Does anyone absolutely HATE the feeling of blood pressure cuff?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

I'm wondering if it's my sensory issues that make this so hard, but I cannot physically stop myself from squirming - the more I try to stop myself the more my breathing goes wrong and I end up sort of gulping down air and dissolving into anxious stupid giggles

It's really embarrassing! Plus I have to get blood pressure done quite a lot due to type 1 diabetes.

We got a machine for me to practise at home to try to get used to it, but although I'm much better at home (my wife sits next to me and murmurs soothing words and pats my other arm ) I STILL cannot stop my breathing going wonky.

I just hate the vice like squeezing and the sensation of blood pulsating through my arm, it makes me panic and feels like the circulation is being dangerously cut off. Which is ridiculous, obviously.

Who else dreads the blood pressure cuff? Who else is as odd as me?!

I loath it!! Feels so tight, like I’m losing all circulation.

Would having a squeezy ball to squeeze help? It takes my mind off it for me

I hate it too, it makes me panic and I have very low blood pressure so often it doesn’t just swell and go down once but two or three times. I have to really concentrate on my breathing with it.

Me too

I like it. Is like a little hug for my arm.

I think it’s meant to be quite an uncomfortable feeling, I hate it too (although have only rarely had to have it!).
I was about to say surely no one actively ‘enjoys it’ - (a necessary evil a bit like a smear test I suppose) and then @XenoBitch says she likes it

I don't have sensory problems so I hope it's OK to reply.

I love it. I love everything about it. I love the anticipation and the rustling sound of it being unravelled. I love the smell of it, the cold of it on my arm, the nurse's hands pulling it tighter then smoothing the plastic against the velcro as it fits snugly round my arm. I love the cold of the steel of the stethascope against the inside of my elbow, the sound of it puffing up so it becomes tighter and tighter, sometimes with a bit of pain from some caught flesh, before suddenly it clicks...and it starts deflating. I love it going down then it suddenly gives up the ghost and eases off completely.

I love the whole experience of it. I have an arm cuff and a wrist cuff and, sad to say, I often get my arm cuff out to just enjoy that squeeze.

Sorry, I hope this doesn't freak you put but I felt I had to speak up for the mighty BP arm cuff.

@XenoBitch

I like it. Is like a little hug for my arm.

I agree with this! I find it hard to think of it as similar to a smear test. I'd rather have 10,000 blood pressure tests over a smear!

It’s not my most hated sensory thing, but it’s very unpleasant. I would much rather get stuck with a needle than have my blood pressure taken.

@TheChosenTwo

I think it’s meant to be quite an uncomfortable feeling, I hate it too (although have only rarely had to have it!). I was about to say surely no one actively ‘enjoys it’ - (a necessary evil a bit like a smear test I suppose) and then *@XenoBitch* says she likes it

I did know someone who liked smear tests But she was also into all sorts of BDSM too.

I hate it too but not as much as a contact lens check up when they turn your eyelids inside out!

I've always really enjoyed it! Have one at home (not just for the fun factor) and really like the feeling of it tightening

I’ve had to wear one all night before now - bloody awful thing.

I cry . Every. Time.

I find my left arm is worse than my right.

Not too bad with the manual bp machines...

It's when the machine hasn't got a reading and starts inflating again and gets loads tighter. That for me is the killer.

I may have a low pain threshold. But having said that I gave birth with no pain relief

I hate them at the doctor but when I stayed in hospital a couple of years back the automatic one there was fine! Weird!

I have a bad memory of one continuously measuring my blood pressure during Dad's birth until I screamed at the midwife to take it off

DD's birth. FFS autocorrect.

I like them! I really like the sensation.

I hate the tight feeling - it always feels over tight to me.

I hate it. I would rather have blood taken.

I love it!

It's not nice but it's meant to be tight.

I hate it too. It makes me feel claustrophobic, as I worry that it won't deflate, so it's something out of my control.

I find it really painful. Much too tight.

Yes! Absolutely hate it dread having it done it absolutely kills! Thought I was the only one!

Oh god me too! I can take anything else, needles, MRI and all the childbirth stuff. I had my blood pressure taken on Wednesday and could have screamed its so awful. I know it won't hurt me but it feels like it will cut my arm off I cannot bear it.
I also feel a rising panic with it.