Girl needs help - Hiccups defy remedies -- for weeks

St. Petersburg Times ^ | February 14, 2007 | MARY JANE PARK

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Jennifer Mee of St. Petersburg has tried scores of remedies and seen several doctors. Still, the 15-year-old's hiccups persist. LINK at source above to hear her hiccups.

ST. PETERSBURG — She has tried holding her breath. Drinking water from the far side of the glass. Putting sugar under her tongue. Sipping pickle juice. Holding a paper bag over her face as she inhales and exhales.

None of that stops 15-year-old Jennifer Mee’s hiccups.

It started more than three weeks ago during first-period science class at Northeast High School. After about 15 minutes of nonstop hiccuping, she went to the medical clinic on campus. The staff there worked with her for five hours, and still she hiccuped.

That was Jan. 23.

In the weeks since, she has seen a pediatrician, a cardiologist and a neurologist. She has had blood tests, a CT scan and an MRI. She had an allergic reaction to one medicine, which triggered hives.

Something like 50 times a minute, Jennifer Mee hiccups, a staccato routine that sounds a bit like a smoke alarm whose battery has run out. Her mother, Rachel Robidoux, likens it to the sound of chihuahua barking.

When they go to Wal-Mart, strangers come up to them and try to scare the hiccups away. They offer prayer and healing hands and folk remedies, none of which has worked so far.

So Robidoux turned to the St. Petersburg Times.

“I’m just looking for some answers,” she said, “where somebody’s gone through this. At this point, we’re willing to do anything.”

[MaxMax]

If she was Muslim,
she would've been killed by her brother already.

Just a thought.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

***.....During her second Today appearance Monday, Jennifer thanked everyone who suggested remedies, even though none worked.

Doctors in St. Petersburg and New York may have identified a couple of physical causes for the spasms, her mother said. Jennifer recently had strep throat, and an MRI showed a vertebra compression.

For now, the family is considering chiropractic and acupuncture treatments.....***


http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/20/Southpinellas/Tormented_first_by_hi.shtml

[Proud_texan]

In my case a shot or two of vinegar always does the trick but I suppose anything with a load of acid would do the trick. My theory has always been that the diaphram is in spasm for some reason and a chemical imbalance is as good as any other theory for someone that doesn't know any better.

Good old white vinegar works best for me. Nasty tasting but it beats a case of the hiccups.