Copyright birminghammail
Dr Punam has issued a warning to those taking certain medications for heart problems or poor circulation. On today's (Nov 4) episode of BBC's Morning Live, the NHS GP urged individuals to consult a doctor if they noticed specific symptoms while on the medication that could be misinterpreted as something else. As the weather becomes increasingly chilly, people are being advised to be vigilant for red-flag signs that can be easily missed due to the low temperatures. Read more Inside dementia lab growing mini 'brains' to find cure for Alzheimer's disease While it's normal to feel cold in winter, persistently feeling cold or having cold hands and feet even when indoors or bundled up in warm clothing should not be overlooked - and the type of medication you're on could make you susceptible to these 'hidden' issues. Speaking to presenters Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton, BBC Morning Live's resident doctor, Dr Punman, stated: "In winter we do tend to feel the cold a lot more. Some people feel it more than others. We've all got different cold thresholds. "But if you are feeling it when you're indoors, when you're layered up, when the heating's on and it's a new change, then it's worthwhile getting that checked out. "Sometimes, that kind of cold could be associated with an underlying condition. This isn't just about feeling a little bit cold. This is about it being something more than that and shouldn't be ignored." She also mentioned: "As we get older, we tend to lose our muscle mass, we lose our fat insulation, things that naturally keep us warm. Our metabolism also slows down.", reports the Mirror . Dr Punam Krishan serves as a general practitioner with NHS Scotland. She's gained recognition as a resident doctor on BBC daytime television. Her work spans media medicine and medical education, with appearances on other BBC programmes including Laid Bare. Dr Punam explained: "If you are feeling cold and it is accompanied with other symptoms, so things like pain, tingling, numbness, maybe weakness or stiffness in the body, maybe it's colour changes to your skin, then you need to speak to your doctor about that." Discussing some of the more frequent cases she encounters in her GP practice, she highlighted iron deficiency and anaemia. "If you have got low iron in your body, then you've not got enough healthy blood cells to be able to deliver oxygen to all the different parts of our body that we need. So blood flow in that case diverts to vital organs and your peripheries, your hands, your feet tend to feel the cold the most. It's a straightforward blood test, very easy to diagnose and very easy to treat, but something not to ignore." She also referenced an underactive thyroid, which she notes can "make you feel very cold and affect your temperature because your thyroid gland is responsible for your metabolism and body temperature". Another condition worth considering is Raynaud's. "This is where you can get constriction of your blood vessels in the extremities," she said. It can affect your hands, tips of your toes, nose, ears, and even the nipples. It can also cause the skin to change to white and blue, and become "really tender". She added: "And when the blood flow starts to return, they get really throbbing pain and they become really hot. If you do recognise this and maybe your hands and feet go like this then speak to your doctor. Lifestyle changes and trigger management can really be helpful." She also warned people with heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and blood pressure issues that these can also affect blood flow to your extremities, as well as diabetes, "especially in advanced diabetes", which can affect your nerves and your blood vessels, and can make you feel very cold. "So do not ignore it if any of this sounds familiar and speak to your doctor", she urged. Dr Punam continued by identifying the typical medications that can impact your body's temperature control and explained why it's crucial to discuss this with a medical professional. These comprise: Water tablets, commonly known as diuretics, are medications that encourage the body to produce additional urine in order to flush out surplus water and salt. Medical professionals typically prescribe them to patients suffering from high blood pressure , heart failure, or fluid build-up (oedema). Water tablets work by targeting the kidneys, forcing them to remove more salt and fluid from the bloodstream into urine. These medications can leave you feeling chilly, particularly in your extremities, though this isn't as frequent as other adverse effects like needing the loo constantly or feeling dizzy. Antidepressants may leave you feeling cold because they can interfere with your body's temperature regulation system. This can manifest as general coldness, shivers, or simply icy hands and feet (known medically as peripheral coldness). Blood vessel widening drugs can be prescribed to control blood pressure and tackle angina plus heart conditions. These medicines can make you feel cold as they boost blood circulation to your skin. This assists your body in releasing heat and lowering its core temperature. When blood flows more towards the surface, it can make you feel chilly, particularly in your hands and feet, as more warmth escapes into the atmosphere. Beta blockers are frequently prescribed for medical issues including anxiety, high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. A typical adverse effect of beta blockers is experiencing icy hands and feet, also referred to as cold extremities. This occurs because beta blockers can alter blood circulation to your hands and feet. Dr Punam cautioned: "So medications are big ones. If you started something recently, and maybe as a side effect have started noticing, 'actually I'm feeling cold all the time', it might be your medication, and we can change that for you." An NHS GP has warned that women , particularly those in midlife, may feel the cold more due to hormonal changes. "Women tend to feel it much more, especially in midlife. And that's because our hormones are all over the place. Perimenopause and menopause can really throw your temperature regulation off. A lot of people talk about hot flushes, but in between those, when the oestrogen is low, we actually feel the cold a lot more. So it's something to be mindful of," she said. She also highlighted the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and staying hydrated. "If you're skipping meals regularly, if your blood sugars are dipping, you're not hydrating yourself, your blood flow is going to be affected and you are going to feel chilly a lot more," she explained. The GP further emphasised the need for layering clothes to stay warm. "People think when you've got a big bulky woolly jumper on, that's enough, but actually that's not an efficient way of keeping yourself warm. It's about thinking of those layers. like thin layers, layered up, those base layers make a massive difference. They trap the heat a lot better, so you're looking at your wool, your fleece, your thermal cotton, those kind of things." She also advised making sure your home environment is comfortable, with draught excluders, rugs on floors, and thick curtains. "This is especially important if you have older adults, as the temperature should be set at least around 18 degrees," she added. In her concluding remarks, she advised: "If you have got heart disease or if you've got problems with circulation, leg swelling, then elevating your legs if you're sitting up at nighttime as well can make a big difference as well as compression stockings. But as I said, if you are struggling a bit more, then do speak to your doctor about that."
