A Sydney woman who claims she suffered a 'heart attack' as a result of her first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine now says she has obtained a valid medical exemption meaning she doesn't have to get the second shot.
Monique Morley, 29, went public with her suspected side effect on Wednesday, saying she'd been hospitalised and diagnosed with pericarditis, or inflammation of the sac-like tissue that surrounds the heart.
Ms Morley, who was a contestant on The Bachelor in 2019, told Daily Mail Australia that because of her condition she doesn't have to get another shot until next year, which gives her time to consider other vaccine options as they become available.
Former Bachelor star Monique Morley (pictured), who claims she suffered a 'heart attack' as a result of her first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, now says she has obtained a valid medical exemption meaning she doesn't have to get the second shot
'I have an exemption until next year, and have to reassess other vaccine options when my pericarditis is better. It's all the unknown at the moment,' she said.
Ms Morley shared an update on her health in a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday, after being hospitalised in Sydney several weeks earlier.
'I'm sharing my story hoping to help others not feel so alone, to bring awareness that this is real. It does happen. It's not rare anymore,' the lingerie designer said.
Ms Morley, who was a contestant on The Bachelor in 2019, told Daily Mail Australia that because of her condition she doesn't have to get another shot until next year, which gives her time to consider other vaccine options as they become available
Ms Morley shared an update on her health in a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday, after being hospitalised in Sydney several weeks earlier
She claims that 15 minutes after getting her vaccine she began to 'fit uncontrollably' for 45 minutes, but her doctor said her symptoms weren't caused by the jab.
Ms Morley, who says she has no history of seizures, agreed to 'go home and rest'.
She had another fit the next day, and called an ambulance after experiencing symptoms including lockjaw, clammy hands, heart palpitations and blurred vision.
Ms Morley accompanied the post (above) with a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed 'shortly after getting her first Pfizer shot'. She contrasted this with another photo, taken a week before she received the vaccine, of herself posing in a swimsuit
Ms Morley said the ambulance workers who arrived at her home once again told her the symptoms were unrelated to the Pfizer vaccine, and that she continued to experience chest pain and shortness of breath.
She then allegedly woke up the next day at 4.30am having 'a heart attack'.
She was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac-like tissue that surrounds the heart, which holds it in place and helps it function.
The lingerie designer claims that 15 minutes after getting her vaccine she began to 'fit uncontrollably' for 45 minutes, but her doctor said her symptoms weren't caused by the jab
After her diagnosis, doctors supposedly told Ms Morley there was nothing she could do except 'rest and take Panadol'.
'It's just so defeating having everyone tell you that it's not related [to the vaccine] when really it is,' she added, describing the experience as 'traumatic'.
Ms Morley, who has reported her symptoms to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), said she hopes her story inspires people to have an open mind when it comes to vaccine side effects.
One of her Instagram followers asked if she had any preexisting health conditions that could have caused the pericarditis.
She replied: 'Absolutely nothing. Don't smoke. Don't drink. Don't take drugs. Don't even have caffeine.'
Ms Morley accompanied the post with a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed 'shortly after getting her first Pfizer shot'.
She contrasted this with another photo, taken a week before she received the vaccine, of herself posing in a swimsuit.
In other recent social media posts, she claims she is recovering thanks to naturopathic care and IV vitamin drips.
These aren't medically recommended treatments for pericarditis.
In the last 24 hours, Ms Morley's account of her suspected side effect has become
