Man's hiccup bout nears year mark

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A Louisville, Ky., man said he will celebrate an unusual anniversary at the end of November -- he will have had the hiccups for an entire year.

Milton Betts said he first tried every home remedy he, his wife and the Internet could cook up after his hiccups started in late November 2007, but nothing could stop his hiccuping, WLKY-TV, Louisville, reported Tuesday.

"I've lost about 35, 40 pounds," he said. "I'm off of work right now because when I go to work, I lose my breath. I had a couple episodes at work they sent me home because I couldn't breathe."

Betts said doctors have tried a variety of medications to stop his hiccups and he even traveled to the Mayo Clinic for nerve block surgery.

"I thought I was good driving back from Cleveland back to Louisville, but by the time we got to Cincinnati, the hiccups came back," he said.