1. Skin Crawling Sensation
The correct term for this is formication.
It's a sensation that feels like ants are crawling under your skin. Your skin can become very itchy and uncomfortable, but there's nothing actually there. There's no rash and nothing visible on the surface of the skin.
This is often caused by hormonal changes interfering with the way your nervous system is working
2. Cold Flushes
We've all heard of hot flushes and night sweats, but for some women it's actually the complete opposite.
You experience a really cold flush, and you can find yourself shivering, and strangely enough, you may still be sweating at the same time. Some women even experience a hot flush that's immediately followed by a cold flush.
This is simply your body's way of trying to regulate your core temperature. It's the same mechanism behind hot flushes, but instead of making you feel hot, it's making you feel cold.
3. Internal Vibrations
Some women describe this as feeling as though they've got a mobile phone stuck inside their chest, vibrating away.
You might notice it in your chest, arms, abdomen or even the tops of your legs. For many women, it's one of those symptoms that comes and goes.
Again, this is thought to be linked to hormonal changes affecting nerve function.
One thing I would say, though, is that other health conditions can also cause these kinds of vibrations, including anaemia and vitamin B12 or vitamin D deficiencies. If it's persistent or getting worse, it's always worth getting it checked by your doctor.
4. Phantom Smells
This is known as phantosmia.
You can be sitting anywhere and suddenly smell cigarette smoke, strong perfume, or another unpleasant odour. You ask everyone around you, "Can you smell that?" and they all say no.
Hormonal changes can interfere with the way your brain processes sensory information, so the messages about what you're smelling can become scrambled.
Phantosmia can sometimes be a sign of other health issues. If it's happening regularly or becoming more frequent, do speak to your doctor.
5. Vertigo/Dizziness
Vertigo can feel like you're a little bit faint, dizzy, or as though you're standing on a boat. You might feel as though you're rocking from side to side and not quite know what's going on.
This can happen because hormonal changes affect the inner ear, where your body's balance mechanisms are located. When those systems are disrupted, it can lead to these sensations of dizziness and imbalance.
6. Adrenaline Surges During the Night
You finally drift off to sleep, everything seems fine, and then suddenly you wake up at three o'clock in the morning with a jolt, almost as though someone's given you an electric shock.
Your heart is racing, your breathing speeds up and your mind is suddenly in overdrive. It can be incredibly frightening.
Hormonal changes can affect the way your body responds to stress, and this can be one reason why these sudden adrenaline surges happen during the night.
7. Increased Sun Sensitivity
You might love spending time outdoors and be very careful about protecting your skin with sun cream, protective clothing and a hat. But now, despite not changing anything, you find yourself burning more easily. Your skin seems much more sensitive and prone to irritation.
Falling oestrogen levels can make the skin thinner, reducing its natural protection against the sun. As a result, you may find yourself becoming more sensitive to UV rays, even on cloudy days.
8. Changes in Hair Texture
You may have had straight hair all your life and suddenly find it's becoming curly. Or perhaps you've always had fine hair and now it feels much coarser and difficult to manage.
Hormonal changes don't just affect how much hair you have. Many women notice their hair becomes thinner, but they can also affect the way the hair itself grows.
The hair follicles, the tiny openings in the scalp where the hair grows from, can actually change shape. If you've always had straight hair, the follicle tends to be straighter. Curly hair follicles are more corkscrew-shaped.
So, if your follicles change shape, you may suddenly find your hair texture changes too.
9. Bruising More Easily
You may notice that the smallest bump leaves you with a large bruise.
Again, falling hormone levels can affect the thickness of your skin. As the skin becomes thinner, the tiny blood vessels underneath sit closer to the surface. The blood vessels themselves may also become more fragile.
This combination means that even a slight knock or a little extra pressure can cause bruising.
However, if you're bruising frequently and you're sure you haven't injured yourself, it's always sensible to get it checked by your doctor.
10. Changes in Spatial Awareness
This is one that actually happened to me.
I could never ever park straight in a parking space. No matter what I did or how hard I tried, I always thought I was perfectly lined up, only to discover I was off to one side or the other.
What can happen is that your sense of space and distance changes. You might find yourself bumping into doors, feeling clumsier than usual, or reaching for a cup and completely missing it. You might even go to put your cup down and miss the table altogether.
Part of this can be due to changes in your eyesight, which is why it's always a good idea during perimenopause and menopause to have regular eye checks. Eye pressure and vision can change quite significantly during this time.
It may also be related to changes in muscle function and coordination.
Is It Me, or Is It the Menopause?
Menopause and perimenopause can bring with them some very strange and unexpected symptoms, many of which nobody ever talks about.
If you've experienced any of these and found yourself wondering, "Is it just me, or is it the menopause?" you're certainly not alone.
So, if you've had an unusual symptom that left you scratching your head, don't be afraid to ask about it. Chances are, plenty of other women have experienced exactly the same thing too.
Have a lovely week, and I'll see you soon.
Other articles you might find helpful:
10 Symptoms Many Women Don’t Realise are Hormone-Related
