giving up the alcohol

[Lellibet]

I don’t know if anyone else has had this but I have completely given up any alcohol, not that I was a heavy drinker but enjoyed the 14 units . I’ve also changed my diet so as to lose a bit of weight. Since making these changes I have noticed a drop in episodes of a fibb . I am now thinking that I am not sure I want extra medication for the time being. Wondered if anyone else has experienced the same and if I have the option to leave extra medication if or when episodes increase as the cardiologist said they would.

[BobD Volunteer]

Yes of course, no alcohol and weight loss (aim for BMI less than 26) plus a good natural diet all should help reduce AF burden. Helps most thing to be honest. When I lost a stone a few years ago my BP meds had to be reduced drastically.

[CDreamer]

Always lifestyle first, before any increase in meds which all have affects so the least medication you can get away with, the better.

You always have the right to refuse treatment, never to demand it.

[Corazon17]

Are you including your anticoagulant as a medication that you would stop taking?

[Lellibet in reply to Corazon17]

No I will carry on with apixaban as that seems sensible. I have a pen older sister who had a stroke and believes me I don’t want to end up like that

[Steadybeats]

Hello Lellibet,

I thought alcohol could be a trigger for my PAF, so I abstained for over three years. Not being a heavy drinker it wasn’t too much of a problem although I missed my wee dram. Sadly my episodes continued so for me it wasn’t that trigger that I search for.

I now have returned to the odd glass of wine or beer, so was it worth giving up, yes because for me it ruled out alcohol as a cause and it would have done me some good as well. Good luck with your lifestyle choices, I wish you well

[Keswickman]

hi lellibet, I gave up alcohol a few years ago as it always induced episodes of ectopics during the night.

I do have the occasional alcohol free beer ; although some do have a small amount of alcohol in them, and am quite happy with them. There are some decent beers in this category. Can’t say the same for red wine though!!

[Alicant in reply to Keswickman]

M and S do a pleasant 0% Alcohol red wine 4£

[Keswickman in reply to Alicant]

Thanks. Will take a look next time I’m in M&S.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Keswickman]

I gave up alcohol ages ago, slowly, just because I didn't need to drink it. It wasn't a conscious decision and if I fancy something at some point I will have it. But last year I would say I probably drank less than 20 units.

I tried a couple of non-alcoholic wines at Christmas. Didn't think much to them. What's your favourite rich flavoured beer in the category? I find I like the distilled "spirits" best, with tonic or another mixer. They make nice drinks that feel like a drink. I also like some non-alcoholic cocktails.

I shop for the drinks at Wisebartender, a UK web site. Great choices and good customer service.

[gtkelly]

Lellibet you don't list an anti coagulant in your meds. Are you not on one?

For me I'm convinced that stress/over exertion doing diy/alcohol are my triggers. I still take odd glass of red wine not white. Odd being once or twice a month.

[Lellibet in reply to gtkelly]

Thanks. I do take apixaban and will stay on that

[50568789]

Like you, my 14 units were sacrosanct but I reluctantly went teetotal before my ablation nine months ago. I'm not at all convinced that alcohol was a trigger for me but at the moment am reluctant to test the theory while still "in recovery ". So it's no alcohol beer for me (tastes OK, actually). My main trigger at the moment is carrying a heavy bag of DIY tools upstairs. Gets me every time but usually a delayed reaction, have to stop at the top to get my breath back.

[Vonnegut]

I gave up the small amount of alcohol I used to have and have never been overweight in my life and have a healthy diet. I just take Flecainide and have managed to reduce the dose I take with no episodes of AF for some time but wouldn’t like to reduce the dose further as I wouldn’t like to chance it returning.

[Ducky2003]

Alcohol wasn't/isn't a trigger for me but I only had the odd glass on high days and holidays.I stopped when I went onto medication as alcohol can exacerbate the effects of the meds, particularly anticoagulants.

Possibly reducing your meds should be a discussion you have with your EP.

[oscarfox49]

Yes of course. Absence of alcohol does reduce the number of AF episodes for many people and I have barely drunk anything for the past five years. I do very occasionally have a couple of drinks with a meal out and that does not seem to cause any problems, but the regular intake of just 14 or so units is NOT 'safe' for those of us with AF and in any case there are other health benefits to giving up alcohol. It was very hard to give up in the first place but you can soon get used to not drinking every day. Alcohol is like benzodiazepines, very addictive, and gradual reduction in the same way is probably the best course

[Lellibet in reply to oscarfox49]

Thanks. I haven’t found it a problem to abstain, and feeling better is enough of an incentive

[Alicant]

I was a big drinker for many years..I stopped and abstained from diagnosis..not as difficult as I thought…now have occasional drink etc ..but the good thing is I’m not bothered either way.I feel better for it in general but not made much difference to Afib etc..however Consultant thinks I’m great for doing it!

[DougieWoggie]

I stopped alcohol over two years ago and have had no AF episodes since then one glass of white wine was ok but the second one most definitely contributed to night episode

I do not miss the white wine and don’t even think about it now I am still on medication just happy to have had no AF episodes and hoping that will continue

[Lellibet in reply to DougieWoggie]

Yes I know how you feel, it’s been wonderful not having almost nightly episodes

[Beeflower]

yes I gave up alcohol as well , I might have a glass of red wine now and again I have Af usually once a year

[Ronnieboy]

Giving up alcohol is a no brainer if you have an AFIB condition.I used to drink like a fish and jacked it in 16 years ago,never felt better.

[JezzaJezza]

My condition is SVT and ectopics and my triggers are (in no order) alcohol, caffeine, large heavy meals and stress.

I have given all of them up completely!

I have added in regular steady state exercise - power walking 10K 3-4 times a week, 2 to 2.5 litres of water every day and 8 to 8.5 hours of sleep every night.

I’ve also lost and kept off 3 stone over a period of 2 years. I was knocking on the door of 17 stone and now I’m heading down to between 13 and 13.5 stone.

Combined with the meds of dronedarone and bisoprolol 2.5mg I’ve not had an episode in a year.

[Dodgerguy]

my Electro cardiologist said no alcohol. I am new to the Afib world and have been fortunate to only have the one episode that diagnosed it. I don’t drink in general but used to drink a lot before I had any AFib episodes or knew I had it. EC said you can have coffee but NO alcohol. I take one Beta Blocker and nothing else. I have a feeling my past drinking habits, Covid and my Asthma inhalers were the triggers for my AFib.

[sdweller]

yep.., alcohol is a trigger for Afib… bottom line. The more you drink, the worse it is, no way around it!

[Brianbongo]

Good for you - alcohol, unfortunately, is a neurotoxin and is always bad for the heart….there are NO physical benefits.

[Robv1954]

Great. No alcohol and a diet will help with everything.

[Peacefulneedshelp]

keep working on lifestyle changes and prove the cardiologist wrong. Our health is a mind game also. My trigger has been fish oil supplements all along I went for 11 months no episode. Just yesterday I had a 5 minute episode too in some magnesium in liquid form and ate some salt right out of my hand with a little water and drank half a glass of coconut water and I went right back into sinus rhythm. I was surprised myself. A good friend of ours died and I was on the phone with his widow when it happened, so stress and upset is a huge factor. My EP told me that I didn't need anti coagulats unless the AF was over 24 hours or age factor of 75 or older. So many varying opinions.

[TouchVeena]

It was an increase in alcohol consumption that cause my first Afib. I had been a very light social drinker until I got into the habit of having one mixed drink with hard liquor a night. In retrospect, I can see I was getting heart flutters, that eventually turned into full-blown afib. I am now on medications, and have given up alcohol completely. So far no new afib.

[Snowgirl65]

I quit drinking alcohol in 2014 when I realized it was my main trigger. Since then, anxiety has taking top honors but I can pretty much keep that under control. And absolutely, losing weight will help you. I've also found that since I stopped eating cookies/pastries, chocolate and potato chips (your crisps), a-fib episodes have stopped at least for the time being and I've had no ectopics whatsoever. Everyone is different of course, but this route worked for me.

[Lellibet in reply to Snowgirl65]

Yes I’ve also stopped eating all of those things to, crisps being my fav. I cannot believe the difference, so I will continue doing without all

[Snowgirl65 in reply to Lellibet]

Good for you -- keep up the good work!

[Jetcat]

keep up the good work lell. All helps to improve heart function and lower blood pressure 👍

[Lellibet in reply to Jetcat]

Thank you

[Jetcat in reply to Lellibet]

👍

[ozziebob]

Good for you. Keep up the good work.

Coincidentally I just ran across a 2025 report from the US Surgeon General about alcohol and various cancers ...

hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/repo...