# Stomach pain: when it’s serious

> Stomach pain is a listed side effect, but the NHS lists an inflamed pancreas, with severe pain in your stomach or back that does not go away, among the serious ones. Mounjaro’s, Wegovy’s and Ozempic’s leaflets say stop the medicine and seek urgent medical help for severe, persistent stomach pain.

Canonical: https://jabwise.app/guides/serious-stomach-pain. Sources checked 12 October 2026. General information, not medical advice: follow your prescriber.

## In their own words

What each leaflet and label says to do about severe stomach pain, quoted as written.

- **Mounjaro**: Severe stomach pain: "Stop using this medicine and seek urgent medical help if you experience: Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area (abdomen), with or without nausea and vomiting." ([Mounjaro KwikPen patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15481/pil))
- **Zepbound**: Severe stomach pain: "Stop using ZEPBOUND and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting." ([Zepbound prescribing information](https://uspl.lilly.com/zepbound/zepbound.html))
- **Wegovy**: Severe stomach pain: "Stop using this medicine and seek urgent medical help if you experience: Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area (abdomen), with or without nausea and vomiting." ([Wegovy FlexTouch patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13800/pil))
- **Ozempic**: Severe stomach pain: "Stop using this medicine and seek urgent medical help if you experience: Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area (abdomen), with or without nausea and vomiting." ([Ozempic patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/9748/pil))
- **Rybelsus**: Severe stomach pain: "Stop using this medicine and seek urgent medical help if you experience: Severe, persistent pain in the stomach area (abdomen), with or without nausea and vomiting." ([Rybelsus 3, 7 and 14mg patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11507/pil))

## What the NHS lists

The serious side effects on the NHS pages that can cause stomach pain, in its words.

- **An inflamed pancreas**: As the NHS describes it: "an inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis), which can cause severe pain in your stomach or back, which does not go away" ([NHS: Tirzepatide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/tirzepatide/)); Listed for: Semaglutide and tirzepatide
- **Gallstones or gallbladder**: As the NHS describes it: "gallstones or swelling of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), which can cause severe tummy pain" ([NHS: Tirzepatide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/tirzepatide/)); Listed for: Tirzepatide

## Also in the sources

- **Gallbladder signs**: Zepbound’s label lists signs to tell your provider about: upper stomach pain, fever, yellow skin or eyes, clay-colored stools.
- **Bowel obstruction**: Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus list bowel obstruction: a severe form of constipation, with stomach ache, bloating or vomiting.
- **Everyday stomach pain**: Stomach pain is common with tirzepatide, the NHS says. Severe pain that does not go away is different: see above.
- **Had pancreatitis before?**: The leaflets ask you to tell your doctor if you’ve had pancreatitis; Zepbound’s label asks about pancreas problems.

## Questions

### Is stomach pain normal on these medicines?

Stomach pain is on the NHS’s common list for tirzepatide, and the Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus leaflets list it too. The NHS says speak to a pharmacist or doctor if a side effect bothers you; severe pain that won’t go away is the urgent case below.

### When is it urgent?

Mounjaro’s, Wegovy’s, Ozempic’s and Rybelsus’s leaflets say stop the medicine and seek urgent medical help for severe, persistent stomach pain. The NHS says call 111 if you think you might be having serious side effects.

### Can the pain go through to the back?

Yes, the sources say. The NHS describes severe pain in your stomach or back, and Zepbound’s label says sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back.

## In Jabwise: Appointment Report

Show your doctor what you’ve logged. Jabwise’s report for your GP or doctor brings your doses, weight and recorded side effects together in one PDF.

## Getting real advice

- **A pharmacist, your doctor or NHS 111**: If you’re not sure how to use your medicine, or a side effect bothers you or won’t go away. NHS 111 if you think you might be having serious side effects, or you’ve used too much. [NHS: Semaglutide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/semaglutide/), [NHS: Tirzepatide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/tirzepatide/), [NHS 111 online](https://111.nhs.uk/)
- **Report a side effect**: Anyone can, not only doctors. [Yellow Card (UK)](https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/), [MedWatch (US)](https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program)

## Sources

- [NHS: Semaglutide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/semaglutide/)
- [NHS: Tirzepatide](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/tirzepatide/)
- [Mounjaro KwikPen patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15481/pil)
- [Zepbound prescribing information](https://uspl.lilly.com/zepbound/zepbound.html)
- [Wegovy FlexTouch patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13800/pil)
- [Ozempic patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/9748/pil)
- [Rybelsus 3, 7 and 14mg patient leaflet](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11507/pil)