YUKON, Okla. (KFOR) — A Yukon man has been suffering from a medical mystery for more than a decade, non-stop hiccups.
“Mr. Hiccups is my nickname,” said Richard Flores.
From 2013 to 2021, Richard Flores’ hiccups were on and off. Five years ago, they became permanent.
Flores has an infectious joy about him, which makes it easy to miss the constant hiccups.
He’s become a master at masking them.
“As I have the hiccups, I breathe with them. So, it doesn’t make that sound,” said Flores.
Behind that smile, he’s quietly suffering from chest pains, shortness of breath, and sudden episodes.
“Sometimes they get so bad that I suffocate because I’m breathing and burping at the same time,” said Flores. “My breath, I lose it for up to a minute to a minute and a half, you start seeing the stars.”
He’s gone to doctors, but so far there have been no answers.
“First, they thought it was tied to acid reflux, which I have severe acid reflux. They’ve done three endoscopies and colonoscopies. I’ve had MRIs, CT scans, X-Rays,” said Flores.
Flores said doctors did find a 4.6-centimeter cyst.
“Just roughly the size of a golf ball that’s in my head. And it’s considered an Arachnoid cyst,” said Flores. “I believe that it may be causing the problem, pushing part of the brain that’s causing my hiccups.”
However, doctors disagree.
To help him find some relief in sleep, he’s been prescribed painkillers, along with another drug that helps him a little.
“My doctor prescribed me chlorpromazine,” said Flores.
There are some more tests and scans doctors want to try. Flores has to save up money for those, because insurance has denied them.
He also found a doctor in Texas who has helped other people with chronic hiccups, but that doctor is not accepting new patients.
Now, Flores is at a loss.
“I am concerned that it’s a possibility this could develop into something else,” said Flores.
A friend with the same condition in England encouraged Flores to share his story, to find others like him in Oklahoma.
“Somebody might say, ‘Hey, I’m going through that! I’ve seen a doctor for this,” said Flores.
Flores isn’t giving up. He has too much to live for, like his family and grandchildren; he wants to watch them grow up.
“This is an experience that I am going to get over,” said Flores.
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