Chronic Hiccups: More Than an Annoyance
Anyone who has ever had the hiccups for even a little while knows what an annoyance they can be. So just imagine what life must be like to have them for 8 months straight. That's what happened to 21-year-old college student Seth Dowell, who suffers from chronic hiccups.
Eight months ago, Seth began to hiccup uncontrollably. In search of a remedy, Seth turned to the medical field for answers. Doctors have tried a number of cures including muscle relaxers, Valium, and physical therapy. But nothing has worked.
Seth is a student at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lives with his parents and works part-time at Rite-Aid. He is studying prepharmacy in hopes of becoming a pharmacist in the future.
How and when did the hiccups start?
It started on August 23rd. I had a sandwich at lunch and ate too fast. About 5 minutes later, I began to hiccup 10 seconds apart.
What did you do at first?
I changed my diet. I stopped drinking soda.
What home remedies did you try?
Covered my ears and drank a glass of water. Stood on my head and drank water. Ate a teaspoon of sugar.
When did you decide to go to the doctor?
Three weeks later. I thought the hiccups would go away and they didn't.
How do your friends and family feel about your hiccups?
They gave me a hard time. They laugh about it. I am getting used to it. It's funny.
How did the doctors treat you?
Two types of muscle relaxers. Valium. Thorazine. Depakote--an antiseizure medicine.
What do doctors think about your condition?
They are baffled. They've tried pressure release points on my diaphragm, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans of my chest, chest X-ray, and neck X-ray. They don't know how to stop the hiccups.
What's dating like?
No dates for months. I stopped asking girls out.
What happens if you were to ask out a girl?
I can't go to the movies because I'll ruin it for everybody. I hiccup more when I am nervous.
What are the side effects from the medications?
I lost weight because some of the drugs are appetite suppressants. I hated Valium because it made me violent. I am a very calm kid.
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