My GP has told me I have AFib - had a few occurrences of waking up heart racing erratically. Last night I went out for a rare restaurant meal and had a small beer, 2 glasses of wine and an Irish coffee across 4 hours with food.
Woke up at 4am, heart pounding and racing - it is terrifying. Keeping still and talking slow deep breaths everything settled after 15 mins or so.
For anyone out there who's had similar experiences I'd like to ask if this is the end of alcohol for me ? If it is, I'm fine with that as its such a small price for not waking up in near terror!
Sam.
Written by
Xtorti0n
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi, unlikely to be the small amount of alcohol to be fair. If you had 10 pints and wiskey chasers I might worry. Its ok to have a treat! My AF was/is brought on by excersise and heat more than anything else. Mind you I remember something about not mixing drink types... lol HTH
It could very well be the alcohol and also the Irish coffee especially if it wasn't decaffeinated.
Most Saturday nights I treat myself to a scotch at home whilst watching the sport, also after having a couple of glasses of wine with my meal. I often wake up on Sunday morning (as I have this morning) in AF.
My own fault I know, but I do enjoy a glass of single malt and don't see why I should give up all of my little pleasures. Like most home poured drinks it is probably at least a treble, but a single spirit measure barely wets the glass!
I discovered if I overdid the alcohol & coffee it gave me AF so have gone tee total & have decaffinated coffee. My AF always seems to wake me in wee small hours banging away.
Well I gave it up & used to love a glass of red wine or a G&T. Also coffee seemed to trigger AF for me so have decaf. I did have half a glass of bubbles @ Christmas so maybe now & again a smaller portion. Will have to experiment.
Giving up the caffiene in coffee and tea is no problem, but unfortunately you can't buy alcohol free Scotch yet....I have been reducing my measures as I get older, I know it's wrong but I find it so incredibly relaxing....I do want to live rather than just exist.
Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll try not mixing drinks. I've already pretty much quit caffeine. It is nice to live a little
One drink quite routinely has my palpitations throwing a party, even if had with a meal. I’ve had to give it up for other medical reasons since the start of this year, but prior to that if I drank it was with the knowledge that I had to be willing to endure the consequences. More often than not I was, but I probably only had 2 or 3 drinks a months, so it was hardly a frequent occurrence.
I am interested in your post and am considering similar at the moment so any other contributions would be very interesting also. I had what was classed as a Mild HA in May 2019 Tropnin pre Stent was at about 200 and I understand during the procedure this increases and was finally at 700 at the point the stent was fitted, I had no chest pain but just dissy moments which is what woke me at 2.30am on the morning of the 23rd May when my wife called 999, I was kind of watching out for it as a CT scan had identified unstable plaque at the beginning of May and I was preping to get a date to get a stent when it all happened. Anyway 15 months later and post all the major mess and looking after myself well, running cycling, good diet, BP spot on good to excellent, bloods all good and so on. My job entails me to entertain some times, out for dinner, drinks wine etc, which I enjoy and post Stent and life style change, I love wine but down to max teo glasses if I do go out(it use to bpe a bottle or 2 pre HA) Now I wake up middle of the night, heart pounding and some time racing a bit higher than normal and me worried if I should call 999 with anxiety. I understand that the alcohol relaxes the arteries and your heart has to pump harder to deal with, but question is, is that a bad thing on the occasions those that want to have a couple of glasses? I have monitored intake, I have watched what time I eat to see if its late digestion and heart working harder, is it normal and its just that I notice every beat of my heart after the HA. my resting Heart rage is 43 - 50 most nights, on the nights post alcohol its 55 - 65, I have a very accurtae Garmin watch so I have watched it for the last 15 months. Question is a couple of good glasses of Red wine that I really enjoy, is it harmi g me? I am one of the few people that had dry lock down, I didn't want an A& E event with covid so 3 months without a drop and even then the odd pounding heart night ( 2 times over the 3 months) so I really dont know. I now only take small asprin and a statin, all other meds are finished or seen as not needed so I dont think its medication interaction And for those wondering, I am a less than 14 units a week man now even if I have been out, I keep it to 10 - 12 units. Any insight is it anxiety?
Hi Phil, a very detailed post there and I think that's a good thing ! . I think you're being hyper vigilant, but it's hard not to once you've been toe to toe with your own mortality! I've read that red wine is a trigger for Afib in some people, so maybe try a different drink and see if you fare better? Prior to all you've been through were you a heavy drinker? I'd say I was and sowed the seeds for myself. And now occasional Afib. My wife thinks I worry about it too much and thinks you and I are similar in our anxieties. I'm going to avoid mixing drinks and keep intake minimal. If it happens again I'll speak to my GP. HTH.
I was consuming about 60 - 70 units a week before, most of the time it was wine, I have an Alivecor home little ECG machine that records Afib and if ots sees an issue does show an alternate message other than a normal result and so far other than at night when my HR drops below 50 when it tells be Brachycardia which is a pre set note if HR is below 50, The Alivecor is said to be a really accurate little machines, so when I feel I have these issues I check my ECG and so far never said I have had a issue (not that the machins is designed to tell you specifically you have an issue, Just Normal, Afib or undefined) so I use it for calming anxiety. Its strange as I have just had 4 weeks in Gran Canaria where my wife is from (so bonus to home working and video conference, you can be anywhere in the world) and I was drinking red wine more than in UK as its was a bit of a holiday and over there, not one issue after 2 glasses, so its a mystery and always makes me think Anxiety but I am sure its relaxed Arteries and heart pumping to deal with it, my cardiologist isn't worried or my GP as long as I am keeping within the more or less the 14 units a week. So any information from others that get similar symptoms I would be really interested in hearing from you.
I suffer with svt and have noticed my palpatations after having a drink so have decided not to drink now as its better than having to go to a & e for adenosine to bring hr back down to normal
I have persistent Afib. Hard to tell what my resting heart rate is.but am currently in bed and it’s bouncing about between 75 and 103. Had arrhythmia for years and was aware of missed beats but it seemed to go away.
Got an Apple watch a few years ago and it showed up my erratic pulse in all its glory peaking at over 130. On beta blockers now which generally keep it below 100.
Anyway..don’t really do caffeine..one cup of tea a day. But I am a heavy drinker and have been for decades. In my working days,.which involved entertaining ,at annual medicals I admitted to 100 units a week.
Got my fingers smacked and was handed AA leaflets but did not cut down much.
Now mid 70s..have always kept fit..and still enjoying much much more than 14 units a week. Maybe just my luck but I don’t get the palpitations that many of you describe.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Afib and heart blockage
Waiting for cardiologist 
Alcohol
Tachycardia warnings - Please read
Living with Afib
