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Blood Pressure Cuff brings Tears

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 12/9/2014 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Does anyone else experience this? When I am having my blood pressure taken, with the cuff on the upper arm, I feel like I am going to scream or pass out from the pain on those last few pumps of air into the cuff. I have to close my eyes to keep the tears from squirting out. I do carry many muscle knots/trigger points in that area of my arm.
Getting a deep tissue massage on my upper arms is uncomfortable, but not as extremely painful as the blood pressure cuff.
<3
Posted 12/9/2014 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
It hurt me until I told the nurse I have fibromyalgia and she didn't pump it up quite as high anymore.
I've gotten where blood draws hurt terrible.
Posted 12/9/2014 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
A Fibro researcher told me that the blood pressure cuff (pain) is one reliable indicator for Fibromyalgia.
Posted 12/9/2014 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, yes. I have a blood pressure monitor here at home and check my blood pressure occasionally. I checked it last night and it felt like the bones were being crushed in my arm and my arm ached badly. The same thing happens at the doctor's office. It's very uncomfortable but thank goodness it only lasts a few seconds.

Sherrine
Posted 12/9/2014 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
I had some salivary glands removed recently and the oral surgeon insisted on monitoring my blood pressure through the entire 45 minute procedure. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and he thought it was due to not using enough Novacain. I kept pointing to the cuff because I couldn't speak...my blood pressure went up to 200/110 due to the pain of that tight, painful cuff. When he was done, he says---"You'd better go to your doctor for that blood pressure spike." No...when I keep pointing to the cuff, you should figure out it's killing me.

Your blood pressure readings will not be accurate if you are in pain. Doctors should figure that out.

Donna
Posted 12/9/2014 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I've always hated that painful pressure. What I do is try to distract myself by quietly blowing out a few breaths while counting backwards from 10 during the time the cuff is on. My BP is usually really good, so this may be working! :-)

...but 45 minutes, Donna?!  Good grief! shocked

Posted 12/9/2014 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
When I first started feeling pain from FM I didn't know how to explain it. Then I went to the Dr. While getting my blood pressure taken I INSTANTLY knew exactly how to explain it. My pain feels like I have blood pressure cuffs, covering my arms and legs, that are inflated to their maximum capacity.


Alison
Posted 12/9/2014 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for bringing this up. I felt like a lightbulb went off in my head. I found blood pressure cuffs increasingly uncomfortable for a while. I have wide (fat, lol) upper arms, so I always thought it was because of that. I have even had striations left on my arms that last for days after.

More recently the doctor has been using wider cuffs. I didn't find it to be much different as to my discomfort level.

In the past year, I found I held my breath every time someone took my blood pressure and at a couple of points felt I was getting woozy and might pass out. I told myself I was being silly and that I should just suck it up, but it doesn't matter as it still is horribly painful.

Alison - great explanation of FM. I describe the nervy sensation as if I suddenly had all my nerves on the outside of my body. The worst pain for me is centered in my arms, neck and shoulders. The blood pressure idea describes some of the bad days perfectly.
Posted 12/10/2014 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your responses! Why does it help so much to know you are "not the only one?" But it does. All of us with FM are brave warriors, and I feel like a weenie complaining, so I do not…who wants to hear it anyway? But it is good to know there are comrades out there.
<3
Posted 12/10/2014 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
Who else can we complain to but each other? Even those that are sympathetic don't really get it.
Posted 12/10/2014 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Who else can we complain to but each other? Even those that are sympathetic don't really get it. It's nice to have other ears that understand.
Posted 12/11/2014 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
HI <3, Same here i have extreme pain in my arm while my blood pressure is being taken. I also never thought to tell medic that I have Fibro. I never asked if the pain affects the pressure reading. I am on medication for high blood pressure. Has anyone ever asked a medic if the pain could be skewing the results? I’d hate to think I was taking blood pressure medication unnecessarily. Neenaa
Posted 12/13/2014 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Same here- I could scream when they take my bp. I do have a higher pressure during a flare. ER docs have told me that's one way they judge if someone is in real pain or trying to get medication.
Posted 12/17/2014 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
Wow! I thought it was just me. I hate that cuff. I feel like a vessel might burst.
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