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| Rie Mochizuki Says She Nearly Quit TV Over Menopause Symptoms (Photo: Yahoo JP) |
Japanese TV personality and freelance announcer Rie Mochizuki, 53, has spoken candidly about her struggle with menopause — revealing it got so bad, she seriously considered walking away from her career.
Appearing on the 22 April episode of Nippon TV’s “DayDay.”, the popular presenter shared how, for years, she battled symptoms that turned her daily life upside down. It all started when she was around 45.
“I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning,” she said. “I had no motivation. Even when I got to work, I couldn’t see properly — everything was blurry. My heart would race, I’d suddenly break out into a sweat. At first, I just thought I was exhausted.”
But her condition didn’t improve.
In fact, it worsened to the point where she developed gastroenteritis from stress and anxiety. “I honestly thought I had to quit work,” she admitted.
“I couldn’t read the scripts properly, I felt anxious all the time, mornings were a nightmare, my stomach constantly hurt. There was a time when I really worried everyone around me.”
Eventually, she went for a blood test — and the results were shocking.
“They told me my female hormone levels were equivalent to those of an 80-year-old woman,” she said.
“I was like — what?! They literally told me to think of my body as being 80 years old. It was a total wake-up call.”
Mochizuki was formally diagnosed with menopause-related symptoms and prescribed supplements.
Within about a month, she began to feel better.
Now, while she says the symptoms still linger at age 53, she’s learned to manage them with self-care and regular medical check-ups.
She’s also become more open about the topic — both to help others and to normalise the conversation.
“What helped me most,” she shared, “was realising that this happens to everyone eventually.
Once I started talking about it openly, people were more understanding.
When I say I’m not feeling well, and that it might be menopause, they actually get it.”
Her takeaway message?
“Don’t just put up with it. Go to the doctor. And more than anything — take care of your own mood. Be kind to yourself.”
On a showbiz landscape where ageing is often brushed under the carpet, Mochizuki’s honesty is a rare breath of fresh air — and a reminder that health should never take a backseat, no matter what industry you’re in.