Aortic dissection patients: what have your doctors told you about alcohol?
Posted , 3 users are following.
I had a type A and type B aortic dissection about six months ago and had surgery to fix the type A. The type B is being managed with a beta blocker and two blood pressure meds.
I asked my cardiologist about alcohol and he said I could have one drink a day. I wondered what advice other dissection survivors out there have gotten from their doctors about alcohol. I'm going on vacation and wondered about having more than uo to two drinks a day while on vacation.
They say that alcohol can interfere with blood pressure meds, but my experience so far is that my blood pressure can sometimes be quite a bit lower after a pint.
0 likes, 4 replies
Rg_1972 timothy40679
Posted
For me, the doctors say to stay away from alcohol, my heart already has damage from my dissection.
I guess the doctors are more concerned about my alcoholism than my blood pressure. I was an extremely heavy drinker most my life up until a few years ago. Haven't touched it since. For me, there is no reason to drink again, it would be my guaranteed death.
I think as long as you don't turn in to a heavy drinker you should be fine, too late for me, and I sure miss the taste of whisky, but I will hopefully never drink again.
timothy40679 Rg_1972
Posted
I'm glad you've been able to manage your alcoholism so well! I had a friend that was an alcoholic and one night while drunk he climbed a multi-story building that was under construction. He lost his footing and fell several stories. He broke a number of bones and did some organ damage too. He was in the hospital for a long time and they weren't sure if he would make it or not. That persuaded him to stop drinking!
I'm not much of a drinker - two pints of beer or two margaritas and I'm done. I like the buzz from a drink or two but something happens after two drinks and I feel intoxicated instead if buzzed. I enjoy buzzed - it makes me silly and loosens my inhibitions some. I don't find my intoxicated pleasant so I avoid it.
Your comment about heart health is very persuasive. Not much point in surviving a dissection and then damaging my heart with alcohol! Thanks!
ericg753 timothy40679
Posted
Hi Tim,
I'm not at a point (YET) for surgery consideration (currently TAA is at 4.4cm) and am doing everything I can to avoid aggravating it and risking dissection or rupture. That's a question I forgot to ask my cardiologist, about alcohol. I'm a former bodybuilder/powerlifter (20's and 30's) and now working hard to lose bodyfat I accumulated since I got married (NOT blaming my wife! LOL), full time career, kids etc
I was smoking a very occasional cigar 1 every 2-6 months literally, totally stopped. Gave away my crappy cigars, somewhat painful. My premiums (Cuban Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta) are still sitting in my humidor, I can't give those away. Want to smoke them but I can't
Anyway, back to topic. I enjoy a nice 2 to 3 rum and cokes, OJ and amaretto or OJ and vodka from time to time. For diet I know what it will do. I'm concerned what it could do for my TAA? If I literally have these 2-3 drinks once every 2-4 weeks (which is what I was doing previously), is that still considered a risk?
ericg753
Posted
PS: BP has always been either normal or slightly above normal, last cardiologist visit (Thur night) was 120/78. I'm approx 75-80 lbs overweight which I'm working on getting rid of. Lost 9 lbs in the last month, just more cardio, cleaning up my diet and water water water.
Cholesterol is a bit high, working on this. Tryglicerides slightly above normal, taking Omega 3 pills to reduce this number.