Michelle Bridges has opened up about a secret health battle that left her questioning her body, mind and future.
The celebrity trainer and TV personality, 53, revealed she was blindsided when she first started experiencing symptoms of perimenopause in 2020 – a condition she admits she had barely even heard of at the time.
Speaking to Stellar magazine’s Something To Talk About podcast, the Biggest Loser star recalled how the ordeal began with confusing and worrying symptoms.
‘I didn’t have a clue what was wrong with me,’ she admitted.
‘I know my body and my mindset very well and couldn’t quite put my finger on what was up. I said to my doctor, “I swear I’m not a hypochondriac, but I’ve been in your office probably four times in a month… what’s going on?”‘
Michelle described suffering from heart palpitations, hip pain, ringing in her ears, night sweats, sleeplessness and anxiety – feelings she had never experienced before.
Michelle Bridges has opened up about a secret health battle that left her questioning her body, mind and future
The celebrity trainer and TV personality revealed she was blindsided when she first began experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause in 2020
Despite being prescribed antidepressants, she knew deep down that depression wasn’t the cause.
‘I sat in the car for a good 10 minutes thinking, “Is this really where I’m at? I’m a bit flat, but am I depressed?” I’ve got no judgment against antidepressants – they work wonders for many women and men – but I found it quite confronting.’
At the time, Michelle was also dealing with the pressures of the pandemic, the breakdown of her relationship with Steve ‘Commando’ Willis, and raising their young son Axel on her own.
Looking back, she now recognises those symptoms as tell-tale signs of perimenopause – the stage leading up to menopause – and says the discovery not only helped her understand her struggles but gave her a new mission.
‘I remember saying to my best friend one day, “I feel this weird sense of impending doom, like something bad is gonna happen”,’ she shared.
‘There was some different thinking I was experiencing for the first time in my life, but something was blocking me from taking that script.’
The health scare inspired Michelle to research and ultimately write her new book, The Perimenopause Method – her 18th release – which aims to break the stigma and empower women going through the same experience.
Michelle now hopes her story will help other women recognise the signs and feel less alone.
‘I didn’t have a clue what was wrong with me,’ she admitted. Michelle is pictured with son Axel, nine
Read Michelle’s full interview in this week’s Stellar magazine
Michelle and her ex Steve debuted their romance on the red carpet in May 2013, shortly after announcing splits from their respective partners at the time.
They welcomed their son Axel in December 2015 and later announced their split in 2020, the same year Michelle was convicted for drunk driving.
Michelle blew 0.086 when she was pulled over in her Range Rover with Axel in the car at about 11.25am on Australia Day 2020.
In 2021, the former Biggest Loser star told Good Weekend magazine she suffered her fair share of ‘dark’ days following her split from Steve.
‘I felt very alone,’ she said.
‘To be honest, it was the hardest time of my life, ever, leading up to what happened. I felt like I was in a fog, and I didn’t know what was happening.’
Steve, meanwhile, has since moved on with current girlfriend Harika Vancuylenberg.
Aside from sharing Axel with Michelle, Steve also has three children: Briana, 25, Ella, 16, Jack, 13, from a previous relationship.