Like many of you, wine and activities around wine have been a hobby for many years which I have shared with my wife. We have consumed a bottle together most days, vacation travel has been to France (especially Burgundy), Germany, Italy, Austria, and California wine regions. The owners of the gite where we stay in Magny-les-Villers have become friends. We’ve picked cherries from their tree in the back yard, sat in their living room, watched their grandkids grow. Even their dogs know us. We exchange emails through the year. Our wine hobby has been our entry into exploring food, cheese, coffee at a deeper level. We’ve attended many events with friends, hosted events in our home, take special bottles to special dinner occasions. Sound familiar? Now I have atrial fibrillation for approaching one year, on medication (failed one, now on the second, plus a blood thinner), ablated once, and still with occasional runs of AF. I’ve limited wine to 0.75-1.5 glasses, 4-9 oz, most days. Now I’m abstaining until I get a firm idea of what influence, if any, the wine has. Clearly, all the literature says even moderate consumption on a daily basis can have an effect. My electrophysiologist/cardiologist says to keep it to a glass a day of about 5 or 6 oz. Honestly, it has taken much of the pleasure out of wine and has affected our lifestyle. Even when consuming, I don’t fully enjoy it because I wonder if I’m setting myself up for another episode of AF. Last week, I opened a 1995 Bouchard Beaune Greves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus. It was sublime and I made that glass or so last as long as I could, but things are not the same.
So, for you other oldsters (or youngsters if you have this problem, sorry) with AF, how has it affected you and how have you adapted your hobby, your attitude, your outlook? I may be facing a repeat ablation and maybe that will provide better control. Or maybe I’ll learn to live with it and minimize risks through lifestyle modification, including abstention from wine and caffeine (already switched to decaf). It’s a first-world problem, I know, and I know there are many, many people with health problems and other problems much greater than this. I’m truly grateful for my blessings and place in life. Nonetheless, I’m feeling a bit of a loss right now. For the moment, I need to stay in the moment and not project too much into the future, but I would appreciate hearing about the experiences of others.