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

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Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.

How about compazine? For hiccups, the dose is 25-50 mg 3-4 times/day.

Ask your doc.

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Home remedy=damsen preserves. Eat a tablespoonful.

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I just learned this one from another RN I work with... haven't gotten to try it much, though. There is a pressure point just below the jaw (right below the joint, in your neck, maybe one finger-width in front of the joint, where there is a little indentation). Press both sides of the neck at this point while deep breathing. It worked for me. Just be sure you don't press too hard/too long as I think it's right over the vertebral artery. I know the spot is hard to describe... hope it works!

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thank you all for your suggestions; I will try to find damsen preserves.

As for the pressure point; I know it is very close to the carotid so I am leeery of trying it.

Compazine is one med we haven't yet tried; thanks for that suggestion.

Paula

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Thorazine is also used for intractable hiccups. Don't know if it is dosed the same as it would be when used as a psych med though.

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Thorazine is also used for intractable hiccups. Don't know if it is dosed the same as it would be when used as a psych med though.

I just got a call a call while I was sleeping last night from a woman whose husbund was having an extended bout of hiccups (4 hours). I'm a Hospice nurse. Fortunately, he already had thorazine in the house since this has been a problem before. He gets 25-50 mg TID or QID. I told her to give him 50 mg. I never heard back, so I guess he's alright.

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A spoonful of sugar (no I am not nurse poppins!).

His diaphragm is probably irritated from something. Sugar works, if his blood sugar can tolerate some sugar. Try it before the Thorazine.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
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

Ooo, I thought of something else. Get your husband in front of the computer.

Is he there?

Ready?

BOO!

Let me know if it worked :)

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A spoonful of sugar (no I am not nurse poppins!).

His diaphragm is probably irritated from something. Sugar works, if his blood sugar can tolerate some sugar. Try it before the Thorazine.

Obviously, thorazine is not the first thing you're going to reach for when someone gets the hiccups. This thread is about intractable hiccups. Hiccups that have not responded to other interventions.

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Obviously, thorazine is not the first thing you're going to reach for when someone gets the hiccups. This thread is about intractable hiccups. Hiccups that have not responded to other interventions.

Obviously. What was I thinking by offering advice?

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Specializes in OB/PP/Nsy.
Obviously, thorazine is not the first thing you're going to reach for when someone gets the hiccups. This thread is about intractable hiccups. Hiccups that have not responded to other interventions.

Well, maybe he didn't know about the sugar, and so it wouldn't HURT to try it first before the thorazine. Thought it was a good suggestion.........Sugar has always worked for me.

paula

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