long periods

is it normal to have a period that lasts 9 days ?..i am 47.... and theres no sign of it slowing down ,My doctor thiks its normal  for the onset of menopause..is it?

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

Normal has a very wide range. While 9 days and still going could be normal, it could also be something that is not. Sometimes the lining is checked with an endometrial biopsy, an office test that tells the type of cells that are bleeding. It could be due to a polyp which is seen on ultrasound or hysteroscopy (putting a thin scope inside the uterus). Some women bleed due to bleeding problems such as von Willibrand disease (a blood clotting problem) or low iron levels from the bleeding itself (treated with iron supplements). Those can be tested for with blood tests. Talk with your doctor about these possibilities.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD