WEIRD PERIMENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS NO ONE WARNED YOU ABOUT

Phantom smells. Itchy ears. Ringing in your ears. Skin that suddenly feels like it’s crawling.

If you’ve ever thought (or Googled!)

”Is XX a perimenopause symptom or am I losing my mind?”

- you’re not alone.

Perimenopause is known for the big symptoms - hot flushes, mood swings, weight gain - but what no one tells you is that every single cell in your body has estrogen receptors. That means everything - from your skin to your sinuses - can be affected as your cells, tissues, and organs struggle to adapt to the wild fluctuations of estrogen in perimenopause during its journey down to menopause.

So if your body suddenly feels like it’s betraying you in ways you never expected? It’s not in your head.

Let’s break down some of the weirdest perimenopause symptoms women experience - and why they happen.

1. PHANTOM SMELLS (OLFACTORY HALLUCINATIONS, OR SUDDEN SENSITIVITY TO SCENTS)

One day, I swore I could smell sawdust - as if someone had just planed a piece of wood right next to me! Now, my husband is a carpenter, so often smells of sawdust (its a lovely smell!), so the smell of sawdust isn’t exactly unusual in my life, but this time? He wasn’t there! I was driving my kids to a homeschool activity!

For a period of time, it happened often. Most times, he wasn’t with us, so when I kept asking my kids, “Can you smell that?!” every single time, they just looked at me like I was completely nuts. I started to feel I was going a bit crazy! 🤪

Then I remembered that phantom smells - especially burnt, metallic, smoky, mouldy, or musty smells - are incredibly common in perimenopause. Some women even find that they can’t tolerate strong scents anymore, like perfume, coffee, or certain foods.

WHY?

Estrogen plays a role in how your nose and brain process smells - your olfactory system (your sense of smell). As levels fluctuate, your brain can misinterpret scent signals, making you hyper-sensitive or causing phantom smells that don’t actually exist.

For me, I’ve always had a dodgy sense of smell - being sensitive to scents but unable to smell if the milk is off! Along with lots of hay fever and allergies. So it made sense to me that I’d get this symptom, as perimenopause tends to highlight areas where we already have an issue, or have a genetic tendency for an issue.

Now that I’m two years post-menopause, the phantom sawdust smell has completely disappeared. My body has finally adapted to its lower estrogen levels, and that particular glitch is gone (along with my other symptoms too). So if this is happening to you right now, know that it most likely won’t last forever.

WHAT HELPS?

Sinus rinses can help clear up any lingering irritation or congestion that might be adding to the problem.

Important: If you’re experiencing phantom smells, it’s always good to rule out other causes like nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, migraines, epilepsy, brain trauma, stroke, depression, or even tumours.

Perimenopause is a common culprit, but a quick chat with your doctor can give you peace of mind, and avoid anything sinister going unnoticed. It can be quite common for many things to be written off as ‘just perimenopause,’ but it is really important to make sure that they are investigated, as there can be other, sometimes sinister, drivers of the issue, with perimenopause hormone changes just escalating or highlighting the symptoms.

💡 What’s the weirdest smell you’ve noticed lately? Let me know in the comments, I bet you’re not the only one!

2. ITCHY EARS, RINGING EARS, AND WEIRD EAR SENSATIONS

Ever find yourself scratching inside your ears like a dog with fleas? Or dealing with random ringing, buzzing, or ear popping?

Some women even describe a weird vibration inside their head - like their ears are full of static.

WHY?

There are estrogen receptors on the cells and nerves in your ear canal and inner ear, which means hormone shifts can affect how your ears produce wax, drain fluid, and process sound. Some researchers even believe perimenopause can trigger temporary tinnitus (ringing ears) due to changes in circulation and nerve function.

3. DRY EYES (OR EYES THAT WON’T STOP WATERING?!)

I struggled when trying out contact lenses for when I was playing lacrosse - I’d spend ages trying to get them in and out, and most of the time, I’d just give up and play lacrosse without them.

At one point, my optometrist casually mentioned, “Oh yeah, dry eye is really common in women your age - just use these drops before putting them in.”

Which would’ve been fine… if I wasn’t also completely grossed out by sticking my fingers near my eyeball. (Which possibly was the bigger problem than my dry eyeballs!)

If your eyes suddenly feel gritty and dry one day, then randomly start watering the next, perimenopause could be to blame.

WHY?

Estrogen supports tear gland function. When levels fluctuate, your tear production can swing between extremes - too little one moment, too much the next. Some women also develop more light sensitivity or find their eyes take longer to adjust between light and dark settings.

4. CRAWLING SKIN, ELECTRIC SHOCKS, AND TINGLING SENSATIONS

Ever feel like something is crawling on your skin - but there’s nothing there? Or get random tingling, numbness, or even electric shock sensations?

This one freaks a lot of women out because it feels neurological, but it’s actually a hormonal shift at play.

WHY?

Estrogen supports nerve function and hydration in your skin. When levels drop, nerves can become more reactive - leading to itching, tingling, buzzing, or even random jolts of pain. Some women even report a sudden sensitivity to fabrics that never used to bother them.

Important: vitamin B12 and/or iron deficiencies, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, or anxiety can also be behind formication (itchy, crawling skin), tingling hands/feet, or electric shock sensations. So please chat to your health professional about what’s going on, and get some blood tests done!

5. GUT ISSUES AND RANDOM FOOD INTOLERANCES

Can’t tolerate wine, coffee, dairy, or your usual go-to meals anymore? Bloated after everything you eat?

Perimenopause can change your gut microbiome, slow digestion and function, and make you react to foods you were fine with before.

WHY?

Estrogen triggers the release of the neurotransmitter, histamine, which increases the immune response (inflammation) in the gut, and can make you more reactive to certain foods.

Higher estrogen = higher histamine, which can trigger issues like bloating, headaches, and food sensitivities.

Lower progesterone (aka the “progesterone plummet”) remodels the immune system, which is part of why many women develop new allergies or even autoimmune conditions (like thyroid disorders) in their 40s and 50s.

Remember that even close to menopause, it is possible to have a relative excess (or high) estrogen, because of the way it roller coasters high and low in it’s decline to menopause, along with the progesterone plummet. I explain more about estrogen excess and the progesterone plummet in my free training here.

SO… WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

First things first - you don’t have to just put up with these symptoms.

JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS COMMON DOESN’T MEAN IT HAS TO BE YOUR NEW NORMAL.

HERE’S WHAT HELPS:

✅ What you eat, drink, and do matters. Your symptoms don’t have to control you. The right food, lifestyle, and daily habits can help your body better adapt and adjust to the changing hormones, as well as smooth hormone fluctuations, and reduce these odd symptoms.

✅ Build stress resilience. Stress can exacerbate symptoms, but instead of focusing on removing stress (which isn’t always possible), work on supporting your body’s ability to handle it better.

✅ Support gut and liver function. These organs help process and clear excess hormones, so keeping them happy can help reduce perimenopause symptoms overall, by smoothing the roller coaster - making it more like the kiddy version at the theme park, than the Tower of Terror!

WANT THE STRATEGY FOR FEELING BETTER IN PERIMENOPAUSE?

If you’re tired of Googling your symptoms, wondering if you’re going crazy, and just want a simple, actionable, and effective way to feel better, I’ve got you.

🎥 Watch my free webinar: Why you’re gaining weight after 40: the 4 hormone shifts you can’t ignore.

This isn’t just about weight management - it’s about understanding the strategy you need to feel better in perimenopause and beyond, whether your struggle is bloating, phantom smells, itchy ears, or stubborn weight gain.

🔗 Click here to watch it on demand.