hiccups

[Sideight]

I have never really had hiccups.  Suddenly I am having them very frequently.  They are violent hiccups that take forever to end.  They make my lower chest and stomach hurt.  I also get light headed and sometimes sick when I have them.  I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the last couple of weeks my stomach has hurt (not too bad though) and I've had a loss of appetite, which all started about the same time as the hiccups.  Any advise?

[raymond in sj]

sorry, can't help with the cause, but i do know a surefire cure to at least stop the hiccups when they hit --

swallow a teaspoon of sugar and follow it with some water (more to wash it down than as part of the cure).

best to you.