Is heavy, consistent bleeding normal at 51yrs old ? i am 51 years old and at the end of my period. i have been bleeding steadily since 6am yesterday morning. i have now gone thru a dozen tampons and 5-6 pads. i have passed a number of clots--the first

It : It is normal to have cycle changes when you are close to menopause. By cycle changes i mean heavier or lighter periods, longer or shorter duration, as well as changes in time between periods. On the other hand heavy bleeding like you are describing should be evaluated. Your gynecologist may want to do a biopsy of your uterus called an emb (endometrial biopsy) in order to rule out any malignancies that could be causing you to bleed, as well as a pelvic ultrasound to rule out benign tumors called fibroids. Lastly anemia needs to be ruled out due to the significant amount of bleeding you are having. Please see your doctor right away. Best of luck to you.

Menstrual bleeding ?: At age 51, your bleeding episodes may be exaggerated, as those periods following ovulation are less frequent, allowing sustained and heavier production of estrogen from your ovaries. If your periods have been irregular, the same phenomenon may arise from long intervals between bleeding episodes. Ask your gyn physician about low dose bcp's to reduce ovarian estrogen production.