Heart to Heart — Episode 2 by Dr. Bhupesh D. Shah
One afternoon, a young man walked into my consultation room.
He was barely thirty-five. His wife and elderly mother were with him.
He had been referred by a cardiologist. His angiography report was in his hand.
I reviewed it carefully. Three major arteries. Severe blockages in all three. Bypass surgery was the only option.
I explained everything to him.
Then I asked, “How long have you had chest pain?”
He thought for a moment. “Doctor… about six months.”
“Six months? Why didn’t you see a doctor sooner?”
He looked down, a little embarrassed. “Doctor, I thought it was gas. We eat out a lot. Work stress was high too. So I just kept taking antacids.”
“Sometimes the pain would go away on its own. So I didn’t pay much attention.”
His wife spoke up. “I told him so many times — let’s go see a doctor. But he always said, ‘What’s going to happen to me? I’m still young.'”
His mother’s eyes filled with tears.
The room went quiet.
Thirty-five years old. Young children at home. An entire life ahead.
And for six months, he had been dismissing chest pain as acidity.
The surgery was successful.
A few weeks later, he came for his follow-up. The worry on his face was gone. In its place was a calm, grateful smile.
He said something I still remember. “Doctor, if I had come six months earlier, maybe it wouldn’t have come to surgery. But I was too proud of being young to take the pain seriously.”
This is not just one man’s story.
In our homes, in our circles — there are so many people who call chest pain gas. Who call it tiredness. Who call it stress. And who keep ignoring it.
Especially young people. “How can I have a heart problem? I’m still young.”
But the heart does not look at your age. It looks at what you eat. It looks at your stress levels. It looks at how you live.
And when it finally speaks — it is often already too late.
Never ignore these symptoms:
🔴 Heaviness or pressure in the chest
🔴 Breathlessness while walking or climbing stairs
🔴 Pain or pulling sensation in the left arm or shoulder
🔴 Unexplained and persistent fatigue
🔴 Sudden sweating without physical exertion
If you experience any of these, see a cardiologist immediately. Not an antacid. A doctor.
Because one decision made in time can prevent the need for surgery.
And one decision delayed can make surgery unavoidable. ❤️🫀
If this story reminded you of someone you love — share it with them right now. That one share might save a life.
Dr. Bhupesh D. Shah
Heart Surgeon, Ahmedabad
Experience of 17000+ Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeries
