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Hello I Am A 32 Year Old Male. I Have

Posted on Sun, 20 Oct 2019

Question: Hello I am a 32 year old male. I have a strange symptom of acute left arm and shoulder pain after eating and smoking a cigarette. I am not a regular smoker as I used to be in my early 20s. I suffered from severe panic attacks and anxiety since I was 25 so I have had an echo about 5 years ago which is normal . I have had an ekg every year until this year which was normal . I went to a different doctor this year but she did not want to do any testing saying that eating causing left arm pain is atypical and somatic. Did not want to do an ekg or anything else. I also have problems in digestion. I am worried it is a heart problem because smoking one cigarette causes the same symptoms but not exertion. Thank You

Answered by Dr. Bhanu Partap (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Please refer to the detailed information below

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Yes although your symptoms are much out of stress and anxiety related but we just can't ignore them as you do smoke. Even smoking a single cigarette can cause issues.

It's advisable that you should get a Stress echo done to rule out any possibility of underlying cardiac disease which could be causing these symptoms.

For indigestion you can take tab pantoprazole 40 mg empty stomach for 7 days in morning.

Kind Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Bhanu Partap (1 hour later)

I do not smoke regularly. I had one cigarette every 6 months . I quit fully 8 years ago it is very rare . Do you believe a stress echo would be necessary even though I do not get same symptoms on exertion ? Thank you

Answered by Dr. Bhanu Partap (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Hello again

Detailed Answer:
There is high probability that even the stress echo will be normal only, but we cannot leave things on chance or on a guess. We have patients even much younger than you who gets atypical symptoms and yet land with a significant disease.

So better to get evaluated.

Kind Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Bhanu Partap (41 minutes later)

Ok thank you very much for your time

Answered by Dr. Bhanu Partap (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Hello again

Detailed Answer:
It's an honour.

Kindly close the discussion and leave your valuable feedback.

In case you want any opinion in future just mention my name in your query and I'll be happy to help.

Thanks and Regards

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj