Hiccups

I’m not entirely sure if this is the right sub for this, but what seems like a minor issue based on my title has turned into a total nightmare. Basically, yesterday around 11:00 PM, I overate and drank way too much sparkling water, and that’s when the hiccups started. The problem is they just won't stop. I’ve tried every single trick and hack in the book, nothing works. To make matters worse, the staff at the urgent care clinic told me they can't do anything until 48 hours have passed to determine if it's actually a medical issue (give me a break). It’s been 20 hours now and I am losing my mind. I haven't slept a wink, I can't find any relief, and the doctors refuse to help because it isn't "serious" yet. Now my chest is starting to ache and my throat feels like it's seizing up. This is the longest hiccup bout of my life and honestly, it hurts more than you can imagine. Please, if anyone has advice on what to do or if this could turn into something more serious, let me know.

Thanks!

For me, the sugar and water trick ALWAYS works! But listen, it’s not just about mindlessly gulping down some sugar and water—you gotta take the deepest breath you possibly can, hold that air in your lungs, then shove a huge spoonful of sugar into your mouth and wash it down with water! Honestly, if you still feel like you've got any air left in you, just grab another spoonful of sugar and keep going!
but what you're describing sounds way more serious than my little hack... did it pass by today?

I got back from the ER yesterday, where they basically refused to help me. Instead, they just shoved a printout under my nose with different ways to stop hiccups. They said once the waiting period passes, they might provide actual assistance, but for now, I'm on my own. Here’s what they suggested: sugar and water, getting startled, sticking fingers in your ears, eating a lemon or an orange, breathing into a paper bag, holding your breath, inhaling essential oils from a paper bag, spreading your arms out in a T-shape while holding your breath, or pressing on your collarbone. None of these tips worked for me. They mentioned that hiccups can be temporary and harmless, but also that they could potentially be caused by a brain tumor or issues with the cerebral hemisphere. Is this even normal? I honestly don't know what else to do 😢.

A brain tumor? Yeah, right... don't go letting those kinds of dark thoughts get stuck in your head...
I saw this guy on TV the other day who couldn't stop hiccuping, I think he's had it since he was born or something, but I can't be totally sure... honestly, his body probably just got used to it by now!
Anyway, you'll just end up back at the ER again and they'll "help" you!
Good luck!!

So, have you tried taking anything to calm down? 🤷

Just pinch your nose... and try drinking a glass of water like this 😉 It always seems to do the trick for me...

The saga continues... I've been hiccuping for 45 hours now, since August 12th. I went to the ER to see if they could give me any sedatives, but honestly, they barely did anything. It’s slightly better—maybe ten hiccups a minute compared to twenty before—but it's still bad. In about three hours, I'll be heading to the hospital, where I'm hoping and praying the American healthcare system can finally fix this. If you think I'm exaggerating, believe me, I'm not. This is the most serious it's ever been. I don't know anyone in my circle or even further afield who has ever had hiccups lasting more than ten or fifteen minutes. I am in total chaos. It's completely wrecking my personal life, and I've already exhausted all my options. Now, I just hope for the best. Wish me luck!☕

I've heard stories about people dealing with hiccups for days on end. That’s definitely not right—you really need to figure out what's triggering it.

Hope you can get those hiccups under control soon. Definitely keep us posted on what ends up being the cause.

Despite my doctors putting in an incredible amount of effort to help me, this hiccuping won't let up.... I’ve done some digging, and apparently, it might be due to some kind of dysfunction in the brain centers or the nervous system that controls the respiratory muscles (which is the culprit here). They’ve put me on all sorts of medications and sedatives that honestly make me feel like the walking dead. I’m currently taking Baclofen, metoclopramide, Gabapentin, and Haloperidol, which has managed to bring it down to about 10-15 hiccups per minute. I’m also taking something for the pain, since my chest, throat, and lower jaw are absolutely killing me; overall, I'm just completely knocked out by a condition I never imagined I'd suffer from. Even though it’s only been three days, I think I'll look into long-term therapy once this settles down. Here are a few illustrations of how I'm feeling right now🙂🙂😵.

How’s it going now? Has the hiccups finally stopped?
Hiccups for twenty minutes straight can wear a person out, so I can only imagine how exhausting it is when it lasts for days.
I truly wish you a speedy recovery. You should definitely take a few days off to rest after all this.

silvercanyon7 said:How is it going now? Has the hiccups stopped?
Hiccups for twenty minutes can wear a person out, so I can only imagine how it feels when it lasts for days.
I truly wish you a speedy recovery; please take a few days off to rest after all this.

It just won't stop. I’m going to look into further testing because they say prolonged hiccups can sometimes resolve on their own, but they can also point to more serious underlying issues. The body might be signaling through these hiccups that something isn't right. I can't eat properly, sleep, or even work... I told my boss I have pneumonia. I already have so much on my plate, and this feels like too much to handle. I've learned a breathing technique that helps me muffle the sound, and there are certain medications I can't do without. Thank you for the support; I just hope this ends soon and that it isn't anything serious.

Man, I really hope you get some answers soon about why this is happening to you. I know from experience—it drives me absolutely insane when I get stuck with hiccups for an hour straight. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like dealing with them for days on end.

Hope you'll be okay. 🙂

A few years back, a member of my wife's family was hospitalized and started dealing with this insane hiccup fit—they actually managed to fix it while he was there, though the discharge papers didn't say a word about what they used. The problem? As soon as he got home a few hours later, the hiccups came roaring back. He was shaking so hard the whole bed was vibrating. The doctors tried everything—Reglan, Xanax, Pepcid, you name it—but nothing really worked; it just slowed them down for a bit before they hit him full force again. It was driving him—and everyone else—absolutely crazy. Finally, a kind soul from the pharmacy suggested chlorpromazine—it's made by Pfizer in Mexico and sold as Largactil in Italy, though it's pretty hard to find around here in the States. After a couple of pills, it finally worked. The hiccups have flared up a few more times over the last few years, and those specific pills are the only thing that helps. It took me a while to track this down, so sorry for the delay. They usually pick it up in Italy; it’s cheap, maybe a few bucks, but obviously, you need a doctor's okay first. Not sure if it's easily available locally now, but I wanted to share so you can get some relief ASAP.

Here I am again. It’s been 12 days and the hiccups still haven't let up... if this keeps going, I’m going to be a local sensation🙄. I tried chlorpromazine, but it didn't do a thing. After doing some digging, it looks like there might be some damage to the phrenic nerve—the one that controls the diaphragm and triggers the hiccups. Apparently, the nerve is irritated, and my options are surgery, an endoscopic procedure to go down the esophagus, or just waiting for the nerves to reset themselves. The doctors here say the irritation might just subside on its own even after a long time. They recommended the third option, leaving the choice entirely up to me. It’s easy for them to say, but I’m the one who has to live through this. Between the sedatives I take to sleep and the calming meds I need during the day, I can barely function, let alone lead an active life. I don't buy the theory that this will just pass on its own; chlorpromazine was supposed to work, as did Baclofen and Haloperidol. Right now, I have to grind all my food into a paste just to get it down to my stomach. Please, I need some advice on what to do😢.

I’m having a real issue here—I’ve been hiccuping for over 30 hours now.
Basically, I’ll get hit with them for maybe 2 or 3 hours at a time, then they just stop on their own for half an hour or so before starting right back up again.
Last night was a total wash because I couldn't sleep at all, and honestly, my chest is actually starting to ache from all the constant spasming.
I’ve tried pretty much every random trick I could find online to make it stop, but nothing is working. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? And... is it probably overkill to head to the ER over this?

If it doesn't stop, it's not stupid. 🙂

My neighbor has a son with Down syndrome who was hiccuping non-stop for like 24 hours straight. If I remember right, she just took him to his pediatrician instead of rushing to the ER, and nobody gave her any grief or told her she was being silly for bringing him in. I'm not totally sure what they gave him—maybe an injection or something? But anyway, the kid finally stopped hiccuping 🙂.

Hello,

Even though this thread hasn't been active for quite some time, I have a question. How did you eventually resolve the issue? My father has been struggling with this exact same thing for ten days now. He’s tried everything from herbal teas to Largactil... it provided some relief (he can sleep at night) and the symptoms have lessened during the day, but they haven't disappeared entirely.

Jose Howard24 said:Hey there,

Even though this thread hasn't seen any action in ages, I've got a question: how did you eventually sort this out? My dad's been wrestling with the exact same thing for ten days now. He’s tried everything from herbal teas to Largactil... that helped a bit (he can sleep through the night), and while things have calmed down during the day, the issue is still hanging around.

Check out this interesting article: City-srbija

For me, the go-to move is always just clamping my mouth shut tight until it finally stops—usually takes about five minutes tops
Basically, you just gotta sit there and make sure you don't let even a tiny gap open up when that hiccup hits!