:eek: Is is natural for a woman of her 50's to have premenopausal spotting with shifting periods? How much longer will this happen?

Thanks,
Melissa

Yes. Completely normal. You will have periods that are spotty, you will miss periods, you will have periods that are like Niagara Falls! It is called perimenopause. The amount of time that you will experience this until you actually hit menopause varies. The usual rule of thumb is 2 to 8 years, but we are all different. I know someone who actually started going through it in their late twenties! Some people will experience perimenopausal symptoms for a lot longer than 8 years. You are in the normal range for age. Menopause is actually the day when you haven't had a period for 12 months. Here are some links to give you a better understanding of it.

Perimenopause - MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/perimenopause/DS00554)
Perimenopause (http://www.menopause-online.com/pmsormenopause.html)
Perimenopause (http://www.4women.gov/faq/perimenopause.htm)