pvcs/pacs and alcohol

hi all. i have pacs/pvcs very frequently.have for years now.all tests done last year by my cardio, ekg,blood,echo were normal (arent they always?) with just recorded pvcs/pacs-some big and trig.
my question is this.many people say that alcohol brings them on.ive noticed if i have a couple beers when they get real bad i dont feel them as much.i am only on thyroid meds, nothing else.is it safe for me to have a drink or two at night just to calm myself down or am i doing damage to my heart?sometimes they get so unbearable i just cant help it! also do all those tests need to be redone every couple years, or should i hold off?i am a 29 yo female by the way, with no problems other than hypothroid.

[Bromley]

Hi. It is easy to joke about this. But in all seriousness, I would take this question up with your doctor. I have to say that alcohol does nothing but make my odd beats more odd and more often.

In reality, it may or may not be alright to have alcohol in your situation.  Ask a doctor informed as to your situation and your prescriptions, as they will be the most reliable source of information for you.  My gut feeling is that alcohol should not be used to "calm yourself down at night", or if it is used in this manner, it must be done with care and moderation.  Obviously, you wont want alcohol dependence making your situation more challenging. If you get the go ahead from your doctor, consider your self lucky, but then enjoy your freedom in moderation.

Take care.

Bromley

[jyant]

Alcohol has always made mine more intense..maybe thats just me. After 2 beers I will pay the price...but I'm a big guy 300 pounder.

I was lucky enough to always have my pvc's show up on the radar. Even with a Stress Echocardiogram given with contrast (your hooked up with an iv) I went into tachycardia right after my walk. They got some great photos of my heart in action so to speak, what they want to see in the tests. They even got to shoot me with a boat load of drugs to try to bring me down. All unsuccessful until Verapamil. Thank God, because I think it was lights out and the paddles next.

[kane3]

Hello, Yes alcohol can definetly be a huge trigger for PVCs and other arrythmia issues. When i was an alcoholic, i never experienced slight to any PVC or other issues at all. That's because for some people drinking heavily or not can mask up these issues very well. It was when I quit drinking (2 years clean), that i now feel every PVC (5000+) a day. I think to myself alot if I should pick up a bottle and start drinking it because 6 out of 7 days these PVC's are almost uncontrollable. But the honest answer to that is I shouldnt do that. I see that you have had some work up on these issues and have been diagnosed with some PVC's with some big and trig. I take it with all your other tests that have been done also, that the PVC's are normal and are not a threat, which is a good thing. Have you talked to the doc about trying some other medication to help with these issues so you dont have to resort to drinking to calming these things down? I know, and can relate, how hard it is living with these things, and doing almost anything to calm these things down you or I would do. But to help you, Ive done everything, Ive been to the end of the planet with you name it and back. So taking these things head on with a clear, focused mind would be better than putting it out everynight with alcohol. Your just putting yourself in a deeper hole slowly that will be harder to fight later. I can give you as much information, guidance, and advice as possible to help, but you have to promise yourself that you will try not to use alcohol as a stimulant. Message me, and I with give you an outline to follow for a day, and see if it helps. Ive had hundreds of different try's at things to make my day better, some have helped, some haven't, Maybe one will work for you! Take care of yourself, because you are not alone by any means with this problem!

[jyant]

Don't know if you caught this in another one of my posts but I used a wash cloth in a bowl of Ice Water on my face and neck when pvc's would start to come on and surprising enough it did help most the time.

I had read that somewhere. They suggested dunking head in ice cold water but that didn't seem to cool. There were warnings of some kind about it, I went the wash cloth route.

Again has to be done early in the attack for success.

[Mom2four85]

I just asked the same thing in another post; because my cardiac cath said I should avoid alcohol, but none of my dr's told me about this.

I've gotten some interesting responses and messages.  This is what I've found out so far - Alcohol enlarges the heart, dehydrates the body and in some cases such as mine the LV function is impaired, because of the problems I have.

I'm watching to see if you get any other responses - I have a post on heart disease - Alcohol and here no alcohol?  I'm very curious what others have to say also.