11 Weird Perimenopause Symptoms That Are Actually Common in Women Over 40

Perimenopause symptoms can feel random, confusing, and even alarming, but many of them are actually common signs of hormonal change. In this episode, we explore unusual but real perimenopause symptoms, early menopause symptoms, and how shifting hormones impact the nervous system and overall women’s health in your 40s.

If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re feeling is “just stress” or something more, this video will help you understand what’s happening inside your body and why these changes can feel so strange.

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Medical Disclaimer:
The information shared on this channel is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Kimberly Hoyt, PA-C, and associated content are not a substitute for professional medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a patient-provider relationship. Always consult your own healthcare provider before making changes to your health plan, starting supplements, or addressing medical concerns.

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Kimberly Hoyt is a physician assistant with two decades of clinical experience who helps women navigate perimenopause and menopause with clarity and confidence. Her work focuses on midlife health and education, helping women understand what is happening in their bodies so they feel prepared, informed, supported and empowered.

Medical Disclaimer: The information shared on this channel is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Kimberly Hoyt, PA-C, and associated content are not a substitute for professional medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Viewing/Listening to this content does not establish a patient-provider relationship. Always consult your own healthcare provider before making changes to your health plan, starting supplements, or addressing medical concerns.

General Disclaimer: I am not a CPA, attorney, insurance/real estate agent, contractor, l...

Transcript

KImberly Hoyt: 0:00

Once you hit your forties, your body starts doing things that feel completely random. You might sleep differently, react to foods or alcohol in new ways or notice sensations that you can't quite explain. And the wild part is a lot of these things seem totally unrelated until you realize they all trace back to the hormone shifts of perimenopause. I am Kimberly Hoyt, a physician assistant who's been practicing medicine since 2004, and a woman in her forties, And even I've been surprised by how strange some of these symptoms can be once your hormones start changing. The good news is once you understand what's happening inside your body and why it becomes a lot less scary and a lot more empowering. And make sure you stay with me through the end because some of the symptoms on this list sound completely unbelievable until you realize just how common they actually are. Number 1. Alcohol Intolerance. Let's start with one that almost everyone notices first. Alcohol just doesn't hit the same way anymore. One glass of wine, and suddenly you're flushed, anxious, or wide awake at 2:00 AM. That's because estrogen affects how your liver processes alcohol and how your blood vessels dilate. Your tolerance literally changes. So it's not that you can't hang anymore, your chemistry just rewrote the rules. Number 2. Body Odor Changes. I know these are weird ones. Body odor. Yep. It can actually shift during perimenopause. Your sweat glands and the bacteria on your skin respond to hormone changes. You're producing a different kind of sweat. You didn't suddenly forget how to shower. It's just your hormones are remixing your body Chemistry. Number 3., restless legs at night. If your legs can't seem to stay still, the moment you're ready to sleep, that's not your imagination. Estrogen plays with dopamine. Dopamine is the brain chemical that helps calm movement, so when estrogen dips, or also if your iron levels are low, your legs get twitchy. Basically, your nervous system is burning off hormonal static while you're trying to rest. Moving on Number 4. Tinnitus, ringing, or humming in the ears, or Tinnitus, however you say that word, that constant ringing or humming in your ears is totally a thing. Estrogen influences the tiny hair cells and fluid balance in your inner ear. When those levels drop, your ears get more sensitive. So, no, you're not losing it. You just have your own built-in soundtrack now. This is one, for me, that is pretty prominent. I have this sound in my head when, when I kind of quiet things down and just focus, I can hear this, sounds like a white noise machine. Now I'm telling you, I've turned this into a superpower because if I close my eyes and I can focus in on that sound. It puts me to sleep like a baby. I can be out so quick. So I'm learning how to use some of these symptoms to my advantage.Number 5. Motion Sickness or D izziness. This kind of goes along with the ringing in the ears. Some women notice they suddenly get dizzy on car rides that never bothered them before. That's your vestibular system, your inner ear balance center, reacting to fluctuating estrogen levels. The world's not spinning because you're anxious. It's just your hormones messing with your sense of equilibrium. Number 6, Palpitations or Racing Heart. This one can feel alarming. You're lying in bed and suddenly your heart starts fluttering or pounding. Estrogen helps regulate your autonomic nervous system, the part that runs your heartbeat without you even thinking about it. When hormone levels swing, the system can overreact. Usually it's harmless, but if it's happening frequently or you're worried about it, make sure you go in and speak to your primary care provider. Now, this is a good place for me to pause and say this. Though I am a physician assistant, I'm not your provider. The purpose of these videos are for education and entertainment purposes only. This is not to be construed as medical advice. So again, if you're concerned at all, make sure you're talking to your provider. But most often your body's just recalibrating. It's not failing. Number 7, Cold Flashes and Sudden Chills. Everyone knows about the hot flashes, but cold flashes, those are real too. When your body overheats it sometimes over corrects. Blood vessels, tighten your core temperature drops, and suddenly you're freezing. It's just that your internal thermostat is trying to update its software and it's crashing halfway through The signals are getting mixed. Number 8, Burning Mouth Syndrome. This one surprises almost everyone. Your mouth can actually burn even when you haven't eaten anything spicy. Your tongue and mouth have estrogen receptors. When estrogen drops, those tissues dry out, they become less supple, and the nerves start misfiring. It feels strange, like your mouth's on alert for no reason. But it's not dangerous. Though, completely weird. Number 9, The Crawling Skin Sensation. This one sounds straight out of a horror movie. That creepy crawly skin feeling, like there's a bug moving under your skin. Yes, this is a thing, and it's not your imagination. When estrogen and progesterone fluctuate, your sensory nerves can misfire. You don't have bugs. You just have buzzing nerves. Your skin is just picking up hormonal interference. Number 10, Phantom Smells and Taste Changes. Now this one sounds strange until you've lived it. Phantom smells or these sudden taste changes, you might catch a whiff of smoke or perfume or something metallic and no one else around you smells it. Here's why it happens. Estrogen helps regulate the olfactory bulb and the cranial nerves that interpret, smell, and taste. When hormone levels swing, those nerves can fire off signals that don't match reality. Almost like your senses are getting crosswired. So it's not your house, it's not your cooking, and it's definitely not your imagination. It's your hormones sending your senses on a little scavenger hunt that no one asked for. Number 11, Electrical Shock Sensations. And this one is the weirdest one of all, tiny electrical zaps in your head, neck, or limbs. These are from nerves misfiring caused by changing estrogen levels. Estrogen normally keeps nerve signaling smooth, so when it drops, you can fill quick jolts or zings. It's not in your head. Well, it might be if that's where it's happening, it's just your nervous system adapting to a new normal. This is one that I have been experiencing over the last two to three weeks. All of a sudden, in my left heel only, it'll feel like there's a hot poker or a stabbing sensation like it's on fire and it's zinging. Lasts for a few seconds and then goes away. It may repeat itself a couple of times before it fades into the background, and I don't notice it again until later that day. It's just weird. We have these weird symptoms. Perimenopause isn't just about hot flashes and mood swings as we've seen today. It's a full body recalibration. Every one of these weird symptoms is your body adjusting to new hormonal rhythms. You're not broken. You're evolving. If this helped you make sense of your own symptoms, hit the like button and share this with a friend. It might help another woman realize she's not alone and she's not going crazy. And make sure to subscribe because next time we're diving into five surprising symptoms no one warned you about. And trust me, you'll want to hear these.