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Hiccup man pins hope on surgery | Hiccup man pins hope on surgery |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A musician who has been hiccupping for 15 months is hoping an operation will solve his problem. | A musician who has been hiccupping for 15 months is hoping an operation will solve his problem. |
Chris Sands, 24, from Lincoln, hiccups as often as every two seconds - and sometimes even when he is asleep. | |
He has tried a variety of cures, including hypnosis and yoga, but nothing has worked. | He has tried a variety of cures, including hypnosis and yoga, but nothing has worked. |
Doctors at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre will put a tube into his stomach to monitor acid levels and decide if keyhole surgery is possible. | Doctors at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre will put a tube into his stomach to monitor acid levels and decide if keyhole surgery is possible. |
Brain scan | Brain scan |
Mr Sands thinks his problem stems from an acid reflux condition caused by a damaged valve in his stomach. | Mr Sands thinks his problem stems from an acid reflux condition caused by a damaged valve in his stomach. |
"If the acid levels are severe enough they are going to do keyhole surgery and grab part of my stomach and wrap it around the valve to tighten it," he said. | "If the acid levels are severe enough they are going to do keyhole surgery and grab part of my stomach and wrap it around the valve to tighten it," he said. |
When you've had them this long it really drains you, because you can't eat properly and can't sleep properly Chris Sands | When you've had them this long it really drains you, because you can't eat properly and can't sleep properly Chris Sands |
Mr Sands, who is a backing singer in the group Ebullient, said the condition has hampered his career as he has only been able to perform four times. | Mr Sands, who is a backing singer in the group Ebullient, said the condition has hampered his career as he has only been able to perform four times. |
He said brain and chest scans have not revealed what causes the hiccups. | He said brain and chest scans have not revealed what causes the hiccups. |
The hiccups first started in September 2006 but disappeared before returning in February 2007. | The hiccups first started in September 2006 but disappeared before returning in February 2007. |
"When you've had them this long it really drains you, because you can't eat properly and can't sleep properly and it is a proper bane on your life," he said. | "When you've had them this long it really drains you, because you can't eat properly and can't sleep properly and it is a proper bane on your life," he said. |
He said he has tried about 100 different ways of drinking water to try to stop the condition. | He said he has tried about 100 different ways of drinking water to try to stop the condition. |
Mr Sands said a fellow hiccup sufferer who has been plagued for four years has had the same operation - and it helped with heartburn but did not cure the hiccups. | Mr Sands said a fellow hiccup sufferer who has been plagued for four years has had the same operation - and it helped with heartburn but did not cure the hiccups. |
American Charles Osborne, of Anthon, Iowa, holds the record for the longest ever bout of hiccups, which lasted for 68 years from 1922 until 1990. | American Charles Osborne, of Anthon, Iowa, holds the record for the longest ever bout of hiccups, which lasted for 68 years from 1922 until 1990. |