Alcohol

Does anyone w/a PM ever get to have a drink? Is that possible. I know it depends on meds, doctors, etc., but in general would a glass of champange or something over the holdiays hurt me? I'm not a real drinker, but it would be nice for the holidays, just to feel like a normal person in my 30s.

Anna

PS - I got to take a long soak in a hot bath tonight for the first time since my PM. It was WONDERFUL!

10 Comments

sipping a nice chardonnay now :o)

by Tracey_E - 2009-12-15 08:12:31

Medications and the underlying condition may prevent you from having a cocktail, but simply having a pm will not.

Beer

by Jmiller - 2009-12-15 09:12:06

I've had my PM since Sept 20 and my typical routine is a beer a night. Alcohol should have no impact on the PM. If you take some meds that might be a problem with alcohol check with you doctor otherwise I would enjoy.

Jim

I've Tapered Back

by Bionic Man - 2009-12-15 09:12:44

I used to drink a lot of beer before my PM. I was put on sotalol a year ago. My Dr told me it would be OK to have two beers a night. I asked if I could save them up for the weekend and have 14 on Sat night. Needless to say he was not amused. I still drink. I don't drink as much as I used to but I also don't limit myself to two beers a night. It's probably not the smartest thing to do but I've been through enough already and don't want to give up something I enjoy. I wouldn't think a glass of champagne would be a big deal but it would be wise to check with the Dr first. Hopefully he'll say it's not a problem.
Enjoy the holidays,
Bob

No problem

by ElectricFrank - 2009-12-15 11:12:57

As Tracey mentioned, it is the meds you may be taking that would affect the decision.

I take 100mg of "None At All" twice a day and have a glass of wine with most evening meals.

frank

Alcohol

by pete - 2009-12-16 03:12:12

Alcohol strains the heart? Why , because its like swallowing petrol. It puts a huge amount of unwanted energy into the blood stream in an instant and that is just what your body does not need. It needs to be slowly drip fed with calories with foods that are slow to digest. If you have a heart condition dont take alcohol. Give yourself a break. There are plenty of wonderful drinks you can have instead. Take care. Cheers Peter

Thoughts

by annaelliott76 - 2009-12-16 09:12:02

Thank you. I haven't had a drink since all this started. Not because I was told not to, just out of shear fear of what might happen. I used to love the occassional Crown Royal before this. I wasn't a daily drinker, or even a weekly drinker. Just more social. I wasn't taking any chances. According to my doctors, my actual heart is healthy, it's just the wiring that is screwed up. The PM should be fixing that. I've been completely inactive for a year now. Somehow, I feel like if I could go out, listen to some great music, have drinks and dance with my friends and family like I used to, it would reduce my stress level and make me feel a little more normal. I'm in my 30s and a year ago, life just came to a screeching halt. No more work, friends, activities or anything. All the things I love. My kids even had to stay with their dad for awhile because I was too weak to run after them. I gave up my home because I couldn't take care of it or climb the stairs. I guess I would just like one day of something normal for Christmas this year. Thanks for all your input. It has been really helpful

Anna

The answer has been covered but..

by TLR - 2009-12-16 11:12:33

3rd degree heart block and a PM haven't stopped me from consuming alcohol, in fact when I was having it fitted I asked the doc the exact same thing and he told me it would be fine - the only problem he could see would be that the anti-biotics prescribed would have been less effective as the body flushes itself quicker with alcohol in the bloodstream. With that in mind I was into a bottle of wine the evening I got home from the hospital, certainly helped the pain and mental nerves of having that small metal thing controlling my whole life.

I work hard at my job, and I believe in playing harder so if a social occasion or party comes up I have no worries when it comes to alcohol. And for those that say its a problem for the heart should remember it is much more dangerous in terms of the liver, kidneys, bowels and more increasingly social and mental issues. The majority of medical professionals state that a small amount of alcohol is beneficial to good health, but that doesn't mean 3 bottles of vodka followed by Jager-bombs every Saturday night. Red wine for example contains a high level of anti-oxidants which is good for the body and a glass of that will not kill you by any means.

One word of warning though if I may is that if you have not drunk alcohol in a long time take it slowly and steadily. The body builds up a certain tolerance towards the effects of alcohol through frequent use and these tolerances are lost fairly quickly when you stop drinking. You should take care not to get carried away and put yourself into harmful situations when your inhibitions are lowered, and I don't mean just robberies or rapes I mean thinking you can climb trees, swim, or indeed sing (lol)....

Most of all enjoy your life. Don't let a PM ruin it.

Meds

by annaelliott76 - 2009-12-16 12:12:13

Right now I'm taking Inderal LA and Digoxin... I read all the info on Digoxin and can't find anything that says "Avoid Alcohol". I've drank on Inderal before, but at lower doses. I'll ask the doc. to be sure. After everything, I could use a nice drink in a social setting! They've had me locked away like a science project for soooo long now. Hell I could've called "House" and he could've fixed this in an hour insead of a year :) Happy Holidays Everyone!

Wiring problem and alcohol

by ElectricFrank - 2009-12-17 12:12:41

I hope that bad wiring isn't creating sparks. Alcohol could be explosive. (:

cheers,

frank

cheers!!

by Hot Heart - 2009-12-20 04:12:42

Just got my glass of red wine, had an irish coffee last night. Provided you are not on any medications which it will affect, then a glass of bubbly or two shouldnt be any worse for you than for anyone else.

Just be careful if youve not drunk for a while, your tolerance will be low, and if you fall off the table when you are dancing, then the alcohol was bad for the pm! lol


Merry Christmas!!

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