Pins and needles/numbness ramipril

[Foxflyer10]

I have been on ramipril for a month. From about 2 weeks in, I started noticing slight numbness in my hands and feet and they get soooooo cold! Often wake in the night and can't feel my hands much. Blood test only showed serum ferritin levels weren't that great but everything else ok. Cardiologist seems to think it's nothing to do with ramipril but I've never experience this until I started it. Anyone else have this?

[VickyHK72]

I also take ramipril and have noticed since I started on it that I get extremely cold hands, even when the rest of me is warm! I also get numbness/pins and needles in a couple of fingers if they’re cold for any length of time. Recently I’ve found when reading in bed before going to sleep that my hands get so cold it’s actually distracting me from my book and I have to alternate with one hand under the covers! My feet are generally ok but that’s because I always have socks and sheepskin slippers on. I never experienced anything like this before I started on ramipril. I have also lost about 3 stone which I do think means I feel the cold a bit more but I don’t think that explains my hands! I find it worst when I’m sitting at my laptop working - I find it helps if I get up and do something active, a bit of hoovering or similar. It can be a pain though!

[Zac11 in reply to VickyHK72]

I'm on a variety of heart meds for AF, including Ramipril and the bottoms of my feet are permanently numb, though not particularly cold. I just put it down to peripheral neuropathy caused by poor circulation. No problem with fingers though. However, did you lose weight deliberately? If not you need to get it checked out, especially if it was sudden. My wife lost 3 stone over a few weeks, from 10 and a half to 7 and a half stone, and after extensive tests and consultations she was diagnosed with AL Cardiac Amyloidosis which is very rare but also very serious. Any weight loss needs investigating if it's not deliberate.

[richard_jw in reply to Zac11]

Hi

I assume you are on some form of anticoagulant (warfarin, or one of the newer ones (rivaroxaban etc.). I recently started taking 20mg Rivaroxaban which is an anticoagulant. The cardiologist prescribed it for because he thought I may have AF. It was changed to Apixaban because of side effects of Rivaroxaban. Both meds have caused the symptoms you describe (numb feet, but not cold etc.). They also cause me digestive problems, and joint problems the latter I thought was gout, but has not gone away. GP seems uninterested.

[Zac11 in reply to richard_jw]

Yes, Edoxaban, previously Apixaban.

[richard_jw in reply to Zac11]

It seems that Apixaban is overall better in terms of side effects, but many NHS trusts are switching people to another DOAC because of cost considerations. Edoxaban mostly.

[Zac11 in reply to richard_jw]

Haven't noticed any difference except edoxaban is only one a day whereas apixaban was two.

[Foxflyer10 in reply to richard_jw]

I'm only taking ramipril. About to take bisoprolol

[Foxflyer10 in reply to Zac11]

Opps, I replied to you but it ended up further down!

[Foxflyer10 in reply to Zac11]

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

I have changed my diet, eating more salad and veg and only having 3 meals, no snacking so my weight has dropped from 56kg to 51kg in a month and half. Not sure if that is worrying amount of weight loss?

[Foxflyer10 in reply to VickyHK72]

Thank you for your reply. Its not only me feeling this since taking ramipril! I get the same thing, if I use one hand for too long, like driving long distance, it starts getting cold and I have to alternate hands!

[Coxtribe]

I can relate to that. I've always had issues with cold hands and feet but that seems to have become more extreme since my HA and being prescribed Ramipril (2.5mg from 1.25mg) in April last year. Coincidence? I really don't know and there's been little interest when I've raised it but I'll no doubt mention it again!!

[Foxflyer10 in reply to Coxtribe]

Same here, gp sent me for a blood test but nothing really came out of it

[Hare123]

hi. My husband is on ramipril, and gets extremely cold feet. We bought a heat pad which really helps. He has also been getting pins and needles and numbness in his arms, and is waiting for a blood test to check his vitamin B12 levels

[bwiltshi]

I have exactly those symptoms but not on ramipril for nearly a year. Now take entresto. Problems started 3 or 4 months ago. It is very distracting No obvious change in meds that can be blamed. I had carpal tunnel 16 y ago (both wrists operated on) with cold and numbness issues. This is similar but I don't think the same. I haven't seen doc about it

[Hidden]

Yes i can relate to this but i do believe it maybe a symptom to heart failire as well. When i had a low ejection rate of 12% when i left ICU i couldn't get them warm at all. I slept in wolly winter socks in the summer and they were stone cold!!

Then i remember them stopping that drug and starting me on entresto and within a week on entresto, my hands and feet warmed up. But some days i do still get cold feet and hands but no where near as bad as before entresto. So, it could be the drug and could be heart failure...

[LouPai94]

Yes! Started taking Ramipril in July, however I was only on it for a trial period to see how my blood pressure would react. Recently (September) I was given a longer dossage of Ramipril as my lower blood pressure readings seemed to correlate with taking Ramipril, however as of 7 October I have started to experience numbness in my hands along with the coldness you describe. I have had to compeletely change my posture to try and alleviate the issue (to little effect). In fact the numbness has routinely woken me from my sleep and it is starting to worry me greatly. I will be booking myself into the GP surgery today, however I do not have high hopes that they will diagnose it and will probably try and explain it away as me sleeping in a position that is restricting blood flow.

The other thing I have noticed is a slight sensation in my hands and arms. Can't quite describe what it feels like, but it doesn't feel normal.

Will update when the GP has had a look at me.