When To Call a Doctor
Call your doctor immediately if you have
severe belly (abdominal)
pain with vomiting that does not go away after a few
hours, or mild to moderate pain that does not improve with home treatment after
a couple of days. These symptoms may be caused by
pancreatitis.
Watchful Waiting
Pancreatitis can be a severe, potentially life-threatening
illness. It is not appropriate to take a wait-and-see approach, which is called
watchful waiting, if you have severe pain in the
upper
area
of the abdomen that does not go away in a few hours.
Who To See
Your
family doctor or
general practitioner can diagnose and treat
pancreatitis. You may be referred to a specialist, such as a
gastroenterologist.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment