A few days ago, I replied to a post on here about beta-blockers and cold extremities. I was a bit negative, complaining about my icy cold fingers now that I am on bisoprolol.
This was very bad of me and I would like to apologise for neglecting the important and positive aspect of beta-blockers. Instead, I fell into the common trap of grumbling about side effects.
From this day forth, I shall no longer complain. I shall stand proud and proclaim a benefit: Pastry.
Surely I cannot be alone here? I've made some of my best pastry ever in these past few weeks, thanks to my cold hands and fingers. I rocked the mince pies, I aced a meat and potato pie and, as for the quiche Lorraine case, I could have eaten it without the filling.
It got me thinking: Are there any other tasks for which cold hands are beneficial?
As a result of my recent experiences, I've been inspired to incorporate more lard to vary the crumb.
So hold your heads high, beta-blocker buddies. Let's celebrate our cold digits and start making more pastry.
M x
P.S. Am I actually allowed to mention lard on a heart forum? Will I set off an alarm? 🫣
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EmmJayTea
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I think quite a few of us have moaned about side effects but does not mean we do not appreciate what the medications are doing for us so I personally do not think you are bad at all if you were negative but love the way you have turned it into a positive
Bless you.. ah yes, side effects. Let's stay grateful that we are around to get them (difficult at times I know). It beats (pun there) the alternative. Everyone has bad days, cold hands aside xx
Brilliant post, no need for apology. Great point too, some side effects should be celebrated - Flecainide gives me some crazy dreams, the only side effect I’ve noticed from it & I really enjoy them…. Some are proper out there / bonkers - very entertaining & never scary.
You can moan about cold hands and feet,unlike yourself, my cold fingers and toes that go white are extremely painful and my consultant is looking into a different medication
That's not a nice experience and I am sorry you suffer so actuely. I very much hope that you are able to find a better medication.
I do share some of your experience, although I only get pain in my little fingers and toes, which go completely white. I use tepid (not hot) water in a basin to reheat my hands gently and always carry around reusable hand warmer gel packs.
Haha, love your post. I have to admit that my hands rarely get cold, but then I live in a hot country. Also, I have to admit that I am domestically challenged and don't make pastry. (My sister-in-law says the moment I walk into the kitchen, the veil of negativity falls upon me!) Enjoy your pastry. 💖🌺
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAH love this post, I will will order a batch of mince pies please yum yum yum. My cold hands are used to make my friends and family scream. Placed on the back of the neck, under the jumper, anywhere i can legally put them so they touch bare skin hahahahhaahha, I have heard words that would normally be spoken in the mind only or at least very very quietly.
That was my post complaining about cold fingers and toes. I didn’t think you were too negative, side effects are annoying! I’ve had cold hands for years, well before taking beta blockers so I can’t completely blame them.
Without them my heart rate jumps to 160-200 bpm without a clear reason, so I will take cold hands over waking up in the middle of the night feeling awful.
Your post made me laugh though on a cold and snowy Monday morning, while I try to stay defrosted while working!
Yep. I'm totally with you on the alternative. I take them to stay out of dangerous VT (190-220 bpm) and receiving ICD therapy, so I am definitely accepting the side-effects.
Loved the post,😂 I never considered that benefit of the cold hands but then I cheat and use a food processor on the rare occasions I make pastry these days. Nothing to do with eating healthily, more to do with my very old oven being unreliable and needing a new one/ kitchen.😡
I wouldn't call it cheating. I would class it as a valid solution to match your situation. Old ovens take the pastry challenge to a totally different level!
i am one of the possible dinosaurs who believe that there are no bad or banned food - BUT some should be consumed, occasionally, in limited quantities as part of a mixed diet including plenty of fresh fruit and veg
i also advocate cooking from scratch as much as possible: at least you kow what's gone into it!
for those with warm hands (like me) a food processor makes fantastic pastry and scones as it whizzes fat and flour into a breadcrumb consistency in seconds, even using the dough blade - the remaining ingredients are added with short pulses of the dough blade - BTW i mean the large "Bish,Bash,Bosh" type food processor (a memory from the past!) not the liquidiser type
Excellent advice re food processor! And I'm with you on cooking from scratch. 👍
Superb..... cold hands and lard are obviously the way forward and I offer my services as taster of the mince pies and quiche.... It may a dangerous job but I'm willing to sacrifice all for a great quiche......... I wonder what the record is for using the word lard on a heart health forum?
well done for finding the positive. Also cold hands are good for laying on foreheads when one has a headache or on inflamed bits of skin to ease the burning.
have you tried chickweed (stellaria) cream for sooting the itch of excema - i use it for mosquio bites etc but am told it is also effective for excema - Neals Yard do a reasonably priced one
I've not come across this. I have a box full of various ointments and creams which seem to work well at the moment, but I appreciate the suggestion. Thank you for sharing 🙂.
Hi what a lovely post, you know we all get a bit like this never thought of the baking aspect though, my hands and fingers get really cold, for me I find someone with warm hands normally my hubby and ask him to pass on the warmth 🙂
I don’t really care, but your “apology” sounds a bit tongue-in-cheek. It sounds, honestly, like you are still just complaining.
I am sitting here at 23 degrees Fahrenheit, or -5 Celcius. We are currently having brutal temperatures and snow storms in many parts of America. So, I have the cold effects from taking my beta blockers plus actual brutal, freezing temps. But, by all means, please continue your complaining.
In addition, I am trying to give up processed foods with white sugar to attempt to turn around prediabetes. Giving up sugar (as much as possible) makes me feel somewhat cranky/angry. Plus, you are joking about eating lard, and many of us are taking statins to try to lower our cholesterol levels. I honestly don’t find you funny.
Perhaps you might consider a “real” apology, or, as I was taught, simply say nothing.
Plus, for those who want to simply dismiss me as an angry, confrontational American, that is not the entire story either. I got up extra early this morning to take my 85 year old Mom to a vascular surgeon/specialist. She had a TIA about three weeks ago. We spent hours and hours on December 22nd at both an eye specialist’s office and then the emergency room. Anyway, this morning, I had to thaw out my car doors ( they were frozen shut) before we could go to her doctor. There were no parking spaces at the Heart/cardiology Institute so I dropped Mom at the entrance and I drove off to find remote parking. It took awhile to park and then walk back to the hospital (in what was then -7 degrees Celsius). I assumed that Mom had checked in for her appointment, but two hours later, I went to check on why it was taking so long to see the doctor. I learned then that my Mom had not checked in and had been listed as a “No Show.”
We did finally get it all sorted, but I was still left freezing. By the way, this is genuine complaining and whining, because after her appointment, I had to go back outside (where it had warmed up to -5 degrees Celsius) to find my car and drive back to get Mom.
Ouch. I am sorry that you've been having a such hard time. That sucks. Given your recent experiences, I can quite understand you seeing my post and not at all interpreting it in the tone that it was intended. I might also add that there is a bit of a humour culture difference on each side of the water, and you can see that by many of the other replies to my original post. It was intended to bring a smile to fellow patient friends on a winter's day. Sometimes my dead pan British humour just doesn't carry, but it is not meant to cause offence. That is not in my nature.
You took the time to voice your thoughts on here which is why I wanted to take the time to reply to you in return. Seriously, take care and I hope things do start to get a bit easier for you. 🙂
Thank you for your reply. I wrote seven days ago, and you have had time to craft a thoughtful reply for today, but I appreciate it, nonetheless.
I usually appreciate British humor (humour), but I honestly still don’t “get” your post that I responded to. It is true that I was having a bad day due mainly to the wretched weather, but perhaps the humor didn’t translate well across the pond.
Anyway, still freezing here at -13.33 degrees Celcius and covered in about 8 inches of snow. I had to cancel Mom’s medical test scheduled for today because I, personally, can’t drive in all of this mess.
Going forward, I will try harder to not respond to a post that I might find odd, or offensive. I usually don’t react so negatively.
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