Saints DT Thomas Suspended due to Asthma Medication

[Rascal]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=2687545NEW YORK -

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Hollis
Thomas was suspended four games by the NFL on Tuesday for
violating the league's substance abuse policy.

An NFL spokesman confirmed to PA SportsTicker that Thomas was
suspended for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids
and related substances.

ESPN.com reported that the 335-pound Thomas' ban stems from
medication he takes for asthma. According to the report, John
Amoss, who is the Saints' team trainer and an assistant
professor at the LSU Health Science Center, sent a letter to the
NFL in support of Thomas.

During his August drug test, Thomas reportedly was taking an
asthma product called Advair twice a day while using an inhaler
four times a day.

However, Thomas still has been suspended and will miss the final
four games of the regular season for the Saints (8-4), who lead
the NFC South. He is eligible to return for the postseason.

Acquired from Philadelphia in April after spending his first
nine seasons with the Eagles, Thomas has registered 3 1/2 sacks
and 43 tackles in 12 games with the Saints.

--------

Is the drug policy going to far in this instance? Being suspended for Advair?

[Wes Mantooth]

So that is why they have had success. It's the Asthma medicince. Just like the Panthers a few years back.

Seriously, this is crazy.

[watermock]

This has gone far enough. Let's just have him drop and die for lack of his medicine. That's complete BS.

[theAPAOps5]

Ok that is going pretty far. Not only have they crossed the line with the roughing the QB penalties now they are banning for legit medical reasons.

You know what this says. If you have asthma you better not use your inhalers. That is a very slippery slope, someone who wants to play will take chances now. I hope noone dies b/c they are worried about getting suspended.

[watermock]

If he has a prescription from a reputable doctor he should be allowed to treat his condition. This is absurd. You can't get that medicine without a script to my knowlege.

[watermock]

Ok that is going pretty far. Not only have they crossed the line with the roughing the QB penalties now they are banning for legit medical reasons.

You know what this says. If you have asthma you better not use your inhalers. That is a very slippery slope, someone who wants to play will take chances now. I hope noone dies b/c they are worried about getting suspended.

When someone drops dead they might buy a vowel.

[kappys]

I find this hard to believe considering that Advair contains a corticosteroid which is not a performance enhancing drug. That said he could also be on the juice, or there might be trace amounts of performance enhancers in the advair, hard to say.

[theAPAOps5]

When someone drops dead they might buy a vowel.

Your use of the term, "Buy a Vowel" is awesome! ^5

[watermock]

http://www.steadyhealth.com/Injections_of_Steroid__Pain_Medication__Inflammati on__t76698.html

From my memory they used to shoot cortizone up them in spots for pain...that is a steroid...is that legal anymore?

[theAPAOps5]

http://www.steadyhealth.com/Injections_of_Steroid__Pain_Medication__Inflammati on__t76698.html

From my memory they used to shoot cotizone up them in spots for pain...that is a steroid...is that legal anymore?

I'm not sure. I know Elway had them but I haven't heard about it anymore since then. I know they still use it as my coworker gets them in her back but not sure about in sports.

[Dagmar]

This has gone far enough. Let's just have him drop and die for lack of his medicine. That's complete BS.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/1153692674158.b.jpg

[watermock]

Kitty cat is in a cookie and obviously on steroids. He's getting fat tho...Yellow Cat got run over on the hiway and I haven't let him out for quite a while. That was his best friend. He pulled an all nighter on me that same night. He must of been there.

I don't think he came back till they scraped him up.

Anyway...happy times...where were we...steroids...my cat swears by them. He biachslapped the Rottie down the road that bit him half a year ago and made him yelp into a fetal position.

[Dagmar]

Kitty cat is in a cookie and obviously not on steroids. He's getting fat tho...Yellow Cat got run over on the hiway and I haven't let him out for quite a while. That was his best friend.

Beezer : "Hey mock!" http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/1161452916019.b.jpg

[watermock]

http://gazuga.net/stuph/wtf_cat-275_640x480.jpg

Dead ringer without the fighting damage. He's more spotted like a true African Wildcat tho.

[Dagmar]

Dead ringer without the fighting damage. He's more spotted like a true African tho.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/voices.b.jpg

[watermock]

Only kitten I killed by accident that ran under my car as he chased me. I didn't find out for 5 years what happened to him. Dad wouldn't tell me. I turned backing up and didn't see him. He had blue eyes tho. Beautiful persian.

[Dagmar]

Only kitten I killed by accident that ran under my car as he chased me. I didn't find out for 5 years what happened to him. Dad wouldn't tell me. I turned backing up and didn't see him. He had blue eyes tho. Beautiful persian.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/whyyoudothis.b.jpg

[watermock]

That's more African Wildcat than Beezer. Yikes.

[Dagmar]

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/1162048303644.b.jpg

[watermock]

http://cbruen.com/blog/cat_sleep.jpg

[DenverBrit]

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1390242

[DenverBrit]

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/attachment.php?attachmentid=18032&d=1165405209

[Lev Vyvanse]

I don't want to get on topic or anything but, all asthma inhalants have steroids in them.

[RedDread]

The positive test result might actually come from Ephedra, which is now a banned substance in the NFL and very common in treating bronchial related issues.

I went to GNC a few weeks ago and while they don't carry products with ephedrine anymore the guy working there said that broncaid is a great source of it and is relatively cheap.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

The dosages I read he was taking are pretty high. I have asthma and take about 1/4 of what he was reportedly taking. My first thought was "Is he even healthy enough to play in the NFL?" There have been quite a few guys with asthma in the NFL and I am sure they took drugs like Advair and Arbuterol. Didn't Bettis do ads for Advair last year?

[Arkansas Bronco]

http://www.arkive.org/media/4CCEEDAF-098A-4EF0-8E41-BEA2D817D2B0/Presentation.Large/large-Fishing-cat-kittens-at-waters-edge.jpg

[TheDave]

I don't want to get on topic or anything but, all asthma inhalants have steroids in them.

Not even close to being true... Yes advair does contain a fluticasone propionate which is a corticosteroid, but the majority of them are just beta agonists that help relax (open up) the bronchial tubes. Judging by what i read his dosage was very high and my guess is there is more to his test than just the presence of corticosteroid byproduct.

[Xenos]

I think someone in my forum put it best:

Why didn't Hollis go to the NFL and tell them he was taking this medication that violated their banned substance policy beforehand like he has been instructed to do over and over and over and over and over again?

Same with Merriman - it's their own faults for it happening.

Live and learn.

Since steroids are permissible when medically necessary and prescribed by a doctor (after surgeries, steroids are often prescribed and used), my educated guess is that players are allowed to use certain medications provided that they are pre-approved by the NFL.

Hollis' attorney's statements point towards the conclusion that Hollis is trying to retroactively have an excuse for the positive test - and it might be a legitimate "excuse".

However, under a strict liability standard

As for your assertion in your prior post: if the NFL didn't allow for any treatment for athsma to be permitted under its banned substance policy, they would open themselves up for lawsuits. But given the fact that numerous attorneys negotiated the CBA for the members of the NFLPA, I'm pretty certain that the NFLPA is not in essence locking out asthmatics from being members.

And since it was in fact adopted under a CBA, normal "rights" aren't necessarily pertinent to NFLPA members. For instance, anyone who is less than 3 years out of high school does not have a right to play in the NFL because the rule was negotiated by the NFLPA - the organization that represents the players.
Bottom line: if vitamins, supplements or drugs are going into your body, run it by the NFL to be safe.
__________________
Quick question:

Hollis failed his test in August.

How has he managed to play (and live) since the positive test? Has he been "cured" of his athsma since August? Or ...

I know it's a strange notion, but maybe, just maybe, there is another medication available for the treatment of athsma that he has been taking since his positive test that is not an NFL banned substance - not surprising since there are many athsma medications on the market and as there are certainly dozens of athsmatics playing in the NFL just like every other sport.

It appears to be a "not smart" move by Hollis to take medication before getting it approved by the NFL - just like Merriman.

Hopefully it's a lesson learned for Hollis (just like Merriman) and an example for the other 1600 NFL players to listen to the NFL when they tell them over and over and over and over and over again to get their drugs, medications and supplements approved and/or tested before they ingest them.

You're responsible for what goes into your body. That way, nobody has an excuse/loophole for violating the banned substance policy.


The guy can be a little bit too sarcastic, but he makes some good points.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

I find this hard to believe considering that Advair contains a corticosteroid which is not a performance enhancing drug. That said he could also be on the juice, or there might be trace amounts of performance enhancers in the advair, hard to say.

Probably has to do with the bronchodilator portion... I imagine it is picked up as a stimulant.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

I don't want to get on topic or anything but, all asthma inhalants have steroids in them.

No they don't.

There are several different classes. Beta agonists, corticosteroids, leukotriene inhibitors, cholingergic antagonists, just to name a few off hand..

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Advair has two drugs.. it treats the inflammatory part of asthma with a corticosteroid (catabolic - not anabolic). It treats the bronchoconstriction part with salmeterol -- which is very similar to adrenaline.

[GonzoLays]

I cannot remember a single player NOT blaming their positive steroid test on some over the counter medicine.

No one in the NFL uses steroids. NO ONE!

But hey, if the public is gullible enough to fall for it, keep using the excuse. Look at Rascal, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. And he seems quite upset about it!

Write the NFL and tell them how you feel about this travesty, Rascal.

[DarkHorse30]

Prednisone is a steroid, and it is THE best "get your asthma under control" medicine there is. Anybody who knows anything about asthma knows that steroids is one of the only ways to reign in an out-of-control asthma attack. FTR, my wife and two of my sons have asthma and the development of good drugs has been a Godsend.

The NFL is fulla crap on this one.

A brief aside, all NFL refs should be fired. I saw at least half a dozen plays this weekend where a phantom penalty was called. Let 'em play and get out 'da way, you dumbass refs.

[rugbythug]

Prednisone is a steroid, and it is THE best "get your asthma under control" medicine there is. Anybody who knows anything about asthma knows that steroids is one of the only ways to reign in an out-of-control asthma attack. FTR, my wife and two of my sons have asthma and the development of good drugs has been a Godsend.

The NFL is fulla crap on this one.

A brief aside, all NFL refs should be fired. I saw at least half a dozen plays this weekend where a phantom penalty was called. Let 'em play and get out 'da way, you dumbass refs.

Yeah But Prednisone makes it reall hard to keep your muscle. It is very Catabolic-Meaning breaks down muscle.

[rugbythug]

The Funny part about steroids is that the best thing you can do to gain loads of muscle is GH + Insuline Plus there is no test for it.