Which GLP-1 symptoms mean I should call a doctor immediately?

Most GLP-1 side effects are nuisance-tier. These are the exceptions — print-this-list material: Call 911 / emergency care now: - Anaphylaxis signs: swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; hives with trouble breathing; feeling faint after a dose. - Severe, unrelenting upper-abdominal pain, classically boring through to the back, with or without vomiting → pancreatitis until proven otherwise. Stop the drug; go in. Same-day medical attention: - Right-upper-abdomen pain + fever, chills, or jaundice (yellow skin/eyes) → gallbladder emergency territory. - Persistent vomiting with dehydration signs — dizziness on standing, minimal dark urine, racing heart. Dehydration is also the pathway to the rare kidney-injury cases on GLP-1 labels. - Hypoglycemia, if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea: shakiness, sweating, confusion, pounding heart. Treat with fast sugar, then fix the regimen — those medications usually need dose cuts alongside a GLP-1. - Sudden vision changes with diabetes — rapid glucose improvement can transiently worsen diabetic retinopathy; don’t sit on it. Prompt call (days, not weeks): - A neck lump, persistent hoarseness, or trouble swallowing (thyroid context) - No bowel movement for 5–7 days despite active management, or severe bloating/distension - Mood changes or suicidal thoughts — evidence hasn’t confirmed a causal link, but new dark mood on any appetite drug warrants attention - Injection-site redness that spreads, with warmth or fever What this list deliberately excludes: routine titration nausea, occasional vomiting after rich meals, constipation under a week, fatigue, burps, mild reflux — annoying, expected, manageable (the playbook). The skill is telling the tiers apart, and a good program gives you a human to call when unsure — one of the vetting criteria worth taking seriously.