Hi all, first post, just found this site x Trying to stop drinking again after many abandoned efforts in the past. Difference is now that I have this diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Almost got admitted into hospital after being sent to A&E bc my heart rate was so high, my main concern about being admitted was that I wouldn’t be able to drink. Yeh, priorities eh. This was a couple of weeks ago and I was still drinking at least a bottle of wine a day as per usual. Suddenly woke up to my behaviour and stopped drinking on 1st April. I’ve always found it relatively easy to stop, it’s the staying stopped I struggle with.
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“I’ve always found it relatively easy to stop, it’s the staying stopped I struggle with”.
This community will help ya with this part.
Be well.
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Thanks, Deadman. I remember one of my abortive attempts to stop, I had a blood test for liver damage (at my request) and it came back clear, giving me the green light to carry on. Oh dear.
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Welcome Susan 
from another x Afiber 
April 1 is a terrific sober date.
I’m so grateful I never have to go to bed with that racing heart I use to have. I thought it was going to bust through my chest some nights. But I was always too drunk and usually just past out. The shit I did to my body.
Finally. With the support of this magical app I am free from my attachment to alcohol. I am very active on here and that keeps me sober.
Have a good read around. Join in when you’re comfortable. We were all new once. So if you got any questions someone is always around to help.
I hope to see you around.
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Green lighting was a problem for me at times…being honest with myself was an integral part of getting on with life…
Be well
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Yeh indeed, of course ironically now that I’m not just passing out p-ssed every night, I’m more aware of my racing heart than I was when I was drinking it up. However, have been issued with a BP/Heart monitor which is reassuringly improving. Feel like I’m in the Last Chance Saloon that’s for sure.
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Please tell me you’ve read that book by Marian Keyes?!?
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Yep! Brilliant read.
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Had AF for over 5 years now ,doc put me on blood thinners and i get checked every year as im over 70 now i was 32 years sober then so for me it6 was just wear and tear of the old heart, maybe try a meeting might help wish you well
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Oh man, I haven’t had an episode in roughly 2 years. (Rapid AFIB) It continued Even after I stopped drinking. I had to stop the meth, cocain, weed, cigarettes and even coffee. I still drink coffee though 
but waking up in the middle of the night with my heart coming out of my throat, sweating bullets and clenching my chest isn’t fun. Not gonna lie…it made it a lot easier to chose sobriety…because now my life is on the line (and im 33 yrs old ). I wish you the best with this condition. Please seek help. It only gets better after that.j
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This was actually the last time. 3 years ago. Heart shot up to 207 at one point. Nearly passed out.
They wanted shock me back into sinus rhythm but thank God I didn’t need it. Medication helped me a lot. And not drinking!
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Oh my, 207! I was sent to Accident & Emergency by my doctor bc my heart rate was 130. Weirdly, I had no symptoms at all, I mentioned to my doc that I’d walked to the surgery and he was astonished. I’m on blood thinners, statins and bp medication. Bluddy pills, hate them, but TG for them.
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Yeah everyone was working on me so quick. It made me worried 
I was just really dizzy. I actually went to urgent care and they had the ambulance pick me up and take me to ER -_- they wouldnt even let me stand up. They just have me on metoprolol, 2x a day. How are you feeling now?
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OK heart-wise hopefully, thanks! What about you? My h rate & bp seem to have improved greatly since I gave up on the 1st, I know it’s very early days of course. I don’t imagine Atrial Fibrillation just goes away as easy as that.
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Welcome to the community. Lots of support here for you!
Thats good to hear. Im actually pretty good. My heart rate stays in the 60’s most of the time, it only goes up when I’m exercising.
You will notice good changed after you stop drinking. Almost immediately. My last episode lasted a while. It always felt like my heart was fluttering and off beat, maybe for about 3 or 4 months. It went away with the meds they gave me, just took a bit.
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I remember having this mentality. It’s the addiction it’ll use any reason to carry on.
Each and every drink is affecting your health… It’s not like it’s a lottery and you’re totally fine while drinking and if you get unlucky then you’ll get a health problem, it’s not like that at all… Every drink is upsetting your bodies dopamine levels, lowering coping of mental health issues, every drink is poison to your body.
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Oh yes indeed. That little voice.
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