Hiccups

Very busy at work today. Luckily I got a 15 minute break for lunch while waiting for my patient's response for some injections.

One interesting case today was a man with fever and hiccups. Having hiccups for a few minutes is already disturbing, imagine having it for 2 days! I remember during my internship, there was a patient with chronic hiccups due to uremia. Thought about that. So I did a blood work up for the fever and hiccups, checking the CBC, electrolytes, BUN/SC and dengue. The dengue turned out positive, that explains the fever. For the hiccups, I gave Nexium + Buscopan, thinking it might be GERD related. This didn't help, so I gave Metoclopramide 10mg. This gave a good effect, his hiccup stopped. He was feeling much better and had appetite. But, it didn't stay long, after eating it came back. Darn. So, next I gave Haloperidol 5mg, since there was no IV, I gave it orally. The stubborn "singultus" seemed to have calmed. Was so happy. So I checked with the patient and asked him, "stil *hiccup* there doc, better, *hiccup*, but I appreciate *hiccup* your attention". Double darn!

I just found out he got better afterwards, but before discharge the hiccup came again. So the doc on duty gave him some tablets to take home.