ve done or didn’t do. As PPIman said, the heart goes through changes and unfortunately as we age our hearts age too. You may have some minor valve leakage which is a common “root cause” of AF and is present in most people over a certain age. This causes your heart to remodel as it compensates for the backflow and for some unfortunate individuals those changes will lead to AF. I wouldn’t waste time driving yourself mad looking for potential “triggers” though I do agree alcohol should be treated with caution. Just try and live a healthy lifestyle in whatever way works for you. I changed absolutely zero. I remained AF free until I caught Covid. Some things you can’t control. All you can do is live well.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Autumn_Leaves]

Thank you 🙏

[Sixtyslidogirl]

I gave up alcohol and caffeine in May after two AF episodes within 6 weeks. I have had a few drinks (well, 3) since then but on the whole have managed perfectly well without alcohol, indeed have become slightly frightened of it. I managed 20 weeks without an episode but then the flu vaccine plus maybe overdoing it tripped me into 10 hours of AF. My cardiologist thought it could be the inflammation caused by the vaccine. I never found that caffeine had an immediate effect but would say that doing without it, and finding a suitable decaf brand of coffee, massively improved my sleep, which in turn calmed down my heart.

[Pinkladyga in reply to Sixtyslidogirl]

Thank you 🙏

[Ppiman]

Sorry if this is a repeat but my internet is iffy this morning...

I am beginning to wonder whether the "trigger" depends on how "wonky" the conduction system is in the atria. The more "wonky" the more easily it is triggered by various things. Also, it's thought likely that AF has two distinct "types" or general "triggers".

It seems that some of us have what is called "adrenergic AF" which is affected by an increase in emotional stimulation, anxiety, increased heart rate, exercise and similar; while others have "parasympathetic AF" which is triggered when they relax and when a dampening of the adrenergic system occurs such as during sleep, food digestion and similar. Yet others have more complex causes, perhaps existing heart conditions, hypertension, sleep apnoea, replaced heart valves, various kinds of heart block, and so on.

Also, reading that eventually both systems worsen with age to the point many are likely to end up with persistent AF (albeit hopefully and likely at normal-ish heart rate and with few important symptoms) , the "triggers" might not ever be fully discernible.

Steve

[Pinkladyga in reply to Ppiman]

True