IamA person who has had non-stop hiccups for 8 1/2 months AMA!!

boo.

hic

I made a table of all the proposed cures

I had a few suggestions here. the ones I had that aren't already on here are take singing lessons, sleep on a waterbed, and look into a hypobaric chamber. Someone else suggested a hyperbaric chamber. I wonder if either works, and if so, which works better.

This is absolutely amazing, you've saved me a lot of effort. Please upvote. I promise I will do these more or less in order till I run out of things to do or find a cure.

My fiancé had the hiccups for 1 year 11 months and 3 days. She saw drs and specialists and neurologists, the basic verdict was that she would just have them until they stopped on their own. She was still in high school and she tagged along with her dad to his chiropractor appointment one day and the chiro noticed her head was a bit crooked. He compressed an area on the back of her neck and they stopped while he was pressing down. He did several adjustments of her neck over time and they stopped completely! Turns out she had a disc in her neck that had rotated and was compressing a nerve causing the hiccups.

I've just seen this, it's fascinating. I wouldn't be surprised if the root cause is a nerve issue, it's something I need to look into.

If it was, it's most likely the phrenic nerve.

Finding a good chiropractor that is intelligent is a bit like trying to find a sane roommate on craigslist.

You're the second person to mention the phrenic nerve. I will do some research on it.

The hiccups will stop at nine months. The gestation period is nearly complete...

Um... What exactly is gestating? Or do I not want to know?

In two weeks...

O_o

There was an episode of ER in the 1990s in which a man presented with unstoppable hiccups... I think he ended up being diagnosed with AIDS.

On another note drinking water from the far side of a glass always works for me... to stop hiccups, not prevent AIDS.

Yep, the doctor told me that. I don't have AIDS.

I love how you're being given all these old wives tale style remedies as if you haven't been trying...everything.

To be fair, I haven't tired waterboarding. Or pot, or ketamine, or a finger up my bum.

If you're going for a record, you still have 71 years and 3.5 months to go.

I saw that on Wikipedia - the man whose hiccups were triggered by an accident with a pig. I'd rather find a cure.

Your hiccup livestream is perfect background noise to make me feel less lonely

Glad to be your hiccup buddy.

And its fun to watch while always reloading the comments sorted by age. He seems to be answering every comment chronologically, so you can guess which comment he's answering right now.

I like to be thorough.

Wasn't there another guy on reddit that used waterboarding to cure his hiccups?

Someone linked me to him yesterday. I'm seriously considering it.

I really hope that this works for you.

Maybe I should do it on camera?

Torture yourself for some of that sweet, sweet karma.

I can taste it already.

[deleted]

Is it the beard?

[deleted]

Thanks, it's my sexy librarian look.

How about this, get a cup of water and a straw. Plug your ears with your fingers and take 3 big gulps of water through the straw. I do not know why it works but it has worked for me every. single. time. People think I'm crazy when they get the hiccups and I tell them to do this, but it works.

I'm going to try this.

Report back with results.

Will do.

What worked for me was eating a giant spoonful of peanut butter. Your brain focuses so hard on choking down the PB that it forgets to hiccup. I hope you find a cure cuz hiccups hurt.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

Smoke a lot of pot, try it

You're the second person to suggest this. It might have to be done. Maybe I should ask /r/trees for guidance?

You are dying of what Lily died of in Marshall's fantasy.

A quick Google tells me this is a HIMYM reference, I haven't watched it for years. On another note, I'd rather not die.

Oh man! I really hope they stop soon! They hurt me after just a few minutes so I can't even imagine what you're going through. How are you able to sleep? The only thing that works for me in getting rid of them is to drink water upside down by taking a glass and bending over so my head is above my feet and my torso parallel with my legs and then putting the far edge of the glass in between my top lip and teeth and drinking the entire glass slowly. Sometimes, it takes more than one glass. I don't know if you've tried this already. What about muscle relaxers?

They stop when I sleep fortunately. I've tried lots of drinking water tricks, none work. I was prescribed one relaxant, it might have slowed them down slightly but it made me too sleepy to function.

if they stop when you sleep, it may be a sign that it is psychological. considered hypnosis?

I sort of think the same. Hypnosis is on my to do list.

have you tried sticking something up your butt? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15926725

That looks legit, surprisingly. Any suggestions for where I could find an experienced bum finger-er?

You could email the corresponding author of that academic paper. Chances are they're still working on it and would probably love to have a new test subject. And even if you don't want that treatment, they'll probably be much more clued up to help you out than your current doctor

Will do. And if they don't need a test subject I'll put an add on Craigslist.

Have you tried going to a hypnotist? I know it sounds, weird, but if it stops when you sleep it could be psychological, which a hypnotist may be able to help with.

I haven't tried it, so will add it to the list.

Do you recall anything starting the hiccups? For me, if I have a cigarette while having a Coke will always set off some hiccups for me.

It would make sense for something to have triggered them, but I can't remember. They just sort of happened.

My sister has had them for over 20 years. Any more it comes as a random hiccup every 5-15 minutes. What kind of frequency do you experience?

20 years! :( The frequency varies - it can go from every few seconds to not hiccuping for 10 minutes. Depends how much activity I am doing.

I imagine you occasionally hit eleven minutes, get really happy, then hiccup :(

True, as soon as I realise I've stopped I start again.

I knew someone who had something similar they ended up in a decompression chamberI iror a hyperbolic or hyperbaric chamber. Ask your doctor. It's not a hyperbolic time chamber

I'll check out decompression. Hadn't thought of that before.

Is talking practically impossible when you are constantly hiccuping,

Also are you hiccuping right now?

I manage, though it gets a bit irritating. If you fancy watching a bearded man hiccup you can see a live stream of me here

DRINKING GAME!

Good luck with that.

That is one of the most entertaining things i have ever seen,

Glad to have been of service?

Oh god, they're squeaky hiccups, too. The sigh was perfect, too. I kinda wanna make this a ringtone.

Its not the manliest noise. Please make it your ringtone.

What is your middle name?

David.

Try soaking a slice of lemon in bitters and then pour sugar all over it and suck it. A couple of those always cures me of the hiccups.

Also you should try smoking marijuana. This has worked for me in the past. And I think 'medical' would apply to this scenario.

I'll try the lemon trick. I've never smoked pot before, but a quick Google found this. Maybe I should give it a go.

Assuming you had a sex life prior to this happening, how has it affected your current sex life ?

What do you do for work? Has it inhibited your ability to do your job properly?

Strenuous activity increases the frequency of the hiccups. I work from home as a journalist so it only really affects phone calls etc.

How has the hiccups affected your sleep pattern? Do you just ignore them or find a way to suppress them?

The stop when I sleep, it's the one thing that makes me think it might all be psychological.

Have you tried jabbing the back of your throat with a pen lightly? Might be your gag reflex going out of whack.

I'll add 'deep throat a pen' to me to do list.

How often do you get a delay between hiccups and think they've stopped, only to immediately hiccup?

It's hard to tell, as soon as you think 'when did i last hiccup?' you hiccup.

How has this affected your social life? I can't imagine trying to watch a movie or eat a meal with someone who wont stop hiccuping.

Going to the cinema is the only thing I'm avoiding. When I go out people just assume I'm pissed.

I have a friend with almost exactly this, their doctor thinks it's down to stress if that helps?

It's possible, but how do I make them stop? I need a way to get super relaxed.

BOO!

Actually that might have wor hic

Shit, i know 2 people in the same position i'm afraid to say, and not to worry you, both have now had hiccups everyday, for as long as they remember. Considered learning just to live with it?

I'd rather exhaust my options first, though I admit there's worse medical issues to be stuck with.

Wow that is amazing and kind of shocking at the same time. My own solution to my hiccups (which happens when I eat too quickly) is to either burp or drink fluids. When I drink fluids I can actually feel a "bubble" go down my esophagus. But that's just me. I hope you get better soon!

Thanks. The drinking water cures haven't worked for me.

What's the frequency of your hiccups? Can you have a normal conversation? Can you hold it in for a few minutes?

The frequency varies on how active I am. I converse as normal, just with an added irritation. They are impossible to hold in, the more I think about it the worse it gets.

You said you hadn't tried smoking pot, have you tried ket? Heard that works. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775746-medication

Horse tranquilizer might just be what I need. I'll add it to my list.

jesus I was watching your stream for minute and I had to turn it off. How other people react to this, when you are talking to strangers or in public in general? Does your stomach hurts because of hiccups? It always hurts me when I hiccup for more than 5 minutes. Get well soon!

Most people smile and think it's cute when they first meet me - it wears off quite quickly. Fortunately it doesn't hurt at all.

I remember I had hiccups that lasted most of the day, it began in the morning and it started to hurt like crazy as the day passed with each hiccup. Does it hurt?

It doesn't hurt, I guess my body is used to it.

You mentioned that the doctors were stumped. What did they actually say?

My doctor had never seen anything like it and the gastro specialist has never had anyone he couldn't cure with prescription drugs. They have no idea what's causing them.

Have you tried going to a neurologist instead?

It's possible it's all in my head, but my doctor hasn't suggested it. It seems to be a physical as it gets worse when I'm active.

I hope you get to stop hiccupping soon. Vicks cough drops always help me. As a journalist, I am assuming you like to write (create/produce). Has this condition given you any inspiration to write something new?

I'll try the Vicks. I guess I could do a 'how Reddit cured my hiccups feature'.

I'm not sure if you've already tried this, but it's always worked for me and this one drunk guy in my dorm hall. Grab a glass of water, plug your nose with your fingers like you're about to jump into a pool, drink some of the water and don't let go of your nose until after you've swallowed. Make sure it's a good drink of water, not just a sip. I swear it's worked every time for me, I hope it works for you!

I've tried a variation of this. Can't hurt to try again.

I've always been able to stop hiccuping whenever i've wanted, but I'm guessing my method won't work for you :(

Good luck in sorting it out.

Thanks.

Please post an update as soon as you're better! Hopefully soon!

Will do.

Have you figured out a pitch for a MY HICCUP YEAR book yet?

I'm going for a reality TV show.

How does it affect your throat? Does it hurt later on in the day after lots of hiccups?

I'm not in any pain.

Is this your second AMA in as many days?

It got removed with half an hour last time because of lack of proof. The Mods allowed me to repost with a livestream of me.

Ah yes, are you incapable of being in public places (ex: movie theatre) cause of the hiccups?

The cinema is the one place I'm avoiding. I've been once since the hiccups started and had to gag myself with a scarf.

Alright, I'll give it go..

What comes out of chimney?

Smoke?

..How did that go?

I had hiccups once for a pretty long time one day and my friend finally got fed up with it and asked me that. I didn't have even a single hiccup after that.

I'm still hiccuping

Have you been unable to do anything you loved to do before because of the endless hiccups?

Not really. The only thing I've avoided is going to the cinema.

What color would you say your hiccups are?

Purple.

This is actually one of my biggest fears, to hiccup and then have it never stop..

It's better then being encased in concrete. With a computer that only lets you play QWOP. That's my worst fear.

how hard is it to go to sleep, do you lay awake longer than you used to because of the hiccups?

They stop when I go to sleep.

Have u thought of being put under anesthesia or an induced coma?

I'm not sure how I'd convince a doctor to do this. Guess I could ask