You expect the hot flashes. The irregular cycles. Maybe even the mood swings.

But what about the sudden food aversions? The phantom smells? The burning tongue, itchy ears, or random surges of rage that feel like they belong to a medieval warrior?

Perimenopause is not just a hormonal shift. It’s a full-body rewiring. And along the way, it gifts you with some of the strangest, most unexpected symptoms - ones that can make you feel like you’re losing your mind.

You’re not.

You’re just becoming a new version of yourself.

1. The Adrenaline Surges That Come Out of Nowhere

One minute you’re fine. The next, your heart is racing like wild.

These random surges of adrenaline (sometimes called “cortisol rushes”) often happen at night, jolting you awake in a full-body panic. No nightmare, no external threat - just your nervous system deciding to go rogue.

Why?

• Oestrogen helps regulate cortisol, your stress hormone. As oestrogen fluctuates wildly, cortisol becomes harder to control.
• This can lead to random fight-or-flight responses, leaving you jittery, anxious, or unable to sleep.

What helps?

• Deep belly breathing (to signal safety to your nervous system).
• Magnesium glycinate before bed.
• Ditching caffeine (yes, even if you think you’re immune).

2. The Burning Mouth Syndrome (Yes, Really)

Your tongue feels scorched, or maybe it’s tingling, dry, or just plain weird.

Why?

• Oestrogen plays a role in salivary gland function and nerve sensitivity. As it fluctuates, some women experience a burning, tingling, or dry sensation in their mouth.

What helps?

• B-complex vitamins and zinc (nutrients that support nerve function).
• Avoiding acidic or spicy foods that might intensify symptoms.
• Hydration, hydration, hydration.

3. The Phantom Smells (Olfactory Hallucinations)

You swear you smell something burning. Or maybe it’s cigarette smoke, rotting fruit, or perfume from your past.

But no one else smells it.

Why?

• Oestrogen and progesterone influence how your brain processes scent. When they fluctuate, your olfactory nerves can get overstimulated or misfire.
• This can result in phantom smells that are completely disconnected from your surroundings.

What helps?

• Eating omega-3s (which support brain and nerve function).
• Reducing exposure to synthetic fragrances (which can trigger hypersensitivity).

4. The Skin Feels Situation (Why Is Everything So… Crawly?)

Your skin itches like you’ve rolled in nettles. Or maybe it tingles, burns, or feels like tiny insects are crawling on it.

This is called formication (yes, it sounds like something else, no, it’s not as fun).

Why?

• Oestrogen influences collagen production and nerve function. When it dips, the nerves in your skin become more reactive.
• Some women report feeling like they have bugs crawling on them—an unsettling but temporary sensation.

What helps?

• Vitamin C and collagen to support skin integrity.
• Evening primrose oil for hormonal skin balance.
• Cooling creams with aloe, St John’s Wort, or calendula to soothe the nerve endings.

5. The Sudden Food Intolerances (Wait, Since When Can’t I Eat That?)

One day you’re fine. The next, dairy makes you bloat like a balloon and wine gives you an instant hangover.

Why?

• Oestrogen influences the gut microbiome and histamine regulation. When oestrogen fluctuates, you may become more sensitive to foods you used to tolerate.
• Alcohol intolerance is especially common—oestrogen affects how your liver metabolizes alcohol, making reactions more intense.

What helps?

• Digestive enzymes for breaking down foods more efficiently.
• Experimenting with lower-histamine foods (especially if you get flushed after wine or cheese).

6. The Electric Zaps (Hormonal Lightning Strikes?)

Some women report sudden, random electric-shock sensations. Usually in the head, hands, or legs.

Why?

• Oestrogen helps regulate nerve signaling. When levels drop abruptly, your nervous system can misfire, sending little jolts of electricity through your body.

What helps?

• Magnesium (which calms nerve excitability).
• Omega-3s and B vitamins for nerve health.
• Staying hydrated—dehydration makes nerve misfiring worse.

7. The Sudden, Uncontrollable Rage (That Feels… Almost Possessive?)

The blind, seething, nuclear-level anger that perimenopause can unleash is no joke.

One moment you’re rational. The next, you’re ready to burn a city down because your husband dared breathe (the audacity!).

Why?

• Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain. When it declines, there’s nothing holding oestrogen (and cortisol) in check.
• The result? A much shorter fuse, amplified emotions, and the sudden desire to exile your entire family.

What helps?

• Strength training (the ultimate way to burn off hormonal rage).
• L-theanine or chamomile tea to calm the nervous system.
• Boundaries. Lots of boundaries.

8. The Ear Itch That Won’t Quit

Not just ear itching, but deep, unreachable, maddening inner ear itching.

Why?

• Oestrogen influences skin hydration and mucus membranes. As levels fluctuate, the delicate skin inside the ears can become dry and irritated.

What helps?

• A little coconut oil or olive oil inside the ear (not too deep!).
• Omega-3s to keep skin and mucus membranes hydrated.

9. The Vivid, Intense, Sometimes Downright Wild Dreams

If your dream life has gone off the rails—welcome to the club.

Perimenopause dreams can be:

• Wildly cinematic (like a full-on movie happening in your head).
• Disturbingly vivid (like you can feel, taste, and smell everything).
• Bizarrely emotional (leaving you unsettled long after waking).

Why?

• Progesterone influences GABA, the neurotransmitter that calms the brain before sleep. Without enough, your REM cycles can become more intense and fragmented.

What helps?

• Magnesium before bed (for deeper, less erratic REM sleep).
• Reducing screens before sleep (blue light disrupts melatonin, which impacts dream intensity).

You’re Not Losing Your Mind. You’re Gaining a New One.

These weird, wild, and often hilarious symptoms are not malfunctions. They are markers of a system in flux.

Perimenopause is a conversation. A recalibration. A bridge to something new.

So when your tongue burns, your ears itch, or your dreams turn into full-length feature films—know this:

Your body is adapting. Your brain is evolving. And the woman you are becoming is fierce, unfiltered, and free.

Join the peri moon app. A luscious, heart-centred community and wisdom hub, to support and guide you through this impeccable time.