Bachelor star with a rare Pfizer side effect claims she had ‘heart attack’

A former reality star diagnosed with an ultra rare side effect after her first jab has claimed it also had another “traumatic” consequence.

A former Bachelor star who was diagnosed with a rare Pfizer side effect has claimed she was only diagnosed once she suffered a heart attack.

Monique Morley said she was hospitalised for pericarditis, a recognised ultra rare side effect of the Covid-19 vaccination that causes inflammation around the heart.

Symptoms include chest pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest and irregular or skipped heartbeats known as ‘fluttering’.

It can also cause shortness of breath and pain when breathing, the Department of Health states.

But in a lengthy Instagram post, Monique claimed she had a heart attack following her first jab, leading to her pericarditis diagnosis.

Monique Morley said she was hospitalised for pericarditis, a recognised risk of covid-19 vaccinations that causes inflammation around the heart. Picture: Instagram/MoniqueMorley

“15 mins after my 1st jab, I started to fit uncontrollably for 45 mins,” the 29-year-old wrote.

“The doctor and nurse told me it was unrelated - not to go to hospital - to go home & rest.”

Monique - who appeared on Matt Agnew’s season of the dating show in 2019 - went on to detail that by the following day, her symptoms were getting worse.

“The next day I was on my lounge when I started getting jaw lock, clammy hands and heart palpitations blurry vision.

“I called my friend to come over as I was scared.

“Soon after I experienced another uncontrollable fit, but this one lasted 1.5 hours and it affected my speech also.”

But she also claims her first Pfizer jab led her to have a ‘heart attack’. Picture: Instagram/MoniqueMorley

She’s copped some backlash online. Picture: Instagram/MoniqueMorley

Monique claimed paramedics put her symptoms down to anxiety, revealing she was “frightened” and described her experience as “traumatic”.

“No one would listen to me I knew it wasn’t anxiety - there was something wrong but I was just dismissed,” she continued.

“That was the hardest part. A day passed, more chest pains, I couldn’t breathe properly or walk very far I was so fatigued.

“Something was seriously wrong So I called some doctors who said go straight to hospital. I did and after 12 hours or so I was sent home.”

However that night at 4.30am, Monique said she woke up “to a heart attack”.

After dialling triple-0, Monique was rushed to hospital where she said tests showed she had an “abnormal ECG, damage to my heart and also inflammation of my heart/sack as well as fluid in.”

She explained the diagnosis was pericarditis.

The 2019 contestant on the reality dating show said ‘don’t try and tell me it’s not real’. Picture: Instagram/MoniqueMorley

After her post went viral, Monique updated her 53,000 followers on her Instagram Stories, saying she now has an exemption to enter treatment facilities as she’s yet to have a second jab.

She also said she has copped a lot of backlash from people including anti-vaxxers who labelled her experience “bizarre”.

“... it doesn’t mean that I am faking it. Like why would I fake being in a hospital?

“.. I just can’t believe some people. Like mind your own business.. don’t try and tell me it’s not real.”

While pericarditis is a side effect of Pfizer, it is extremely rare, and all Covid-19 vaccines are safe for use. The risk of serious adverse health events is much higher from contracting Covid than from any of the available vaccines.

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