55 and spotting

I am 55 years old and do not know where I stand as far as menopause is concerned. I went for 8 months in 2007 without a period, had a heavy one and now I am having spotting just about every other day. Sometimes it only appears if I wipe inside the vaginal opening, sometimes it shows on a pad. Is this normal?

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

The technical definition of menopause is one year after the last menstrual period. However, for different individuals, patterns come in many varieties. While your situation is likely one of the variations of normal, it the spotting keeps up, see your doctor just to be sure there isn't a polyp or other reason for it happening. This will just keep you on the safe side. And it will stop you from worrying.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD

[madgeOwens]

You are suppose to have achieved manopause when you go 12 months without a menses cycle.  If you have ever gone for 1 year without a cycle, and now you are bleeding, no matter how little you need to see a doctor asap!  Otherwise you are still going thru menopause.