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.

philv | @philv | Oct 27, 2022

I am at chemo #6. I get the hiccups for a few days. Then they go away.

nddenise | @nddenise | Oct 28, 2022

My daughter found a discussion online that said the drug Baclofen works for chemo related hiccups. I had used this medication just months ago for severe back spasms. So during my hubby's hiccups I gave him one an poof gone. So chemo morning an the next 3 days he gets a Baclofen. His Dr prescribed them for him. Good luck!

flyer115 | @flyer115 | Nov 1, 2022

In reply to @colleenyoung "@susu2 @odette @merpreb, thanks for sharing your experiences. Susu, technically speaking hiccups are involuntary contractions of..." + (show)

I found that it was not the chemo but the Meds that are making you hiccup I quit taking the meds

pcallier | @pcallier | Nov 3, 2022

In reply to @philv "I am at chemo #6. I get the hiccups for a few days. Then they go..." + (show)

Occasionally I get hiccups it all started after session #5
Not real bad,but noticeable.

buckaroobanzai | @buckaroobanzai | Nov 3, 2022

Not after chemo, but I did once have hiccups for some 72 hours after general anesthesia. It happens.

Indbuntg | @indgbuntg | Nov 8, 2022

My husband is receiving chemotherapy and gets hiccups. They were worse and more frequent earlier in his treatment but although still receiving chemotherapy they are not as frequent.

Derrick | @jodaface02 | Nov 9, 2022

No hiccups from me I honestly feel like chemo treatments... makes me crave more food my sense of taste are heightened... usually helps me to have a great appetite.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Nov 19, 2022

In reply to @jodaface02 "No hiccups from me I honestly feel like chemo treatments... makes me crave more food my..." + (show)

Joda, I'm thrilled that chemo has resulted in a postive food experience for you. May I ask ask what type of cancer you have and what chemo you're on?

@indgbuntg, did your husband do anything to help the hiccups or did they simply diminish as treatment continued?

Derrick | @jodaface02 | Nov 19, 2022

In reply to @colleenyoung "Joda, I'm thrilled that chemo has resulted in a postive food experience for you. May I..." + (show)

I have pancreatic cancer stage 4. My chemo treatments are the etopicide and carbo platin. And it's really shrinking slowly. I'm thankful for whatever results I can get.