Blood pressure monitors

[cathie]

I don't get on with them, the inflating cuffs hurt my arm (pinches). Does anyone have a similar experience and recommendations on ones that are more comfortable?

[charisma]

Hi Cathie

I have never found any type of BP cuff makes a difference, pre RA or since, in the UK or USA. The tightness is absolutely necessary to measure BP.

[cathie in reply to charisma]

I find they pinch unbearably

[charisma in reply to cathie]

Maybe you should mention it to Rheumatology. Might be something to do with veins?

[helixhelix]

And things like the wrist monitors are not said to be that accurate. It only last a minute... have you measured your arm to check you have the right sized cuff?

[cathie in reply to helixhelix]

Yes I’ve got an ok size cuff. In despair they can robotise our lives but not produce something simple that’s accurate and convenient. Just moaning!

[Lolabridge]

You may be interested to know that on my last visit to hospital I was asked to take part in a trial where my blood pressure was measured by a camera on a tablet recording my facial features. Apparently it’s pretty accurate.

So, hopefully, nasty tight cuffs (which I hate too) may not be needed much longer.

[cathie in reply to Lolabridge]

Brilliant z where was this?

[Lolabridge in reply to cathie]

At Queen Alexandra’s Hospital in Portsmouth England.

[wishbone]

No problem with mine, though my daughter tried it and said it hurt her. I think men must be tougher than women!...force field now activated! Seriously, they can definitely squeeze a bit but I think the trick is not to wrap it too tight around your arm.

[Fra22-57]

When I have my BP taken at gp or hospital the pain is unbearable.Thought it was due to my fibromyalgia as have pain even if someone pokes my arm.I really can sympathise with you

[AgedCrone]

It’s called White Coat Syndrome! Tests have proved that even if you are not consciously nervous your BP often does rise when taken in medical surroundings.....but when you take it at home it rarely does.

[wishbone in reply to AgedCrone]

I suffer with white coat syndrome. My BP is often higher when I have it taken at my GP surgery or hospital.

A couple of months back rheumy were concerned that my BP was a little high, so as I'd had a mild heart attack many moons ago they advised me to go and have it checked by the nurse at my GP surgery. This I duly did and again it was on the high side but showed normal when taken at home on my monitor. I told the nurse that I often have WCS, so she asked to see me again in a few days time and to check my BP at home just before going back to her, which was fine, and to bring my monitor with me so she could compare the readings on both monitors. Her monitor again showed my BP was a bit high and much as I expected, so did mine. She seemed quite happy to leave things as is and told me just to keep any eye on my BP over the next couple of weeks. Just to be sure everything was in order I checked my BP once again not long after arriving home from the surgery and it was back in the normal zone, which is how it's been since.

[Pulfs in reply to wishbone]

I had same experience, high bp at Drs. Was told to monitor it everyday a home for a week and take in the readings,and thankfully they were all fine. Didnt want to have to add another drug or statins, take enough meds as it is.

[cathie]

I think it may be to do with lack of muscle tone too. There must be a better way to do it

[Recorder500L]

I am the same, blood pressure way high at the Hospital. I have a wrist monitor which I use a home and take it with me to the RD Consultant's appointment. The Rheumy Nurses have no problem with it, they accept that the high arm cuff is sometimes too painful for RD patients and will make their blood pressure higher. Take care.

[cathie in reply to Recorder500L]

does the wrist cuff seem reliable to you? I'm getting towards the end of the most excruciating 24 hr monitoring. I did take it off at night because it was waking me up every hour.

[Recorder500L in reply to cathie]

I think that the wrist blood pressure are reliable. I have had a 24 hr monitor from the GP due to high blood pressure at the GP/Hospital. My blood pressure was fine out of the GP/Hospital environment. At the same time as my 24 hr monitoring my husband used our wrist blood pressure monitor and I recorded his results twice a day for two weeks. His blood pressure was high and he is now on tablets. We would not have known as he rarely goes to the GP.

[Hidden]

The cuffs usually pinch me because my BP is high. They don't pinch if my BP isn't too high.

[cathie in reply to Hidden]

thanks