Cold Feet (2)

[SuddenShock]

Hi all, just an update on the cold feet saga.

I read the other day that I should not be having coffee, hot chocolate or "malted drinks" while taking Ramipril (there was a whole long list including oranges, leafy greens and salt substitutes).

I rarely used to drink coffee but I started drinking it more some time ago (because it was easier to make than tea). I also started to eat easy peeler satsumas etc since Christmas (because they are good for you) and cooking with "LoSalt" (because it is less bad for you).

After my "Electric Hot Water Bottle" chat last week and finding the Ramipril link (below), I decided to stop drinking coffee and not buy any oranges for a while.

After a day or so I noticed that I have a lot more sensation in my feet and they are definitely less cold in bed at night (yes I do still have the hot water bottle). My feet aren't perfect by any means but a lot better after a week of no coffee. I am happily drinking regular tea so it is probably not a caffeine thing.

Ramipril link: pharmacy2u.co.uk/health-hub...

No I am still not associated with any retailer or product. No I am not suggesting that coffee is the root of all problems or that not having it will help everyone - just trying to share my positive experience in the hope that it might help someone else with cold numb feet.

[Crabedu]

Hi...just read your post...and Mt cardiac team told me the worst thing to have is lo salt. I too had switched after my heart attack but the cardiac team said its dreadful as they remove sodium from the salt and add potassium which can affect the heart if you have too much. Apparently any food that substitutes salt for "lo salt" should be avoided due to the amount of potassium they put in. Hope this is helpful info x

[SuddenShock in reply to Crabedu]

Thanks for replying, I totally agree with the LoSalt comments. My point was more about not having cold feet for the last few days after I stopped drinking coffee.

[devonian186]

I did my own research and found sites that said these foods should be avoided when on Ramipril;

"Foods that are rich in potassium are oranges, bananas, potato, peas, mushrooms, pumpkins, plus leafy green vegetables etc."

As a vegetarian I eat all these most days-except pumpkin- as they provide the nutrients needed. I had never heard of this advice before and on checking with the NHS it seems to be North American guidance, as the NHS makes no such caveats except on Lo salt.

[SuddenShock in reply to devonian186]

I didn't see the potato, pea and mushroom. It seems that the list suggests not eating anything with the exception of KFC and McDs!

[fishonabike]

Generally the advice is to avoid large amounts of these foods, not cut them out altogetherSo unless your diet includes several bags of oranges, bananas etc a day washed down with gallons of tea, coffee and hot chocolate you should not need to cut them out

[SuddenShock in reply to fishonabike]

Thanks for the reply. I am assuming that we need most of the naturally occuring elements in our bodies and probably should not be cutting any of them out. I am aware that too much or too little sodium can be very bad as well as having too much or too little potassium.

The point that I was trying to raise was that I haven't had freezing cold feet since the day after I took a break from drinking coffee. I fully appreciate it is a sample of one and could be any form of coincidence, I would be interested to know if anyone else in the "cold feet" discussion had experienced the same or not. Maybe someone is trying at the moment and will report back after having a coffee free day or two.

[Pepperthedog]

It's not only when taking Ramipril that high-potassium foods should be restricted: kidney patients generally need to limit them because it can add to the risks of muscle weakness, irregular heartbeats/arrhythmias, and heart attack. It's worth looking up lists of high- and low-potassium foods: as fishonabike suggests, the first should be restricted - not necessarily eliminated completely - while the second can be eaten freely within a balanced diet.

[Sustainedvtach270]

When asking chatgpt what minerals in the food are most important to prevent afib: 1/magnesium 2/ potassium (banana,orange, avocado,spinach)

[SuddenShock in reply to Sustainedvtach270]

Hi there, thanks for the reply.

Don't trust chatgpt or any other ai to make life decisions, despite the hype they can and do make things up and present them as "fact".

[Whiteghost]

Thank you for your link. I take Ramipril and for a change started eating oranges and have noted a few weird feelings, including COLD FEET.🤔. Love your signing off paragraph. Those pesky Supremacists.😂.

[Petercat1]

Hi. Where did you read this info about what not to drink/eat whilst on Ramipril please. I'm on Ramipril 7.5mg a day for high BP, but have never been warned about what I can or can't eat or drink.

I drink coffee every morning and have been eating little oranges too, but I don't suffer from cold feet - I thought it was only bisoprolol that gave you cold feet and hands, but I'm on those too.

Thank you

Denise

[SuddenShock in reply to Petercat1]

Hi Denise. I think that there is a list of things in the Ramipril leaflet, I am certain that is where I first found out about LoSalt. I am going to guess that you (like most of the rest of us) didn't read it. I read it whilst bored one day but that probably shows how sad I am!.

I put a link in one of my previous posts, here it is again if it helps. pharmacy2u.co.uk/health-hub...

Don't read too much in to these, you will find lots of contradictory information on the internet. I think the general view is moderation of everything, no extremes either way of too much / none at all

My coffee and Ramipril comment was more of a question. Lots of us have cold feet / hands that seems to have developed since diagnosis / treatment / change of medication. I don't seem to be as cold since I took a break from coffee and oranges - there was no particular heart related reason for this change but I wanted to test the waters to see if anyone else had noticed the same or similar.