Intractible Hiccups

Nurses General Nursing

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Have any of you any suggestions for intractible hiccups? My husband had a partial nephrectomy 11 days ago and has been plagued by them since the first day post op. His surgeon suggests they are the result of an ileus and c. difficle. we've tried thorazine, and reglan with a sleeping pill as well as ativan. the meds snow him and he just keeps hiccupping.

Any ideas?

thanks,

Paula

Obviously. What was I thinking by offering advice?

I didn't mean to offend you.

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

Just wanted to say that I hope they stop soon... my husband had this problem a couple of months ago and it was awful (he's healthy, it wasn't related to any other condition as far as we know). It sounds funny to hear about hiccups that won't stop, but my husband was in a lot of pain and was absolutely miserable for about 3 days or so. He had never had it happen before in his life & hopefully it won't ever happen again.

Here's a link with a lot of info & some ideas for treatment:

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic252.htm

Note that the link says that "Benzodiazepines have been shown to exacerbate or precipitate hiccups and should be avoided." **So you may want to avoid that Ativan if this is true**

Again, good luck, hope it's over soon. Keep us posted on how it goes.

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Just wanted to say that I hope they stop soon... my husband had this problem a couple of months ago and it was awful (he's healthy, it wasn't related to any other condition as far as we know). It sounds funny to hear about hiccups that won't stop, but my husband was in a lot of pain and was absolutely miserable for about 3 days or so. He had never had it happen before in his life & hopefully it won't ever happen again.

I'm glad your husband's over it. The hiccups can be miserable for sure.

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Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

I have never had intractable hiccups myself, but do get a pretty hard core case at least once a week.... my aunt learned this trick when she was in Japan, while her ex-hubby was serving in the Army & she was 8 months pregnant, 34 years ago......

anyway, stand up, have a cup of water in your hand, bend over slightly, with your mouth on the opposite side of the cup. Sip from the opposite side.... you may have to bend over a tad more while doing this, as the first few attempts USUALLY leave you with covered with water, so, don't FILL the glass, lean into the sip, don't tilt the cup towards you.....just enough liquid for a few small swigs ALWAYS does the trick for me.

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Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.
The hiccups can be miserable for sure.

My heart aches for my patients when they are intubated AND have hiccups. How awful.

I wonder how the OP's husband is doing? I'm wondering if the hiccups are something related to the surgery. Hopefully they didn't nick his phrenic nerve.

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I have a terrible time when I get hiccups...and I have tried everything there is!! Then I found the following website, and their "cure" really works ...it has for me, everytime, and I get them very, very bad!!

http://www.mastersweep.com/curehiccups.htm

I sure hope it works for your husband, I really hate when I have them for many reasons:uhoh3:

Good Luck...and please update us and let us know what ends of helping!!

Take Care!

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Specializes in Med-surg; OB/Well baby; pulmonology; RTS.

Sometimes we give Demerol 25-50 mg IV for hiccups. Maybe it would work po?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Sometimes we give Demerol 25-50 mg IV for hiccups. Maybe it would work po?

That's interesting. I recently had surgery, and post-op I got morphine and demerol occassionally which actually gave me hiccups for about a half an hour afterwards. The percocet they sent me home with gave me hiccups too.

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I have a terrible time when I get hiccups...and I have tried everything there is!! Then I found the following website, and their "cure" really works ...it has for me, everytime, and I get them very, very bad!!

http://www.mastersweep.com/curehiccups.htm

I sure hope it works for your husband, I really hate when I have them for many reasons:uhoh3:

Good Luck...and please update us and let us know what ends of helping!!

Take Care!

I do this for my hiccups, as well, and it works every time.

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thank you all for your words of encouragement, advice and good wishes. As a long time perioperative nurse I have little experience with post-op care. As far as the surgeon can tell, the hiccups are a result of c.difficile and the associated dilated colon. Having an ileus post op didn't help. He tells us the hiccups will eventually dissipate.

FYI, these remedies have not worked for him:

sugar

holding one's breath

attempting to scare the ever-loving s**t out of him (that was amusing)

drinking from ANY side of a glass of water

Thorazine

Reglan

Both meds together

Ativan

One thing may have helped but it is hard to tell; ativan 2 mg w/ accupuncture. Also if he can sleep they usually disappear.

today for the first time in nearly 2 weeks he was hiccup-free for almost 16 hours- I know it will get better. In the meantime, I will check out the links some of you have left here.

Thanks again,

Paula

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today for the first time in nearly 2 weeks he was hiccup-free for almost 16 hours- I know it will get better. In the meantime, I will check out the links some of you have left here.

Thanks again,

Paula

I'm glad to hear that. I hope he's getting better. Here's another link

http://www.eperc.mcw.edu/fastFact/ff_81.htm

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I didn't mean to offend you.

No problem.

Paula,

I can't imagine having hiccups for so long. Your poor hubby. Ativan and acupuncture seem to help? Thats good to know. Hope your guy will feel better soon!

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