Wednesday, July 07, 2010

F-ing Hiccups!

I never realized that if you hiccup for 7/12 hours straight your
throat can get sore. At least its good that my only real side effect
so far is good for laughs.

14 comments:

Emily said...

hey mike,
bad news: you have persistent hiccups.
good news: you have a scrip for what doctors often prescribe for persistent hiccups, that being lorazepam! try popping one and see what happens.
bad news: you really REALLY should not take lorazepam and ambien at the same time. i for one will be very angry if you pull a heath ledger on us. *stern face*
good news: you are loved, and it sounds like you're getting excellent care. hope both the hiccups and insomnia go away very soon!

Eclector2 said...

Call the 24-hour phone service for MN Oncology and ask them about this. If you don't, I will. Persistent hiccups can be serious. And listen to Emily.

Anonymous said...

Ambien targets the same general receptors as all of the benzodiazapams, and thus should not not not be taken at the same time! I find if I take Lorazapam during the day it is very bad for my sleep architecture, but puking is pretty bad for sleep too. Ask if you can take magnesium at bed time, that is very safe and can help sleep, but it can be hard on kidneys so make sure you ask.

M said...

I got a little something in my stomach at dinner and the hiccups seemed to subside. I feel like its a rerouted stomach spasm or something. I'll take it over vomiting. I did take a lorazepam at about 9, still doesn't make me feel sleepy. I have an herbal Melatonin supplement that I wonder if it safe with the lorazepam?

Emily said...

NO.

from www.rxlist.com :
"Sedative medications (CNS depressants)
Interaction Rating: Major Do not take this combination.
Melatonin might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking melatonin along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.

Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others."

M said...

Thanks, Em. Mixing and matching = bad. Important safety tip. Got it.

Emily said...

some other options include...

sleep hygiene: chemical free, but requires some effort and forethought.

thought interruption: as an anti-anxiety measure, it's chemical free but takes a while to get the hang of it.

a different anti-nausea drug that isn't a CNS depressant (which automatically excludes THC, by the way): requires waiting 'till you can consult with a doctor.

call or write if you want to talk about the first two options. i'll be offline starting at midnight your time, but should be awake to answer the phone until one or two. 206-659-9656 (if you do call, google will make you state your name for caller ID -- don't panic!)

M said...

THC is one of those bad mix-and-match ones also? Oh, dear.

I heard they have been selling a high-less synthetic THC since the 1980s, on a prescription basis. Marinol, its called.

http://www.justice.gov/dea/ongoing/marinol.html

What about Prochlorperazine (10mg). That's my supposedly non-drowsy anti-emetic. Safe for sleep?

Emily said...

aha! rxlist.com passively greenlights this one. i see that it's classified as a tranquilizer and drowsiness is listed as a possible side-effect, but there are no drug interactions mentioned.

http://www.rxlist.com/compazine-drug.htm

Emily said...

marinol retains the CNS depressant effect, alas. rxlist.com sez no mixing.

Emily said...

okay, i ran ambien and compazine through the interaction checker at drugs.com (http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php), and they give it a "moderate" rating. so be cautious and use only as much as you need, okay?

sleep well, buddy.
groff out.

Kelly McCullough said...

Ouch, bad hiccups are really no fun. Hope you don't find them a regular feature.

lsikora said...

Michael - do you still have the hiccups?

Talley Sue said...

Once when your mom was at our house for Thanksgiving (you must have been, too), I got the hiccups 12 times in a single day. Each time, the trigger was eating a raw carrot.

maybe it would work in reverse for you?

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