To ask about Pain when drinking alcohol?

[moneymatr]

I'm not a big drinker. I will have 1-4 drinks a week over the weekend typically. But maybe once every month or two I will have a night out and have maybe 6-8 drinks usually cocktails or spirits. When I was younger - teens/twenties I was more of a social drinker usually having 2 nights out a week drinking around 6-8 units a night.

Since I started drinking about 25 years ago (I'm 40) I have infrequently suffered from chest and arm pain when drinking. It doesn't happen every time. I would say maybe 4 or 5 times a year. It usually starts around a hour after I start drinking it's a stabbing pain in my chest (no tightness or difficulty breathing) and it also travels down my arms , worse in left arm. It lasts 30 min or so easing gradually.

Because it's quite infrequent I've never really worried but should I go to the doctor? Obviously I could stop drinking but it could just be indigestion.

Does anyone else get this or know anything about it?

Heart burn? I've no idea.

Definitely indigestion, I always get this so always have gaviscon tablets in my bag, it’s worse when I have overly sugary drinks - alcopops or spirits with sugary pop mixers.

@Muchamucha good idea I will take gaviscon next time see if it goes away.

I agree re sugary drinks, it use to be alcopops now it's cocktails

A quick Google suggests it could be various things but can be a sign of heart issues, so may be worth a check up with your GP.

Links here:
https://www.primroselodge.com/help-guides/why-chest-pain-after-drinking-alcohol/

https://www.castlecraig.co.uk/addiction/alcohol-chest-pain/

Surprised nobody has advised the obvious - quit drinking, it doesn't agree with you.

Pain which radiates to the left arm may be cardiac. Alcohol increases your blood pressure and may make heart disease worse. it can also precipitate arrhythmias. One to see the doctor about.

BHF info page about alcohol and the heart

See your GP

Thank you

Thank you

I've considered it tho only recently 🤦‍♀️ if it's indigestion for the amount of times it happens I'll just take meds if it's heart related I'd stop.

I get the same thing, I used to have to go into the loos and unhook my bra as it felt like I was being squeezed round the chest. For me it’s definitely indigestion and a Rennie used to sort it. It did put me off drinking enough to feel like that and I haven’t had that feeling in years now.

Thank you

I stopped drinking many years ago, as it would give me terrible stomach pains, I mean really bad and that wasn't heavy drinking, just one glass of wine would do it. But if I was getting chest pains with it, I would go to the gp, just to be on the safe side.