Acute pancreatitis is a serious condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed over a short period of time. The pancreas is a small organ located behind the stomach and below the ribcage. Most people with acute pancreatitis improve within a week and experience no further problems, but severe cases can have serious complications and can even be fatal. Acute pancreatitis is different to chronic pancreatitis, where the inflammation of the pancreas persists for many years. The most common symptoms of acute pancreatitis include: suddenly getting severe pain in the centre of your abdomen (tummy) feeling or being sick diarrhoea