As it turns out, one of the rare side effects of dexamethasone is uncontrolled hiccups. And guess what? I am lucky enough to have that side effect.
It was kind of funny the first time it happened, years ago now. Hic hic hic. I tried all my normal methods of stopping hiccups. Held my breath. Drank some water. Held my breath and drank some water, etc. Nothing worked. Hic hic hic. I thought they would just go away with some time. They didn’t.
I was hiccuping for hours and things were starting to get hairy. I was hiccuping up stomach acid, and it was getting painful, and I couldn’t get it to stop!
It turns out there is a simple solution for any hiccups, unstoppable or regular. Also, the great thing about it, it stops them very quickly.
Sucking on a lemon wedge. Something about the sour and the sucking motion, wipes out hiccups almost instantaneously. Plus, who doesn’t look great with a lemon wedge there instead of teeth, added bonus!
All you have to do is bite a little bit on the lemon flesh, to release the juice, and suck on the wedge like a pacifier. Make sure you are swallowing the juice as you do it. I was a little concerned when I was hiccuping up acid, adding more acid (lemon juice) to acid, but it stopped them so quickly, I almost felt like my esophagus’s life had just been saved.
Now if they ever start, I get a lemon wedge right away and not let it get that far. There you go. I hope this saves your esophagus’s life or at least some sanity from not hiccuping forever….
Carrots Over Cancer 