EBH has Shingles - Will he be fit for TdF? Sub?

mr_goo
mr_goo Posts: 3,770
edited July 2011 in Pro race
According to news, EBH pulled out of the Norwegian Champs due to shingles. Shingles can last for 2-4 weeks. Who will replace him at TdF if not fit enough?
Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.

Comments

  • He's good to go for TdF, was cleared to ride by the doctors today.
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    I ran a half marathon with shingles. I have never recovered. Stupid fool.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I got shingles last year and bloody painful it was too. 2 weeks off the bike, but didn't take much out of me. Would not fancy riding a GT on it though!

    Ironically, I noticed it the night of a Sportive I "won" on what must have been one of the best days I've ever had. From that to wincing as I pulled the chair out to sit down at breakfast in 12 hours.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Apparently he just had some rash on his back, never painful and he got medical treatment straight away, and is still on some sort of medication for it, but has promised he'll be in good form for the tour!
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Does anyone know what kind of time frame the shingles virus remains contagious for? What I mean is, for how long after the symptoms start to decrease can it be passed on to others in close proximity?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244
    Milton50 wrote:
    Does anyone know what kind of time frame the shingles virus remains contagious for? What I mean is, for how long after the symptoms start to decrease can it be passed on to others in close proximity?

    Very much depends on how severe it is.

    It's basically chickenpox mark II. It occurs when the chickenpox virus (which your body kinda keeps as a record....Ish.. sort of) climbs up your spine and attacks the nerve endings at the end.

    Hence the asymmetrical rash, often on your back. It usually occurs when your immune system is weak or weakened.

    That's my understanding of it anyway. Had it twice.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Is it similar to ckickenpox in as much as once you have the rash your are less likely to be contagious (i.e. you are at your most contagious before you know you are ill)?
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Yeh, it sounds pretty nasty. I've never had it myself but I did suffer from chicken pox when I was younger. It just got me wondering about whether the Tour organisers could refuse him entry on the grounds that it's too big a risk in terms of contagion. I mean it's pretty unlikely but theoretically half the peloton could be laid low by the end of the first week.
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    I guess the one concern is that he is clearly run down leading into the TDF. If that is the case, should he really be taking part in a three week race? No doubt he has excellent medical professionals to advise him.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    From patient.co.uk
    Is shingles contagious?
    Yes, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before. (You cannot get shingles itself from someone who has shingles.) The shingles rash is contagious until all the blisters have scabbed and are dry. But note: most adults and older children have already had chickenpox, and so are immune. Also, if the blisters (vesicles) are covered with a dressing, it is unlikely that the virus will pass on to others. This is because the virus is passed on by direct contact with the blisters. (Therefore, if you have a job, you can return to work once the blisters have dried up, or earlier if you keep the rash covered and feel well enough.

    So from that there would be no risk to others.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    Pross wrote:
    From patient.co.uk
    Is shingles contagious?
    Yes, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before. (You cannot get shingles itself from someone who has shingles.) The shingles rash is contagious until all the blisters have scabbed and are dry. But note: most adults and older children have already had chickenpox, and so are immune. Also, if the blisters (vesicles) are covered with a dressing, it is unlikely that the virus will pass on to others. This is because the virus is passed on by direct contact with the blisters. (Therefore, if you have a job, you can return to work once the blisters have dried up, or earlier if you keep the rash covered and feel well enough.

    So from that there would be no risk to others.

    He'll be Wiggins's secret weapon as he weaves through the peloton rubbing his scabs up against Contador, Schleck and the others.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    I'm in norway on holiday atm and there was a piece on the news last night about ebh.

    They basically collared him at the airport as he was heading off to france. My norwegian is pretty poor (despite having a norwegian mum - she never taught me as a kid) but he seemed in good spirits and more confident than when he's interviewed in english. Anyway, I did pick up that he's targeting a stage win but it wasn't clear if that was just the TTT. No big news there, but I reckon he could have a good tour. Should be up there in the first stage you'd have thought.
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    squired wrote:
    I guess the one concern is that he is clearly run down leading into the TDF. If that is the case, should he really be taking part in a three week race? No doubt he has excellent medical professionals to advise him.

    I hate to by cynical, but how do we know it's simply not a pre-tour excuse for why his blood values can then show something unusual in the passport through the tour.

    "Well of course his values didn't follow a normal pattern - look how sick he was the week before"
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Really glad to see that he'll be in the Tour after all. I hope it hasn't taken too much out of him because it looks like he's finally starting to fulfill the huge potential he has.
    I hate to by cynical, but how do we know it's simply not a pre-tour excuse for why his blood values can then show something unusual in the passport through the tour.

    Wow, now that's cynical.
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    Why would shingles affect his blood values? He would still have the signs of shingles during the pre-tour health checks too, or do you think he may get them glued on to help sell his story?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
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    Contador is the Greatest
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    jibberjim wrote:
    squired wrote:
    I guess the one concern is that he is clearly run down leading into the TDF. If that is the case, should he really be taking part in a three week race? No doubt he has excellent medical professionals to advise him.

    I hate to by cynical, but how do we know it's simply not a pre-tour excuse for why his blood values can then show something unusual in the passport through the tour.

    "Well of course his values didn't follow a normal pattern - look how sick he was the week before"

    I assume they would have to have some proof that he was ill otherwise someone could claim they were ill every time they a suspect out-of-competition test.