Stomach pain — when to worry, when to wait

Mild discomfort is common. Severe persistent pain is not. Here's how to tell the difference.

Normal

Mild fullness in upper abdomen, lasts 30–60 minutes after eating, fades. Resolves with smaller portions and time.

Watch closely

Pain in the upper-right abdomen with fatty meals — possible gallbladder. Mention it; we may order an ultrasound.

Stop the drug, call the doctor

Severe, sharp pain in the upper-central abdomen radiating to the back. Pain that's worse when you lie flat. Pain with vomiting and fever. These can be signs of pancreatitis.

How we manage risk

Baseline lipase / amylase tests before starting; repeat if you develop symptoms. Pancreatitis is rare (~1 in 1,000 patient-years) but serious — better to investigate a false alarm than miss it.