Dealing with a monthly cycle is something that all women have to live through. It involves pain in the form of cramping, as well as general bloating and often a feeling of tiredness too. For that reason many of us are quite ready to accept menopause when it comes. There is more to menopause than just the cessation of menses though. A lot of other things will be going on at the same time and some of them are pretty hard to deal with.
Some of these symptoms are worse than others and some will affect people differently. Not everyone gets extra hair growth that they never had to deal with before. Most do have the hot flashes though. These are likely the worst to deal with. You become so overheated that you are completely drenched in sweat in a matter of just a couple of minutes. It makes women wake up in a wet pile of sheets during the night too.
Many women try over the counter herbs and supplements to help reduce the effects of menopause but for those with more serious symptoms it may be time to consult your physician about hormone replacement therapy. HRT can help to relieve most of the symptoms associated with menopause and can also help combat the osteoporosis that becomes a bigger problem for women after menopause.