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Permalink Reply by 99 on September 28, 2010 at 5:26pm

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin on Monday confirmed an NBC report that he has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, a disorder marked by abnormal pauses of breathing during sleep.

Harvin said doctors diagnosed him after his Aug. 19 collapse during practice -- an incident, according to Harvin, that was the result of a reaction to medication and not his ongoing migraine issues.

Since, doctors have taken Harvin off the medication and given him a device that helps him breathe at night, and he said he's migraine-free.

Here's a transcript of Harvin's discussion on the topic with reporters in the locker room:

Did you know before that sleeping was an issue?

"I never could sleep very well, and then in the hospital, when I would sleep, the monitors stopped a couple times. So, then they pretty much knew that it was probably the sleep apnea so that's what they wanted to test."

How scary was that, to find out that your heart was stopping at times or you basically weren't breathing?

"It was scary, but at the same time, I was halfway asleep sometimes, so they'd just barge in the room and be like, 'Harvin, you OK?' And I'd be like, 'Um, I think so.' And they were like, 'Your heart just wasn't beating.' So I was like, 'Um, what do you want me to do?' So that was the tests that we found out what it was, and I've been sleeping a lot better, so hopefully, that's it."

Are you off the (migraine) meds, too?

"Yeah, no medicine."

How nice is that?

"Great. The best thing. Like I said, hopefully, this sleep thing will be the No. 1 key and like I said, I'm feeling great."

How confident are you that this is the secret code?

"Just listening to the doctors break it down, the sleep apnea thing, I've noticed myself jumping out of my seat since I was younger. So, like I said, they real confident in that's what it is, so we'll just stick to the plan and follow what they say."

How much better do you feel now?

"It's a 100 percent difference. I'm not waking up groggy. I'm waking up feeling refreshed and ready to go, so like I said, hopefully that's it."

Is it just one machine you take on the road?

"Just one machine. It hooks up to an oxygen mask and just keeps oxygen flowing while I sleep.

Have you had any incidents since you collapsed?

"No."

You've dealt with migraines since you were 10. What tipped off the doctors to test for this now, after all this time?

"Well, once I was in the hospital, when they had me hooked up to the monitors, it stopped twice while I was in the hospital, so there was a lot of doctors that got together and said they thought this was it."

So, when you went to the Mayo Clinic last year, did sleep apnea come up?

"I told 'em I couldn't sleep, but they just figured, with everything going on, that's normal. I don't think they knew how bad. Of course, I didn't tell 'em I jump up. That's regular sometimes. So, it didn't come up."

Is your heart stopping a symptom of sleep apnea?

"Um, I think so. It's just lack of oxygen going to the brain, so it stops for a minute, so hopefully, with the oxygen and steady pumping, that'll keep it flowing."

Has this been tough for you emotionally?

"Yeah, but at the same time it's been a blessing. ... Had I never been in the hospital from the start, they'd have never figured out that it's a sleep apnea. I probably would still be going through the same thing now. Like I said, everything happens for a reason. A lot of doctors think that's what it was, from the lack of sleep. They seem real confident, so of course, that makes me confident."

What was it like going through all of that?

"My main thing was I was just trying to get back on the field. I listened to the doctors. I'm like, 'Hey, doctor. I'm sleeping. I'm just ready to practice.' Like I said, I tried to come back the next day and practice (after his collapse), but of course, the doctors and our people wouldn't let me practice. So, I'm just real glad that we finally figured out something that could be triggered. Like I said, we're going to keep following the plan and hope for the best."

How many meds were you on at the height of all this?

"It varied, depending on what doctor I went to. They kept changing it. This is supposed to be the new medicine that came out -- each week, they had something different. Just depending on the Mayo, they put me on one plan. The neurologist wanted to go with another plan. So, I'm just finally glad we got all that simplified and like I said, just get sleep and eat right and hopefully, get this turned around."

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Permalink Reply by Rooster on November 13, 2010 at 10:27am

Samo said, "Harvin's BMI is not indicative of sleep apnea although he may have an enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination that is causing the obstructions."

So apparently you, as a sleep technician, consider high BMI and enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination to be the two primary risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea?

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Permalink Reply by Rooster on November 13, 2010 at 10:34am

Samo said:

I just tuned into this story today because 1) Percy Harvin is on my fantasy team and

You should have traded him last week: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/11/11/1248474/battling-migraine-...

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on November 13, 2010 at 6:10pm

Samo said, "Harvin's BMI is not indicative of sleep apnea although he may have an enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination that is causing the obstructions."

So apparently you, as a sleep technician, consider high BMI and enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination to be the two primary risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea?


Neck size is the biggest risk factor.

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Permalink Reply by mollete on November 14, 2010 at 8:19am

Rooster said:

Samo said, "Harvin's BMI is not indicative of sleep apnea although he may have an enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination that is causing the obstructions."

So apparently you, as a sleep technician, consider high BMI and enlarged tonsil/uvula/adnoid combination to be the two primary risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea?

Pretty much.

Mayo:

Obstructive sleep apnea

■Excess weight. Fat deposits around your upper airway may obstruct your breathing. However, not everyone who has sleep apnea is overweight. Thin people develop the disorder, too.
■Neck circumference. A neck circumference greater than 17 inches (43 centimeters) is associated with an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea. That's because a thick neck may narrow the airway and may be an indication of excess weight.
■High blood pressure (hypertension). Sleep apnea is more common in people with hypertension.
■A narrowed airway. You may have inherited a naturally narrow throat. Or, your tonsils or adenoids may become enlarged, which can block your airway.
■Being male. Men are twice as likely to have sleep apnea. However, women increase their risk if they're overweight, and the risk also appears to rise after menopause.
■Being older. Sleep apnea occurs two to three times more often in adults older than 65.
■Family history. If you have family members with sleep apnea, you may be at increased risk.
■Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers. These substances relax the muscles in your throat.
■Smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than are people who've never smoked. Smoking may increase the amount of inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway. This risk likely drops after you quit smoking.
■Prolonged sitting. Studies suggest that long periods of daytime sitting can cause fluids to shift from your legs when you recline at night, narrowing airway passages and possibly increasing the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Or as they say in the business, STOP BANG!

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Permalink Reply by RL on November 14, 2010 at 7:52pm

Did Percy Harvin actually have a sleep study? I don't see where it says that, only that monitors he was on in the hospital alerted medical staff to his stopped breathing &/or heart beat. It wouldn't surprise me if they jumped right to cpap therapy without the sleep study, but I think Percy should still get a full PSG study to define his condition for future reference. If he had the condition since age 10, he no doubt would have some cumulative physical effect. I find it odd that a pro football player, with all the medical attention he gets, was not checked for SDB before, considering other pro players that have had this condition. I hope this incident will make the sports doctors more aware to test for Sleep Apnea, and the publicity will encourage other health professionals to keep in mind the possibility with their non pro athlete patients. Also - patients that are trying to figure out what is wrong with themselves - ask your doctor for the test!

I had to ask my doctor two years in a row at my annual physical to get referred for a PSG - came back severe OSA & CSA aka: complex apnea. I imagine I would be even worse now if I had not started CPAP when I did. Although awareness is growing, it is still not enough for some to receive testing and treatment.

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