1. < Cancer: Managing Symptoms
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Have you ever had hiccups with or after chemotherapy?

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Jun 11, 2019

We all know what hiccups are, right? They are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm — the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen and plays an important role in breathing. Each contraction is followed by a sudden closure of your vocal cords, which produces the characteristic "hic" sound.

Mayo Clinic investigators want to learn more about hiccups in people who are receiving cancer treatment and, if you have experienced hiccups, how they may have affected your quality of life.

So, whether you’ve had hiccups or not, we asked Connect members to take part in a survey. Responses in the survey remain anonymous and are kept completely confidential. The survey is now closed. I will share the results of survey after analysis.
In the meantime, feel free to take part in this discussion about hiccups, if you want to share.

Have you had hiccups after chemotherapy? If yes, were they different than you’ve experienced before? Did they bother you or affect your daily living?

+++Study Results+++
Frequency and Symptomatology of Hiccups in Patients With Cancer: Using an On-Line Medical Community to Better Understand the Patient Experience
By C Ehret, C Young, C Ellefson, L Aase, A Jatoi
Published April 1, 2021
https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091211006923

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms Support Group.

Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 27, 2021
In reply to @lori58 "Honestly, the hiccups have been devastating. However, the cancer with the Keytruda is life debilitating. The..." + (show)
@lori58

Honestly, the hiccups have been devastating. However, the cancer with the Keytruda is life debilitating. The side effects and quality of life has changed him forever. He told me if he would have known this, he would not have taken Keytruda. The side effect I doubt will ever go away. That’s if he is cancer free after 2 yrs of Keytruda. That’s as long as he can be on it. No one tells him anything. No one answers his questions. The only answer he gets is everyone is different. That’s a ridiculous answer when Mayo is basically a research hospital

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Unfortunately, “I don’t know” is never a popular answer to give or to receive. I did just read an Article about a guy who had hiccups continuously for 3 years and after essentially no answers and searching for 3 years. A doctor in Japan found a small benign tumor in his brain stem that was not found on CT scan in the US. The nuerosurgeon who did his surgery in London said that if it is continuous it is in the stomach or in the brain. If it isn’t in the stomach, get the MRI. I have hiccups a LOT. But not continuously, I have had this for years, many times a day and night but it rarely goes on and on for days.

REPLY
1 reply
lori58 | @lori58 | Aug 28, 2021
In reply to @auntieoakley "Unfortunately, “I don’t know” is never a popular answer to give or to receive. I did..." + (show)
@auntieoakley

Unfortunately, “I don’t know” is never a popular answer to give or to receive. I did just read an Article about a guy who had hiccups continuously for 3 years and after essentially no answers and searching for 3 years. A doctor in Japan found a small benign tumor in his brain stem that was not found on CT scan in the US. The nuerosurgeon who did his surgery in London said that if it is continuous it is in the stomach or in the brain. If it isn’t in the stomach, get the MRI. I have hiccups a LOT. But not continuously, I have had this for years, many times a day and night but it rarely goes on and on for days.

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Yah all that has been ruled out more than once with different docs in different States including Mayo

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 28, 2021
In reply to @lori58 "Yah all that has been ruled out more than once with different docs in different States..." + (show)
@lori58

Yah all that has been ruled out more than once with different docs in different States including Mayo

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So………….. back to the “I don’t know”. His quest continues.

REPLY
1 reply
lori58 | @lori58 | Aug 28, 2021
In reply to @auntieoakley "So………….. back to the “I don’t know”. His quest continues." + (show)
@auntieoakley

So………….. back to the “I don’t know”. His quest continues.

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He is very unhappy. He feels this is not him anymore. He is 6,4”, use to weigh 240 lbs with maybe 8-10% body fat, look Lee like Superman, ate the perfect diet, no fast food, very rarely anything fried. 34 “ waist. Now he’s under 200 lbs. very weak, Balance is so bad he can’t talk to u standing up as he needs all his strength to concentrate standing. He has all the bad side effects from the radiation, cisplatin, and now Keytruda. He was told he needs to finish out his treatment which in September in one more year. I can tell you right now, I don’t see him making it. You can’t have diarrhea for 5 months.
Again, when someone is basically this bad your going to tell me there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?
You doctors that act like he’s the first person they’ve dealt with with such bad balance.
I grew up in MN, Mayo in Rochester is fabulous. My dad had cancer, the doctors were straight up honest with us. My aunt had a rare blood disease and in the long run ended up with another.The doctors again were honest with us. Same with my mom.
The one thing I’m not afraid of is dying. What I am angry about is them not being honest with his cancer condition. He could be spending his days doing whatever and spending quality time with those he would like to see. Instead he’s on this pretend ride. I guess it’s about the money, cause his quality of life sucks. Truth sets you free. And if by a miracle from God you get more time, well I call that a Blessing. I’ve read his chances of survival rate. They know and they should tell him. Many people don’t get their ducks in order cause they think they are cured in 2 yrs after their ofc of Keytruda. Well, I’m pretty sure with the thousands and things of patients.. they know the answer. Cause I do. Giving him a choice now, is better than finding out you went through all this misery for nothing.. but you helped their case study. That’s just not cool to me.
And for docs when a patient and family want to know, your job is not to brush them off and give them false hope. Can again Miracles can happen, but getting the truth of your outcome changes us a priority.
He could be one of the 20-30% to survive. But that should come from his doctor. They know what stage he’s in. When they do a pet scan and there’s a lil flicker… it’s not attached to a limp nodes. Is that cancer trying to break thru? Then it goes dark.. it’s still there and showing as something but now it’s dark. What is that? Why didnt it dissolve? They know. They know exactly. That’s why I’m frustrated. A great doctor doesn’t use the excuse and everyone is different. Because they know the studies, they have the answers. So who’s benefitting in the long run when your quality life is getting worse and worse? Their case studies?
I grew up with many many cousins. Many died of accidents etc. I know all about death and taking care of family members and a friend. He can’t make a decision cause they aren’t being real so he can. He’s miserable. I’m not a happy camper as I see exactly what’s happening.
One day these doctors that don’t tell the patients the truth and they already know will be facing God one day. That I know. Sorry I went on and on, but I am beside myself, and I think this is absolutely ridiculous and so not right in any way, shape, or form.

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 28, 2021
In reply to @lori58 "He is very unhappy. He feels this is not him anymore. He is 6,4”, use to..." + (show)
@lori58

He is very unhappy. He feels this is not him anymore. He is 6,4”, use to weigh 240 lbs with maybe 8-10% body fat, look Lee like Superman, ate the perfect diet, no fast food, very rarely anything fried. 34 “ waist. Now he’s under 200 lbs. very weak, Balance is so bad he can’t talk to u standing up as he needs all his strength to concentrate standing. He has all the bad side effects from the radiation, cisplatin, and now Keytruda. He was told he needs to finish out his treatment which in September in one more year. I can tell you right now, I don’t see him making it. You can’t have diarrhea for 5 months.
Again, when someone is basically this bad your going to tell me there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?
You doctors that act like he’s the first person they’ve dealt with with such bad balance.
I grew up in MN, Mayo in Rochester is fabulous. My dad had cancer, the doctors were straight up honest with us. My aunt had a rare blood disease and in the long run ended up with another.The doctors again were honest with us. Same with my mom.
The one thing I’m not afraid of is dying. What I am angry about is them not being honest with his cancer condition. He could be spending his days doing whatever and spending quality time with those he would like to see. Instead he’s on this pretend ride. I guess it’s about the money, cause his quality of life sucks. Truth sets you free. And if by a miracle from God you get more time, well I call that a Blessing. I’ve read his chances of survival rate. They know and they should tell him. Many people don’t get their ducks in order cause they think they are cured in 2 yrs after their ofc of Keytruda. Well, I’m pretty sure with the thousands and things of patients.. they know the answer. Cause I do. Giving him a choice now, is better than finding out you went through all this misery for nothing.. but you helped their case study. That’s just not cool to me.
And for docs when a patient and family want to know, your job is not to brush them off and give them false hope. Can again Miracles can happen, but getting the truth of your outcome changes us a priority.
He could be one of the 20-30% to survive. But that should come from his doctor. They know what stage he’s in. When they do a pet scan and there’s a lil flicker… it’s not attached to a limp nodes. Is that cancer trying to break thru? Then it goes dark.. it’s still there and showing as something but now it’s dark. What is that? Why didnt it dissolve? They know. They know exactly. That’s why I’m frustrated. A great doctor doesn’t use the excuse and everyone is different. Because they know the studies, they have the answers. So who’s benefitting in the long run when your quality life is getting worse and worse? Their case studies?
I grew up with many many cousins. Many died of accidents etc. I know all about death and taking care of family members and a friend. He can’t make a decision cause they aren’t being real so he can. He’s miserable. I’m not a happy camper as I see exactly what’s happening.
One day these doctors that don’t tell the patients the truth and they already know will be facing God one day. That I know. Sorry I went on and on, but I am beside myself, and I think this is absolutely ridiculous and so not right in any way, shape, or form.

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I am going to address this as best I can with the the information from your post. Before I do that I will tell you that on connect the members are not the “you doctors” you refer to above. We are patients and caregivers. We can sometimes add value with our own experiences. We are also volunteers and no pay of any kind is given. I understand that you are angry, but a directed conversation from him to his doctor would be in order. Secondly, I have no idea, about his cancer other than he is on ketruda, but I did take a triple threat of high dose chemotherapy and I am 6 ft tall and came out of that weighing in at 98 pounds, 16 years ago. So that alone is not a single indicator. Just like all the other side effects you mention, diarrhea, nausea, weakness, etc. Those side effects just are not that uncommon with many chemo drugs. Something that lights up on a pet scan might be cancer, yes, and if it is gone the next time he gets a pet scan, it might be because the drugs are working. That lighting up basically means there was a large sugar uptake in that location. I am not saying that the doctors are telling you everything or not, but my experience with my husband at Mayo was very positive in terms of honesty.
I am trying to read between the lines here, but it sounds like he is being treated somewhere other than Mayo, but had a consultation at Mayo, is that correct? Do you go with your BF to his appointments? Are you both comfortable with asking questions? Sometimes you have to ask blunt questions to get blunt answers. I don’t know your BF, but I will say some people don’t want the hard answers. I usually try to write down my questions so I don’t forget any.
Lastly I would ask if you tried the magnesium and or potassium thing, because it certainly helped me with the hiccups, which is where this whole conversation started. Someone posted it on this thread a while back.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Aug 30, 2021
In reply to @lori58 "He is very unhappy. He feels this is not him anymore. He is 6,4”, use to..." + (show)
@lori58

He is very unhappy. He feels this is not him anymore. He is 6,4”, use to weigh 240 lbs with maybe 8-10% body fat, look Lee like Superman, ate the perfect diet, no fast food, very rarely anything fried. 34 “ waist. Now he’s under 200 lbs. very weak, Balance is so bad he can’t talk to u standing up as he needs all his strength to concentrate standing. He has all the bad side effects from the radiation, cisplatin, and now Keytruda. He was told he needs to finish out his treatment which in September in one more year. I can tell you right now, I don’t see him making it. You can’t have diarrhea for 5 months.
Again, when someone is basically this bad your going to tell me there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?
You doctors that act like he’s the first person they’ve dealt with with such bad balance.
I grew up in MN, Mayo in Rochester is fabulous. My dad had cancer, the doctors were straight up honest with us. My aunt had a rare blood disease and in the long run ended up with another.The doctors again were honest with us. Same with my mom.
The one thing I’m not afraid of is dying. What I am angry about is them not being honest with his cancer condition. He could be spending his days doing whatever and spending quality time with those he would like to see. Instead he’s on this pretend ride. I guess it’s about the money, cause his quality of life sucks. Truth sets you free. And if by a miracle from God you get more time, well I call that a Blessing. I’ve read his chances of survival rate. They know and they should tell him. Many people don’t get their ducks in order cause they think they are cured in 2 yrs after their ofc of Keytruda. Well, I’m pretty sure with the thousands and things of patients.. they know the answer. Cause I do. Giving him a choice now, is better than finding out you went through all this misery for nothing.. but you helped their case study. That’s just not cool to me.
And for docs when a patient and family want to know, your job is not to brush them off and give them false hope. Can again Miracles can happen, but getting the truth of your outcome changes us a priority.
He could be one of the 20-30% to survive. But that should come from his doctor. They know what stage he’s in. When they do a pet scan and there’s a lil flicker… it’s not attached to a limp nodes. Is that cancer trying to break thru? Then it goes dark.. it’s still there and showing as something but now it’s dark. What is that? Why didnt it dissolve? They know. They know exactly. That’s why I’m frustrated. A great doctor doesn’t use the excuse and everyone is different. Because they know the studies, they have the answers. So who’s benefitting in the long run when your quality life is getting worse and worse? Their case studies?
I grew up with many many cousins. Many died of accidents etc. I know all about death and taking care of family members and a friend. He can’t make a decision cause they aren’t being real so he can. He’s miserable. I’m not a happy camper as I see exactly what’s happening.
One day these doctors that don’t tell the patients the truth and they already know will be facing God one day. That I know. Sorry I went on and on, but I am beside myself, and I think this is absolutely ridiculous and so not right in any way, shape, or form.

Jump to this post

Hi Lori, I read in another discussion thread, that your boyfriend has squamous cell carcinoma in the throat. I encourage you to also follow the Head & Neck Cancer group here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/head-neck-cancer/

I agree with @auntieoakley. It sounds like it is time for a frank discussion with your boyfriend's medical team. Be sure to let them know that you don't want sugar coating and that you want straight-forward answers. They will be upfront and honest.

Some of the questions I would ask the doctors are:
- Why is Keytruda only used for a maximum of 2 years?
- What options are there after Keytruda?
- Is the treatment goal remission (cancer undetectable) or palliative (prolong life, manage symptoms but no cure possible)?

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is typically used as treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that cannot be removed through surgery. Does your boyfriend have metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread)? Has palliative care been discussed?

REPLY
1 reply
lori58 | @lori58 | Aug 30, 2021
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi Lori, I read in another discussion thread, that your boyfriend has squamous cell carcinoma in..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi Lori, I read in another discussion thread, that your boyfriend has squamous cell carcinoma in the throat. I encourage you to also follow the Head & Neck Cancer group here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/head-neck-cancer/

I agree with @auntieoakley. It sounds like it is time for a frank discussion with your boyfriend's medical team. Be sure to let them know that you don't want sugar coating and that you want straight-forward answers. They will be upfront and honest.

Some of the questions I would ask the doctors are:
- Why is Keytruda only used for a maximum of 2 years?
- What options are there after Keytruda?
- Is the treatment goal remission (cancer undetectable) or palliative (prolong life, manage symptoms but no cure possible)?

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is typically used as treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that cannot be removed through surgery. Does your boyfriend have metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread)? Has palliative care been discussed?

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His cancer did metastasis to lymph node at end of his single pipe. Inoperable.
Started back of tongue in his throat, then moved to 5 lymph nodes on the left side of his neck. Surgery on both sides of his neck and lymph nodes were removed. Followed with 6 weeks of cisplatin with 6 weeks of proton radiation to left side of neck and throat. He was given a 98% cure rate. 3 month petscan showed cancer metastasized to left the windpipe.
They started him on Keytruda and use radiation on the chest.
That lymph node never dissolved. All I was told that they recommend to stay on this course with Keytruda. That they will not take him off during these 2 yrs unless the Keytruda quits working or it attacks his organs.
Thank you for the questions to ask.
And also fir the website. Greatly appreciated

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 30, 2021
In reply to @lori58 "His cancer did metastasis to lymph node at end of his single pipe. Inoperable. Started back..." + (show)
@lori58

His cancer did metastasis to lymph node at end of his single pipe. Inoperable.
Started back of tongue in his throat, then moved to 5 lymph nodes on the left side of his neck. Surgery on both sides of his neck and lymph nodes were removed. Followed with 6 weeks of cisplatin with 6 weeks of proton radiation to left side of neck and throat. He was given a 98% cure rate. 3 month petscan showed cancer metastasized to left the windpipe.
They started him on Keytruda and use radiation on the chest.
That lymph node never dissolved. All I was told that they recommend to stay on this course with Keytruda. That they will not take him off during these 2 yrs unless the Keytruda quits working or it attacks his organs.
Thank you for the questions to ask.
And also fir the website. Greatly appreciated

Jump to this post

I will be thinking about you, as you ask your questions and pray that some frank discussion will get you some positive answers. I have been on the difficult road you are on and it can be very frustrating. When my little brother was sick there weren’t a lot of treatment for this cancer, they just kept taking more and more surgically. He was 19, he did pass after 8 difficult years. He did take every advantage of the good days. This was 25 years ago. I am grateful that you have more options. Another question might be to ask if there are more tools in the box after keytruda, if it does stop working. When is your next appointment, where you can ask questions? How is the hiccups?

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vherzog777 | @vherzog777 | Jan 8, 2022

Hubby started chemo Thursday. Developed a nasty case of hiccups all night long! Any suggestions??? When I tried to give him something to eat this morning he said he couldn’t eat because his stomach hurt from the hiccups which of course he still had.

REPLY
4 replies
houmaindian | @houmaindian | Jan 8, 2022
In reply to @vherzog777 "Hubby started chemo Thursday. Developed a nasty case of hiccups all night long! Any suggestions??? When..." + (show)
@vherzog777

Hubby started chemo Thursday. Developed a nasty case of hiccups all night long! Any suggestions??? When I tried to give him something to eat this morning he said he couldn’t eat because his stomach hurt from the hiccups which of course he still had.

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I accidentally found a great cure for hiccups. Just get a spoon full of sugar and let it melt on the tongue for 20 seconds then slowly drink some water and let the sugar melt. It helps me such. I hope this works for your husband as well. God bless yall

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