How to Fake a Stomach Ache

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Last Updated: December 2, 2024 Fact Checked

You need to get out of something. Maybe it's a meeting, or maybe it's school. Whatever it is, a stomach ache may just do the trick. No one can prove you don't have the symptoms of a stomach ache. Just display symptoms, and people will have to believe you, as long as you play your part well.

Part 1

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Showing Stomach Ache Symptoms

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1
Talk about your symptoms. Talk about how you're sick to your stomach. Then, you can say that you've had diarrhea and/or you've thrown up. The other person can't prove you haven't had these symptoms unless they've been close enough to witness your actions.^{[1]
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- If you're talking to your parents, you could say, "I've had diarrhea, and I've vomited. I feel really sick."
- If you're talking to someone you're not as close to, you could say, "I've had stomach... issues today. I'm feeling pretty bad."
When you're trying to show you have a stomach ache, chowing down on a eggs and a side of bacon is not going to help your case. Instead, you can say you don't want to eat because your stomach hurts.^{[2]
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Hold your stomach. When you have a stomach ache, you often can't resist holding your stomach or rubbing it gently. It's an unconscious attempt to alleviate the pain. If you're trying to fake a stomach ache, try rubbing your belly gently like it hurts.
- You could also add some light moaning now and then. However, if you're at work, moaning may be a bit much.
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Hurry to the bathroom. While you can't fake things like diarrhea and vomit, you can fake going to the bathroom. Grip your stomach or cover your mouth, and then hurry away to the restroom. Try making retching noises, or even using a phone to play fake noises. Go to the bathroom several times in a short period, such as two to three times in the course of an hour.^{[3]
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- At work, just running to the bathroom every now and then should be sufficient.
- You can also try running out of the room and pretending you're going to the bathroom without actually going there. However, if you do this, you might get caught.
- If you're pretending you have diarrhea, stay out of the room for at least ten minutes. If you're pretending to throw up, however, don't stay out of the room for very long.

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Faking Other Symptoms

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Fake a fever. Often, a fever will accompany a stomach problem, so you can try to fake one to help sell it. For instance, you can make yourself warm by placing a warm washcloth over your face or completely covering your head with a blanket for a few minutes.^{[4]
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- You can also warm up a thermometer by running it under warm water or drinking a warm drink before having your temperature taken in your mouth.
- Reader Poll: We asked 232 wikiHow readers if they’d ever taken a fake sick day to stay home, and 75% of them said yes. [Take Poll] So, if you're considering trying this yourself, you're definitely not alone—it's actually pretty common!
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Try adding chills. Often, when you have a stomach ache, you may get chills to accompany your stomach issue, particularly if you've thrown up. You could try shivering or burrowing under a blanket like you can't get warm.
- If you're out somewhere, try putting on a sweater, or rubbing your arms like you can't get warm.
A stomach problem can really drain you, so you have to look the part, too. Act like you can hardly move, and that getting up is draining. You'll have to keep this act up because if you suddenly get a burst of energy, others may get suspicious.^{[5]
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Part 3

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Making Your Story Believable

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If you say your stomach is hurting in one area, don't let the pain move around. If you start changing up your story, people are going to think you aren't telling the truth.^{[6]
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Ask if there's something for an upset stomach. One way to help sell your story is to try to get medication for it. You could say, "Do we have anything for stomach aches? I don't feel so good. I may throw up."
- At work, you could try popping tums or asking co-workers for medications.
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Stall for time. Sometimes, you just have to buy enough time to get out of the thing you don't want to do. That is, maybe you just have to stall enough to miss the bus or the start of the boring dinner. Then you're home free.^{[7]
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- However, don't immediately perk up. You may still have to do what you wanted to get out of, but you'll just be late.
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Don’t act happy about missing the event you want to avoid. If your parents say you stay home from school, don’t just act all happy, or else they’ll know you’re trying to avoid something. Instead, act unhappy about missing the event. This will make it seem like you really are sick.
- If it’s a test you want to miss, and your parents know you don’t care about tests or want to get out of one, don’t say you really want to go to school to take that test or they might get suspicious. Don’t overdo it when acting upset.
A bellyache is one thing. It can get you out of school or work. However, you don't want fake something so serious you get sent to the hospital. For instance, sharp pains in your lower right abdomen can indicate appendicitis, which will definitely win you a trip to the hospital.^{[8]
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What do you do if your stomach hurts and your parents aren't at home?

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If you have a mild stomach ache, you're probably fine. If you are in a lot of pain, though, try to call your parents. You can also find a neighbor. If you can't do either of those, you can call 9-1-1 if you think your stomach pains truly are bad enough to be an emergency.

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How do you make fake vomit?

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You could try mixing several foods together, such as oatmeal and something to give it color; try oranges or beets, for instance.

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How do I fake taking the medicine if my parents give me some?

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Put the medicine in a place only you will know where it is and drink water.

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Tips

Be careful about getting better. Don't wake up the next morning fine. Say you feel much better but not great.

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If you have to take medicine in front of someone, just put it in your mouth, don't swallow, then spit it out later.

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If someone asks, "Are you lying to me?" just say, "Why would I lie to you?"

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

I always tell my parents that my stomach hurt the night before, then I wake up early and apply a bit of light brown eyeshadow under my eyes. I tell them I feel dizzy and nauseous, and they always think I have a stomach bug.
Start early. About two days before you want to fake your stomachache, start acting tired and tell your parents you want to lie down. It'll be more believable when you say you're actually sick a couple days later.
Try to sneak food at night, if you can. Then you won't be hungry at all during the day, so your parents will believe that you have an upset stomach.
Put a bit of powder on your face to make yourself look pale, and dab some water on your forehead to look sweaty or clammy.

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Warnings

Keep in mind that you run the risk that they won't believe you when it actually happens, and then something much more serious will happen.

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