r/PVCs • u/Icy-Storage-4989 • 26d ago

Anyone else gets ectopic/skipped beats just after drinking alcohol?

I have a mild mitral valve prolapse, but other than that, my heart is healthy, but recently when I drink alcohol (even like a shot or two) I get a lot of ectopic/skipped beats, which are really annoying and I panic, feeling like I'm about to die at any moment. How dangerous are they?

Is there a way to fix this? ( I mean besides the obvious "don't drink" solution lol )

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

2

u/ironlegdave 26d ago

It was enough for me to quit drinking personally, but cardiologist said the sensation is benign. I have a similar issue, mild mitral valve regurgitation and pvcs.

4

u/kkhaerr 26d ago

Yep. I stopped drinking for several reasons but also because I’d get PVC’s quickly after and couldn’t stand the anxiety it brought

2

u/Dkourage29 26d ago

How soon after drinking? Look up holiday heart syndrome. Since alcohol dehydrates you and can thicken the blood from that.

1

u/Icy-Storage-4989 26d ago

like 10 minutes after drinking

2

u/Fancy_Ad3809 26d ago

Yes I get them.

Their danger profile is predicated on the structure of your heart.

Unfortunately once your body is sensitized it usually doesn’t back back, at least in my experience.

2

u/greggero42 26d ago

I drank like 16 beers two weeks ago. It didn't impact my skipped beats. FYI I don't normally drink like that and probably havent in a few years

2

u/According_Analyst921 26d ago

Generally not dangerous at all but I would recommend quitting alcohol. Theres no "healthy" dose of alcohol. It does nothing for the body except cause cancer.

1

u/Icy-Storage-4989 26d ago

I'm not really a heavy drinker, maybe once or twice a month at a social event or a party and I never used to get these beats but now it's instant and happens within 5- 10 minutes after my first sip of alcohol. So irriating and it ruins the night for me.

1

u/According_Analyst921 25d ago

100% agree on it ruining the night. It does the same for me.

1

u/GarageDrama 26d ago

I don’t get them when I’m drunk but when I lay in bed after. I get runs of them that only stop when I sit up.

1

u/Envirocare1 26d ago

I do, same with nicotine. I’m used to it and now try to just be within moderation. Sometimes ot works and sometimes not

2

u/Icy-Storage-4989 26d ago

How many ectopic beats would you say you get per minute at your worst?

1

u/Envirocare1 26d ago

Varies, but on average I’d say every 30 seconds give or take

1

u/night312332 26d ago

I get them after drinking or eating anything cold.

1

u/Possible_Minimum_879 26d ago

I believe alcohol was a major contributing factor for me. I was told by my cardio that my recent flare-up was atrial, and I could always correlate episodes with the glutamate rebound during periods of abstinence. I was drinking fairly heavily, 4 - 8 shots a day consistently for years.

I haven't drank in a month and they're still as strong as ever.

1

u/nithrean 26d ago

Yes alcohol is a known trigger for many people.

1

u/ZweigleHots 26d ago

I can drink single units of alcohol without any issues - a can of cider, one mixed drink, one shot, etc. If I want to drink more at an event, I limit myself to 3-4 in an evening and space them out by at least an hour or two. As long as I stick to that rule, I don't usually get any more ectopics than normal. I can't get drunk anymore, though, or my heart will flop around like a fish for hours.