| | PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns forward Tom Gugliotta took an
over-the-counter herbal supplement before having a seizure on the
team bus following a game in Portland, a newspaper reported Monday.
The Arizona Republic said the Suns team doctor confirmed Sunday that Gugliotta ingested a furanone di-hydro compound after the Dec. 17 game.
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| Gugliotta |
Dr. Richard Emerson also said the 30-year-old player stopped
breathing en route to the hospital and in the emergency room.
"They said my heart never stopped, but I wasn't breathing,"
said Gugliotta, who is still bothered by headaches apparently
caused by a spinal tap performed following his seizure.
Emerson said the supplement container was found shortly after
the seizure and doctors were able to treat the 6-foot-8 player with
counteractive drugs that "probably saved Tom's life."
However, Emerson said the team's medical staff is not saying the
supplement was the definite cause of the seizure and more tests are
scheduled.
Gugliotta told the Republic that he took the supplement, which
is not banned by the NBA, because he hadn't been sleeping well.
"It is supposed to promote terrific sleep and also help your
body recover from extreme activity -- like playing an NBA basketball
game," he said. "It sounded pretty good.
"I didn't have any idea something like this could happen... I
didn't think it was anything more dangerous than a vitamin. ... I
nearly lost my life."
Gugliotta said it was the second time he had ingested the
supplement, which he would not identify by its brand name, and said
there were no adverse effects the first time.
Emerson said if Gugliotta had the seizure on the team's plane,
it might have been fatal because there was no equipment aboard the
plane to treat a patient who couldn't breathe.
Suns coach Scott Skiles said he doesn't know when Gugliotta will
come back.
"From what I've heard, most of these things are remnants of the
spinal tap, not from what happened to him," Skiles said. "I've
heard it can just clear up instantly or whatever."
At the hospital in Portland, Gugliotta underwent a spinal tap, a
CAT scan and an EKG. All showed no abnormalities. He returned to
Phoenix the following day and has undergone a series of tests since
then.
Gugliotta has missed five games and likely will not be with the
team for its games at Utah on Monday and against the Lakers in Los
Angeles on Wednesday. After that, the Suns don't play again until
Jan. 4 at home against Charlotte. | |
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