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[JulieP820]

Hey there! I'm a 54 year old living in Colorado in the US, but I was born in Solihull UK and came to the US in 2000. I find the British medical discussions so much more comforting, down to earth and straight to the point than the US stuff. As we well know, the medical system here is crazy and expensive and to top it all I don't have any medical insurance atm. I've been experiencing symptoms for about 3 years that have gradually ramped up until this past Saturday when I had what I believe now was a panic attack in a restaurant that got me in the ER. Dizziness in the past 2 weeks culminated in that and I still don't feel better really.

My prior symptoms were hot flashes here and there, but not intrusive, anxiety and health anxiety, palpitations,, breast pain and swelling that is SO uncomfortable, fairly irregular periods, and rage. Enough to affect the quality of my life and couple that with I've been home for almost 3 years now. I work from home part time. I lost my Mom in the UK in 2021 and wasn't able to get back for the funeral or help my brother clear out her house.

But now I'm a wreck, I'm crawling out of my skin. I don't like this lack of control. I'm barely functioning. My husband is a truck driver and is gone Monday through Friday, he's trying but I'm not sure he's taking me really seriously, especially since I've come to the conclusion that it's anxiety and a panic attack.

Now I'm experiencing waves of adrenaline, less intense but waves of panic and anxiety and I'm freaking out.

The ER visit showed everything as normal, by the time I was hooked up to everything, my heart rate, blood pressure etc was fine. My blood tests were fine. Thyroid fine. They told me to follow up with a Cardiologist for a possible Holter monitor and to follow up with a regular doc. All of this is going to cost $$, I dread to think what the ER bill will be.

A friend in the UK messaged me privately after my husband had posted on Facebook that I was in the ER. She had gone through similar and hers was low estrogen. She's now on HRT and it's helping. This is what sparked this whole thing for me. I knew menopause was a challenge, but geez, this is awful.

Anyway, it's been a comfort reading this forum and finding support. Thank you for being here.

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Julie and welcome to the forum. I am so sorry you have lost your mother. My heart goes out to you.

I have read quite a bit about the health care system in US and it must be so very hard to afford medication and appointments there. From reading of your symptoms and experiences it makes sense that they are related to menopause.

Anxiety is such a horrid thing to endure and I can understand you feeling worse when your husband is away working. I am glad you have found the forum as you will find lots of support on here.

[jaypo]

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum.There is a thread that you can print of for your husband,it just explains things for them,is that something you could do? Thinks it's called advice for husbands.
The adrenaline will be causing the anxiety,it's truly awful and was probably the worst part of meno for me. Is HRT an option for you?

[CLKD]

Hi! Welcome !!  Adrenaline surges felt like hot water coursing through my veins, scared the Life out of me until I realised 

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom advice useful.  Why don't you have health insurance over there?  Important outside of the UK I would have thought.  Does your husband get spousal insurance through his work? 

Why would he post on FB   

Browse round.  Make notes ;-). Ask away.

[JulieP820]

Hello Julie and welcome to the forum. I am so sorry you have lost your mother. My heart goes out to you.

I have read quite a bit about the health care system in US and it must be so very hard to afford medication and appointments there. From reading of your symptoms and experiences it makes sense that they are related to menopause.

Anxiety is such a horrid thing to endure and I can understand you feeling worse when your husband is away working. I am glad you have found the forum as you will find lots of support on here.

Hi! Thank you. It is hard, even with insurance it still costs money, which has never made sense to me. I look back and I was always quite anxious, but it was manageable, now I feel like I'm on the edge all the time. Talking with others has helped and I'm glad to have found you all. My personal goal is to work my way through this and share what works in the hopes that others can benefit, I also have a 35 year old daughter and 14 year old granddaughter so I want to be sure to guide them in the future.

[JulieP820]

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum.There is a thread that you can print of for your husband,it just explains things for them,is that something you could do? Thinks it's called advice for husbands.
The adrenaline will be causing the anxiety,it's truly awful and was probably the worst part of meno for me. Is HRT an option for you?

Thank you, I'll look it up and print it out for him. It really is! I thought I was doing ok until this, it took me down bad. Is the adrenaline specific as a symptom on it's own? I'm so uncomfortable.

HRT could be an option, it's finding a doctor, paying for blood tests and then paying for medication that's the issue for me. 

[JulieP820]

Hi! Welcome !!  Adrenaline surges felt like hot water coursing through my veins, scared the Life out of me until I realised 

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom advice useful.  Why don't you have health insurance over there?  Important outside of the UK I would have thought.  Does your husband get spousal insurance through his work? 

Why would he post on FB   

Browse round.  Make notes ;-). Ask away.

Thank you! Yes, the adrenaline is making me so uncomfortable and fearful constantly over the past couple of weeks, though I see now I had more minor episodes of it here and there for the past 2 or 3 years. As far as the health insurance, I don't have it now because I'm working a part time job from home which currently is about all I can do, especially now, the employer doesn't offer health insurance. How it works is if you have a full time job your employer subsidizes health insurance at their expensive which is law, however, if you want to add a spouse or family you have to pay for them at full price. So for my husband he pays $140 every two weeks for himself (about 100 GBP), but to add me it goes up to around $600 a payday (500 GBP), that's about 1000 GBP a month. Government subsidized health insurance kicks in at a certain income level and of course we fall slightly above. Also, insurance only covers about 80% of all medical costs after your deductible (which for us is $5000) and you have to pay for co-pays (a small fee to even see a doctor) and prescriptions. It's rough. I have seen that you can go to a private clinic and pay like $200 a month for HRT, a future possibility?

Hubby posted that I was in ER for prayers before everything else became clear, no meno discussion on FB! I would've throttled him! I have a long time school friend in the UK that I've been friends with for almost 50 years, she messaged me privately telling me she had similar troubles and that she's now on HRT. That's where all my research and reading began.

I'm not against any form of HRT or medication going forward, but I'd like to start with as many other interventions as possible. I've started with reducing caffeine and adjusting my sleep times, breathing and learning about CBT. I also have some supplements to try, magnesium, Borage and a meno support formula with phytoestrogens. I already take Turmeric. I do have to pick up the courage and figure out financially how to follow up with the cardiologist.