I am aware of several studies that conclude that alcohol increases the risk of an AF episode.
I underwent an abalation approximately 9 months ago. I have had one episode of AF approximately 7 months after the abalation. It occurred after having two beers. I have had more than that in the past and did not have an AF episode
I generally have 3 standard drinks a week mainly on weekends. I am finding it hard to not have a drink on weekends with friends and wondering how do other people with AF manage. I guess we are all different but I do like the occasional beer or wine. I have tried 0 alcohol beer and while it is not bad many restaurant etc. do not stock the product.
My cardiologist has not recommended to me to abstain from all forms of alcohol and is aware that I do have a couple of drinks on weekends.
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Murphy10
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Its is a mind thing really. For many many years I never drank, always designated driver, and never had a problem with it nor did anybody else. As a wine lover this was quite hard initially but I soon got used to it. Never thought it was worth risking all the hard work my medics had put it.
I guess you are right. I love my wines and went away with some friends recently and we visited a winery and gees I found it depressing not being able to enjoy a good wine
I agree, the first time on hols after ablation when I couldn't have a drink was so hard. And I didn't drink a lot, birthdays, Christmas, special occasions, and I was like a cut cat. This year, totally chilled, didn't bother me at all.
It's the sulphides (preservatives) in the drinks that upsets our hearts. You can buy wine that is sulphide free, but of course it doesn't keep long. I bought some in a large Sainsburys but had to ask where it was and there was only a choice of a few bottles. There is your answer. Have no idea if there is sulphide free beer, but you could Google or ask in a large supermarket.
Hi Murphy. I love a good red wine. And St Austell beer. So here’s what I do. I have no more than half an egg cup of wine or beer in the bottom of a small glass, and I savour it like it was the best thing in the world. One tiny sip at a time. And I make it last the evening. So it has to be a top quality! If you explain your predicament to the landlord they’ll sometimes give you a free taster!
Nice to know someone else enjoys wine that way (and that much!) I think it only works for me because I only drink even a small amount infrequently. Like others have said, any more is not worth the risk.
I also remind myself what an amazing job my EP did with my ablation. And at what huge expense to the NHS - appreciation and gratitude go a long way.
Know how you feel. Wine was one of life’s pleasures for me and the ultimate sacrifice. When l was first diagnosed, l managed to get away with a glass at weekends, but as l am now getting more frequent episodes and developed a flutter, l have totally abstained. Fear of my heart somersaulting has helped me do that. Listen to your body and if you can get away with it, drink in moderation and less frequently. If l had one wish from this monster it would be, to be able to drink wine.
This is the annoying part of AF isn’t it? It’s trial and error with everything and so many uncertainties. One big mystery. When you get your blood pressure stable, which is important to do that, then you will see what happens. I hope you will be able to have a beer.
It occurred after having two beers. I have had more than that in the past and did not have an AF episode
So was it coincidence or a trigger? Good luck working that one out, I never have. My thought is that I can have a few drinks but if I was to drink enough to cause a mild hangover then that’s too much. I’ve had one short episode about 8 months post ablation (see my bio) and that was after a few more than a few. I’ve just returned from a holiday where I had a drink every day and no problems.
There is no 'one size fits all' concerning this question. Some forum members return to Afib with just a sip of alcohol and others can have a couple of drinks without any adverse effects. I'm one of the lucky ones - I can have a couple of beers without affecting my Afib.
However, there is one thing for sure. If you binge drink the chances are Afib will come knocking on your door. If you can have a few drinks then moderation is key. The ideal, I guess is to go tee-total.
I was told that alcohol was the cause of my AF 3 years ago. I stopped drinking for 3 months based on this advice, but still had AF episodes. I then got stuck into beers and red wine and it did not make any difference to the duration or severity of my AF episodes.I have Vagal AF which may be the reason I can still drink alcohol. I had my first ablation yesterday and I took a small flask of red wine with me as I staying overnight in the hospital. Bit cheeky but it improved the taste of the hospital food!
Thanks. I am also in Oz. Where did you have the pulse field ablation done? I had RF abalation done 8 months ago and was under for 3 hours. At the time I think only a hospital in Brisbane was doing the procedure. I am in Sydney
Cairns Hospital took delivery of a Meditronics PFA machine back in March. I was booked for Cryo in Feb not knowing the new machine was arriving, I was told of it when I declined the ablation in Feb as it was not convenient So it all worked out perfectly in the end.
I had a successful ablation 2 years ago. Since then I have avoided wine and spirits entirely (too strong) but allow myself a beer (real ale) at weekends. I choose wisely (not too strong) and just have the one, drinking plenty of water alongside. That has worked for me so far.I feel your "pain". 😊
Everyone is different and it is highly likely that the more you drink the greater the chance of an episode - the trigger is different for each of us. I would also say that the damadge is cumulative in that your condition deteriorates slowly every time you cross your individual threshold.
I manage it by having light beers and good quality wine in moderate amounts with glasses of water, mixed in with periods of abstenance (a week or two). Exertion after drinking also makes it more likely to have an episode.
after 40 years working in wine I no longer drink and surprisingly have lost the yearning for it.
Occasionally my wife offers me a cork to sniff and a couple of tears may well up and roll down my cheeks but it’s not about the need for a glass of wine it’s the great memories of the friends and the vineyards and great wines.
If I go out for a social drink I’m surprised how even with a 0% beer I can still talk nonsense - it was obviously always an innate ability that didn’t need to be released by alcohol.
I went teetotal in May, 4 weeks before ablation, and have remained so out of fear of triggering AF and undoing all the good work. Occasionally have a glass of low alcohol beer, which tastes fine but sugar content can mess up my blood glucose levels (diabetic). I yearn for a nice glass of red wine, and arrythmia nurse thinks would be OK now in moderation. Still hesitant. Daughter about to give birth, this could be the excuse, time honoured tradition to wet the baby's head.
If you are worried about carb levels, try Drop Bear Beer. I drink the green lager one 0.5%. It has just over 6 g of carbs per tin. Much better than Peroni, Bitburger, Heineken etc. They replace the alcohol with sugar. It has one of the lowest carb levels I can find. The taste is good too.
Alcohol wasn't a trigger for me as I haven't touched it for 8 years, since AF diagnosed but I don't touch it because of the interaction with medication rather than the AF.
Hi, my EP recommendeds no more than three units of alcohol a week, that's a pint and a half. Not really worth going there in my own opinion. I find alcohol or caffeine raises my heart rate instantly and therefore I avoid. I'd rather have no AFib than have either tbh.
I drink a very small glass of wine ( sherry glass size)every day with my principal meal. If we go out for lunch I order a glass of wine and usually finish it . You rarely get more than 125 ml as that is considered a standard measure for wine most places here. As my afib burden is between 2 and 3% at the moment I don't think alcohol is a trigger for me in itself but can be if I drink too much of it or combined with some other factor like overly spicy food or excessive tiredness. Sometimes we treat ourselves to a half bottle if we want a better wine than what is available in glasses but we never manage to finish it! For me living in France wine with meals is the norm and I would feel horribly deprived if I had to give up my small amount.
It's not only about triggering AF, it's also about the interaction with any drugs you may be taking, especially beta blockers and anticoagulants. Ask your cardiology team whether it is safe to have a drink.
I'm on 12.5mg metoprolol and 20mg rivaroxaban twice a day, and my cardiologist said it should be all right to drink 'in moderation -- one or two SMALL glasses of wine, with food, not more than twice a week'. I was not previously a heavy drinker; wine with food at weekends was my usual habit. Now, I often skip it unless I am having a particularly good meal (and yes, it is a challenge). Like other people, when I do have wine now, I choose a good one. I have tried around two dozen 'no-lo' wines (under 1% alcohol) and they are awful. Might as well drink grape juice, because that's what they taste like, unsurprisingly: almost all makers add it to their de-alcoholized wine to sweeten and preserve it.
The danger with alcohol is that it can cause your blood pressure to drop dangerously low. Independently of that, alcohol also increases heart rate.
An academic study on the link below:
"...alcohol DECREASES BLOOD PRESSURE initially (up to 12 hours after ingestion) and INCREASES it after that. Alcohol consistently INCREASES HEART RATE at all times within 24 hours of consumption."
The section "Key results" in the link below spells it out in more detail and differentiates between low, moderate and higher amounts of alcohol.
When I was diagnosed and heard one should reduce alcohol, I gave up the glass of wine (some home made) with our evening meal and my husband joined me. Used to have an occasional sip but nothing for some years now and don’t miss it!
I quit my beloved wine when I realized it was my main a-fib trigger. Yes, I miss it, but my dread of it triggering an episode is more powerful than a nice buzz.
I had googled about this once. One answer that came up was”if you’re googling this you know you shouldn’t be drinking” haha that being said, Ketel One vodka was my drink. I decided to have one when out for dinner and went into afib. I read online that Tito’s was better, possibly because it’s gluten free. I am not gluten free, but whatever the reason, I’m ok with a Tito’s or two. Also a glass of wine is ok, too. Two glasses gets my heart facing, though. Good luck!
I have remained mostly AF free (2 episodes) for 10 years following ablation. I have a glass of wine (175ml) daily with my main meal with no problems. Prior to ablation alcohol was a definite trigger. BP was raised prior but normalised after.
G’day - I’m also from Oz. My husband and I both have AF. Mine is a symptom of a more complicated diagnoses, my husband’s is like yours. He had an ablation 2 years ago after a 24 hr AF episode. We believe it may have been his first episode but no one knows. We both enjoy a wine or two. Well, actually I enjoy a wine and my husband is more inclined to drink wine or vodka. Neither of us have gone into AF from drinking alcohol.
I’m not saying that alcohol is good for us, or for anyone but you’ve got to live! Having a drink especially when you’re relaxing or catching up with friends is a way of life for us. We don’t drink at home and only drink when we’re catching up with others or going out to dinner. We’ve both cut right back and will only have 2 or maybe 3 glasses when we do drink. My EP said to stop drinking and of that wasn’t palatable, to cut it right back. I cut it right back and it works for me.
Thanks. Following my abalation I would have a few drinks on weekends mainly with friends. It was all ok until last month after a round of golf I had 3 beers. That night I had an AF episode.
I looked at my AF history prior to the abalation and the majority were on weekends when I had a couple of drinks. Prior to the abalation I was getting AF once a month that would last up to 12 hours.
From my AF history I assume alcohol must be a trigger.
Like your husband and yourself I enjoy having a couple of drinks when with friends and feel this dreaded AF is restricting me from the enjoyment of having a drink.
It is funny I can do strenuous exercise getting my hear rate quiet high and don’t have any AF episodes. My heart is sound apart from this dreadful AF condition.
I gave up wine and whisky 5 years ago as they seemed to trigger arrythmia, before my ablation 2 years later. However I absolutely love a few relaxing pints and lots of laughter with my mates a couple of times a week and it doesn't affect my heart at all.
In fact if anything I tend to notice more ectopics when I haven't had an alcoholic drink for a few days.
I know this post will meet with general disapproval but my fantastic social life revolves around the Rugby Club and beer with friends and has done my entire adult life. I'm making no apologies for that and in this short life I intend to do the things that make me happy!
As a side note, I met the EP who did my ablation whilst walking on Tynemouth Long Sands beach one day, and he was on his way for a few beers! I introduced him to my wife as 'the man who has been inside my heart', and we had a good chat. Not once did he, or anyone else in Cardiology for that matter, ever tell me I should give up alcohol altogether.
I wouldn't for one second suggest that others should follow my lead; I'm sure alcohol is a definite trigger for many and abstinence is sound advice in their cases.
As we often say, AF is a mongrel condition and what is right for one person may be quite wrong for another.
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