Beap52 1,418 #1 Posted January 26 I've had the hiccups for the past 28m hours. Yesterday afternoon I was texting a buddy and trying to text with hiccups is a pain in itself. They are currently coming and going and don't seem to be as severe as when they started. Last night about every two hours I'd wake up with the blasted hiccups. Shortly after midnight, I googled "cure for hiccups." sip ice water, gargle ice water, eat a spoon of dry sugar (not that fun to do) and none of them worked. There were other suggestions such as pull tongue--didn't try that one. The doctor sites on internet suggested visiting doctor if persist more than 48 hours. Come Monday morning, if I'm still plagued with them I'm making a trip to local doctor. This afternoon I watched our six year old special needs grandson. If I would hiccup loud enough for him to hear, he would try to mimic me--Only good thing to these miserable things! 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 3,238 #2 Posted January 26 Have you tried a muscle relaxer? Hiccups are essentially a muscle spasm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jac 2 #3 Posted January 26 light a pack of matches , put lit matches out in glass of water . drink water, sulfer from matches gets rid of hiccups. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,397 #4 Posted January 26 I get a mouthful of water, bend over and slowly swallow it... supposedly the rhythm of the muscles needed to swallow "uphill" is what relaxes the muscles... works for me usually... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 59,967 #5 Posted January 26 Our minister had the hiccups for over a week and ended up at the walk-in clinic for a remedy. Don't know what they prescribed but it worked. I found his sermon while hiccupping to be memorable, not inspirational but memorable. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 3,044 #6 Posted January 26 Slowly breathe fully in & out 4 times. Upon the 4th full inhale hold your breath for about 20 seconds. Slowly exhale then inhale normally. Hiccups gone. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 16,297 #7 Posted January 26 18 minutes ago, Blasterdad said: Slowly breathe fully in & out 4 times. Upon the 4th full inhale hold your breath for about 20 seconds. Slowly exhale then inhale normally. Hiccups gone. That was my cure for years. But when my kids would get the hiccups, I would make them stand at attention in front of me. Then I would tell them to go ahead and hiccup. Invariably they could never hiccup. Done until next time. Same son now insists that drinking a glass of water through a paper towel works. I've never tried it, but like the standing at attention, I think it's mostly psychological. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 3,044 #8 Posted January 26 9 minutes ago, rmaynard said: I think it's mostly psychological. Yep, I've cured myself & others for years doing this, I agree that concentrating on something else helps push the reset button. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 29,402 #9 Posted January 27 I tried all the exercises to get rid of hiccups, nothing really worked for me so I had to turn chemicals. A shot of pickle juice works good for a minor case, add 12 drops of Tabasco sauce to that shot for a more severe case. For a real extreme case where the first 2 don't work, I resort to a 1/2 shot of bitters. Extreme and harsh tasting ,but never had a case where bitters didn't take care of 'em for me. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,851 #10 Posted January 27 I was told to try yelling into a colander, but it only strained my voice. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,397 #11 Posted January 27 9 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said: I was told to try yelling into a colander, but it only strained my voice. Made my day!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,543 #12 Posted January 27 12 hours ago, Blasterdad said: Slowly breathe fully in & out 4 times. Upon the 4th full inhale hold your breath for about 20 seconds. Slowly exhale then inhale normally. Hiccups gone. Knock on wood, this works for me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 1,418 #13 Posted January 28 Thanks to all who responded about hiccups. I tried several of the suggestions plus others that friends suggested such as placing a pencil behind each ear (suppose to be pressure points behind ears). First time for this infliction. Hiccupping about 80% of the time with mild indigestion. I've been going for mild meals as I'm ready to move on. So, on Monday, I went to a doctor. He suggested a spoon of powdered lemonade mix such as Country TIme Lemonade MIx as possible cure for hiccups. After blood work, chest x-ray and CT of my head final verdict is over the counter medicine for heartburn/acid reflux. If not better after three or four days (and LONG nights) call back.. They'll probably recommend two spoons of lemonade mix and a swig of calamine lotion! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 1,418 #14 Posted January 31 IT's been seven days since hiccups started so I decided to follow up with doctor. At doctor's orders, for the past three days, I've been taking a OTC medication for heart burn/acid reflux. Pharmacists said it could take up to 4 days to beginning to have an effect and although hiccups are some better, I really didn't want to face the next three nights fighting with them if some relief could be found. Still waking up every two hours with hiccups. The doctor said I could potentially face 3 to four or more weeks of hiccups. When I suggested that one of our buds here at Wheelhorse website suggested muscle relaxer she located one that wouldn't require special permission from insurance company and ordered for me. There ya go, you all are are better than just trouble shooting rusty ole tractors! In addition to home cures for hiccups within this site, it been suggested to me to take a spoon full of yellow mustard (as told by 72 year old barber who said that was his father's cure). Raise your arm up over your head and hold your breath. There are others but don't want to drag this thing out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 1,418 #15 Posted February 5 I'm cured (I hope!)! Haven't hiccupped since yesterday morning. Finally sleeping all night like I should. I don't know what brought them on (possibly acid reflux?) nor what brought them to an end but I'm back on full feed. Thanks for all the suggestions. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 29,402 #16 Posted February 6 1 hour ago, Beap52 said: I don't know what brought them on (possibly acid reflux?) nor what brought them to an end but I'm back on full feed Any new stress? My brother had a bad case of hic-ups for over 2 weeks after he got orders to take command of some troops out of country. This was his first command of this sort. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
c-series don 10,028 #17 Posted February 6 Funny, because today at work I was thinking “I wonder if that guy still has the hiccups?!!” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 1,418 #18 Posted February 6 2 hours ago, Achto said: Any new stress? My brother had a bad case of hic-ups for over 2 weeks after he got orders to take command of some troops out of country. This was his first command of this sort. No new stress. Been working on puzzles and building a dilapidated house for the train set waiting for warm weather. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 1,418 #19 Posted Tuesday at 12:02 AM Follow up to the hiccups. I ended up having them the first time 1 1/2 weeks. Doctors prescribed anti acid, muscle relaxer and the Country Time Lemonade mix-which stopped them for a few minutes which helped me get to sleep. Later, I got them again but went to doctor sooner and managed to get them stopped with the fore mentioned remedies. Ever since I have had one to 4 hiccups every few days and indigestion whereas I have never had it before. I am now taking an anti acid daily, The second doctor told me that for a fellow my age (72) who doesn't have a history of indigestion, it needs looking in to. I already had blood work, scans and some other stuff done but now they wanted to have a scope ran down my throat. An appointment was set and I met with doctor (who thought I was there for colonoscopy that was due). I voiced my understanding that I was to be scoped down the throat. Upon reading the second doctor's notes a bit closer, he concurred that yes I was going to get both ends hosed. The doctor's report came back. He did biopsy a piece from my stomach and the report came back "grossly unremarkable". I guess I'll be on anti acid or anti reflux meds for the foreseeable future. I'm back to eating whatever I want. At Sunday School Class I was asked my results. When I reported "grossly unremarkable" they giggled--yes, they are a hard bunch. I then explained I was disappointed at the tone of the report and told them that I'm glad I'm not in the stage of live where I would be looking for chicks. "Grossly unremarkable" is not a good pick-up line! By the way. The gallon of awful tasting liquid that Medicare pays for and is the worst part of colonoscopy can be replaced by a couple 6 ounce bottles of bad tasting stuff but was, for me, a whole lot easier to get down. Medicare won't pay for the bad tasting stuff but the sixty dollars was worth it for me. My brother takes a tablet but my doctor says it may cause indigestion, doesn't always do it's job and cost better than one hundred dollars. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites