“I Didn’t Know What Was Happening to Me”: The Health Battle That Took Lisa Curry Through One of the Hardest Chapters of Her Life
For much of her life, Lisa Curry was known for strength.
A three-time Olympian, mother and successful businesswoman, she spent decades pushing her body to its limits. But away from the medals and the public image of an elite athlete, Lisa has faced a very different kind of battle — one that could not simply be overcome with determination.
Over the years, her health struggles have taken her from serious heart problems to a difficult period of hormonal change that left her questioning what was happening to her own body.
The heart problems that changed her life
Lisa’s heart health journey began years before she publicly spoke about her more recent struggles.
She has revealed that she was diagnosed with myocarditis and experienced around 22,000 irregular heartbeats a day. She also had a mitral valve prolapse, which she said was hereditary from her mother.
Her heart problems eventually became serious enough to require a defibrillator. She also endured an infection and spent about a month in hospital receiving intensive antibiotic treatment.
It was a dramatic change for someone whose entire life had been built around physical strength and fitness.
In 2022, Lisa revealed another chapter of that journey when she was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after being hospitalised twice with heart-related concerns. At the time, she said she was experiencing episodes where her heart would race for no apparent reason and was prescribed beta blockers.
Then came a battle she didn’t immediately understand
But Lisa’s health story was not only about her heart.
As she entered perimenopause, she began experiencing dramatic changes in her mood and wellbeing. At first, she believed what she was experiencing was simply an unusually severe form of PMS.
She later described finding herself crying on the floor, feeling as though nobody loved or understood her.
The changes happened repeatedly, and Lisa eventually realised there was a pattern. She said that in the days leading up to her period, small things could suddenly feel overwhelming and her emotions could become extremely intense.
Looking back, she has said she believes perimenopause may have played a significant role in the breakdown of her marriage to fellow Olympian Grant Kenny.
Importantly, Lisa has never suggested that it was the sole reason their relationship ended. Rather, she has described it as one factor during an already complicated period of her life.
When she felt nobody was listening
One of the most difficult parts of Lisa’s experience was not knowing what was happening to her.
She has spoken about seeking medical help but feeling that her symptoms were not properly understood. One doctor prescribed antidepressants, even though Lisa did not believe she was depressed.
Another doctor made a dismissive suggestion that she needed more massages and a maid to help with the housework.
Eventually, Lisa found a different path after working with naturopath Jeff Butterworth, who identified perimenopause as a possible explanation for the symptoms she had been experiencing.
That experience became a turning point.
Lisa began exploring hormonal health more deeply and later co-founded Happy Healthy You, a women’s health platform focused on helping women understand hormonal changes and their wellbeing. According to her 2026 interviews, more than 1.5 million women have completed the platform’s health assessment.
A different kind of strength
For Lisa, the journey was about more than finding an explanation for physical symptoms.
It forced her to confront a version of herself she barely recognised.
The woman who had spent years training for Olympic competition suddenly found herself struggling with emotions she could not simply control through discipline. She has described losing confidence and feeling as though she had lost a sense of who she was.
That vulnerability is perhaps what makes her health story so different from the image many Australians grew up with.
Lisa was once celebrated for what her body could achieve.
Now, much of her work is about encouraging women to listen to what their bodies are trying to tell them.
Turning a difficult chapter into something meaningful
Lisa’s health journey has also become part of the work she does today.
In 2026, she continued speaking openly about perimenopause and menopause, including the emotional and relationship challenges that can accompany the transition.
Her story has resonated because it is not simply about an Olympic athlete overcoming another obstacle.
It is about a woman who spent years believing she should be able to handle everything — and eventually realised that sometimes strength means admitting you do not understand what is happening and asking for help.
From the heart problems that once changed the way she lived, to the hormonal upheaval that made her question herself, Lisa Curry’s health journey has taken her through some extraordinarily difficult territory.
And perhaps the most powerful part of her story is what came afterwards: rather than keeping those struggles hidden, she chose to speak about them — so other women might recognise the signs sooner and feel less alone.