I've been having atrial fibrilations (irregular heartbeat) for about an 2 hours now but I don't want to...

...drive to the emergency room right now. I'm alone in the house, but my cousin is next door. It started when I had a cold glass of water as soon as I came in from work two hours ago, I've been told that could cause it. I can't think of anything else to do but drink some alcohol, here's the catch. I'm having a moral issue with it because I'm a recovering addict and NA recommends I don't use alcohol even if my thing used to be cocaine not alcohol. I've been clean for over two years, but I have had a drink here and there, and have been able to stop without going on a bender. So I guess the question is will alcohol ease my heartbeat, or at least relax me? How much should I have? Rum, wine, what? S#it! If it's going to help put my heart back in gear I don't really have any moral issues but stay alive. Please help.

One of my atriums is a bit big in comparison to the rest of my heart.

Atrial Fibrillation in your case was started because you have a larger atrium than normal. What is happening is that the top of your heart (the atria) are quivering instead of beating, however, your ventricles are large enough to compensate from the 30% decrease in volume. The problem with Atrial Fibrillation is that blood pools in your atria, allowing for clots to form, alcohol will not stop the rhythm or treat it, your best bet is to take aspirin and go to your doctor ASAP for treatment which can include chemical and/or electrical cardioversion.

Well...im not quite sure if alcohol will help much. If you've been having irregular heartbeats for a long period(as in hours), then it wasnt the cold water. If anything, do not drive over to the emergency room, that might be the worst thing to do. You dont want to go into cardiac arrest while your driving (im not saying thats going to happen, but who nows). I would drink a little rum though ;) If it keeps on, you should def. have your cousin take you or call 911.

All recovering alcoholics will look for an excuse to drink DONT DO IT !

Phone AA or your preferred help line and the heart will look after itself. Ifthis happens a lot get off to the cardiologist for proper treatment. I have the MIMS and the Formulary and alcohol is not a treatment for anything, especially for recovering alcoholics.

Now you actually know that don't you....

Alcohol will not help atrial fibrillation. In fact, it's known to be one of things that can push a heart predisposed to afib over the edge and bring on an attack of atrial fibrillation.

To relax you need to slow down your breathing. Breathe very deeply and slowly. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Don't think about your heart, just your breathing. And to be safe you should perhaps call the hospital and see what they think.

I love this; a substance abuser trying to rationalize his drink and using Yahoo answers as his enabler. I guess this is the age of the internet, eh?

Sorry but no, the booze is not going to help the Atrial Fibrillation. BTW, enjoy your fall off the wagon. Don't blame Yahoo or anyone else here, its all your own doing. And if you throw a clot in the process, maybe you'll have a new medical malady to rationalize a drink or perhaps even a line or two.

LOL... asking for permission to drink from Yahoo answers, and making it sound like a medical necessity? Now I've seen everything.

Ralph

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