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Badzilla, the disease of champions

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Oct 21, 2012
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If he had genital sores or blood in his urine or faeces, it's beyond me how anybody could think that there was nothing wrong with them.
 
Alphabet said:
If he had genital sores or blood in his urine or faeces, it's beyond me how anybody could think that there was nothing wrong with them.

Yes he just thought it was normal. Once he was was cleared of the ailment he became a Grand Tour contender.

What's not to believe? :rolleyes:

Brailsford always knew he'd be a champion from the colour of his poo.
 
Aug 15, 2013
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Froomster said:
His schistosomiasis infection was discovered by the blood passport testers (or at around the same time this was occurring).

Schistosomiasis lowers hemoglobin, which raises EPO levels. It might therefore be speculated that his blood passport shows elevated EPO levels, explained by his parasitic infestation.

So long as the infection continues, one might speculate that his EPO levels would remain elevated beyond normal, thus giving continuing rationale for his EPO levels remaining elevated, in accordance with his infected blood passport readings. [Not that I'm saying that I have seen anywhere that his blood passport EPO levels are elevated.]

A one-shot treatment which cures schistosomiasis in the rest of the population is powerless to clear up Froome's condition for over two years.

Happily, this ongoing infestation coincides with his rise from mediocre to the world's premier road racer.

Convenient, no?

Perhaps all professional riders should swim in Kenya at least once each year.

Exactly! All smoke and mirrors!
And if all that wasn't sufficiently convenient already, corticosteroids are recommended to help treatment...
The convenient african born late blooming underdog, with the funky worms, with passport values all over the place, the doc says it's all kosher, extreme weight loss massive wattage prodigy... seems all to deliberate.
Not even Contador, who used to be the "really thin really muscular" GC wonder of the peloton is now close to Froome and Wiggins' body builds. And this is post Rasmussen and Schleck. This is even better. This magic power/weight ratio is something Sky is definitely working on for their top men.
 
Apr 1, 2009
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victorschipolrijk said:
It would be nice if patswana shows up again, I would like to ask him for instance:

Hello - just saw this thread for the first time so apologies about the delay.

victorschipolrijk said:
1-What kind of corticoids are used during the treatment?

Steroids are not indicated in the treatment of schisto - I have never ever used them for this infection. As someone pointed out, they are used with praziquantel in the treatment of neurocysticercosis (or pork tapeworm in the brain).

victorschipolrijk said:
2-How long the corticoids treatment usually last?

In neurocysticercosis, anywhere from two weeks to a few months. In schisto, not at all.

victorschipolrijk said:
3-Are steroids, specially long ester, used to treat some of the therapy side-effects?

See above

victorschipolrijk said:
4-How long can you be infected without showing any symptom?

You can have this for years or even decades without symptoms. Most people don't know they have it.

It is important to highligt the difference between the local living on the shores of Lake Victoria with the traveller who has a brief exposure. (I definitely include Froome in the latter group). The worm burden is much lower in the latter group and they never get relapses with appropriate treatment dose. If Froome has repeated diagnoses of schisto, then he must be really stupid to keep getting re-infected.

The other thing that would be interesting to know is how these "relapses" are being diagnosed. If it is finding eggs in stool/urine, then yes, he should be re-treated but also slapped around the head for re-exposing himself. If it is just on serology (blood) test of his antibody level, then that is not an indication for re-treatment and his doctors need the slap around the head.
 
But the young parasites need to infect snails before the mature. So even if somehow the eggs hatch inside his body, which they shouldn't, that won't do.
So how can the infection be chronic? Once the worms have matured and they are pairing up to lay eggs, they also won't be eating any blood cells anymore.
 
will10 said:
Is there a quote anywhere from Froome or Sky about bilharzia prior to the 2011 Vuelta?

Ney the Viking said:
Google has nothing of Froome and Badzilla before Vuelta 2011. So I guess that is a no.

Not only is there absence of anything about bilharzia before vuelta 2011, there are interviews from the period between December 2010 and September 2011 where froome and his performances are adressed, but of course bilharzia is not mentioned. At 1 point a chest infection was though.
 
Apr 1, 2009
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Almeisan said:
But the young parasites need to infect snails before the mature. So even if somehow the eggs hatch inside his body, which they shouldn't, that won't do.
So how can the infection be chronic? Once the worms have matured and they are pairing up to lay eggs, they also won't be eating any blood cells anymore.
The mature worms find a mate of the opposite sex and live happily releasing many eggs into your stool or urine. The excreted eggs do need the snails to become infectious to humans. Those mature worms live for maybe 5 - 10 years. Damage (i.e. scarring) can be done during that time. There is generally little or no effect on red blood cells.
 
rsergio007 said:
Exactly! All smoke and mirrors!
And if all that wasn't sufficiently convenient already, corticosteroids are recommended to help treatment...
The convenient african born late blooming underdog, with the funky worms, with passport values all over the place, the doc says it's all kosher, extreme weight loss massive wattage prodigy... seems all to deliberate.
Not even Contador, who used to be the "really thin really muscular" GC wonder of the peloton is now close to Froome and Wiggins' body builds. And this is post Rasmussen and Schleck. This is even better. This magic power/weight ratio is something Sky is definitely working on for their top men.

Ask yourself this question: could it be true? That some of us have this mysterious disease living within our bodies and only if we knew it we could cure ourselves? And by doing so it would unlock amazing potential that we never knew we had? Not just a little bit better but 40% better. Before when we could only run a 10k race with amateurs all of sudden could sprint and bound with pro runners.

Normal life is just like pro sports. There are no secrets or mysterious dieseses that are holding us back. Yes we all have ailments and injuries but noting that holds are down by 40% without realising.

If you did have something serious. You wouldn't be performing sports at a high level. You'd be recovering and getting better.

Pro sports is no different from normal life. I don't know why some make exceptions for sportspeople than they do for themselves.

The Froome Badzhilla story sounds more like a late night infomercial about 'unlocking your true potential'.

Call 1-800-Brailsford now! Our lines are open ;)
 
Oct 6, 2009
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Thanks hog, had to snip it a bit, but your post is too funny not to preserve as my signature. Brailsford the late-night, money-making healing guru, beloved by his fans who lap up his every word as gospel - perfect!

"You too can become an athletic phenomenon. Just send 249.99 to 1-800-Brailsford right now, and we'll send you a jar of special contaminated Kenyan "Power Water," along with our exclusive booklet of training plans for pushing shopping carts up hills. Call today - operators are standing by" :p
 
Beech Mtn said:
Thanks hog, had to snip it a bit, but your post is too funny not to preserve as my signature. Brailsford the late-night, money-making healing guru, beloved by his fans who lap up his every word as gospel - perfect!

"You too can become an athletic phenomenon. Just send 249.99 to 1-800-Brailsford right now, and we'll send you a jar of special contaminated Kenyan "Power Water," along with our exclusive booklet of training plans for pushing shopping carts up hills. Call today - operators are standing by" :p

Think Porte called 1-800-Brailsford after Saxo. Disappointed with his form he thought he needed to "gain 300 watts overnight with our revolutionary program".

Froome looks to have believed the "you to can lose 10kg of your racing weight and still gain power!" claims from the infomercial.

:eek:

For the testimonials they'll have Wiggins saying "Hi my name is Brad Wiggins. I was a track rider and lowly pro sitting at the back of the peloton not being able to climb. Then I called 1-800-Brailsford and almost over night I could climb and hit Ferrari's magic number. Thanks Dave"
 
thehog said:
Think Porte called 1-800-Brailsford after Saxo. Disappointed with his form he thought he needed to "gain 300 watts overnight with our revolutionary program".

Froome looks to have believed the "you to can lose 10kg of your racing weight and still gain power!" claims from the infomercial.

:eek:

For the testimonials they'll have Wiggins saying "Hi my name is Brad Wiggins. I was a track rider and lowly pro sitting at the back of the peloton not being able to climb. Then I called 1-800-Brailsford and almost over night I could climb and hit Ferrari's magic number. Thanks Dave"

Well that's totally wrong, he and whole Sky (except EBH) were climbing like Cavendish in 2010 :eek:
 
Mar 26, 2009
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Beech Mtn said:
Thanks hog, had to snip it a bit, but your post is too funny not to preserve as my signature. Brailsford the late-night, money-making healing guru, beloved by his fans who lap up his every word as gospel - perfect!

"You too can become an athletic phenomenon. Just send 249.99 to 1-800-Brailsford right now, and we'll send you a jar of special contaminated Kenyan "Power Water," along with our exclusive booklet of training plans for pushing shopping carts up hills. Call today - operators are standing by" :p

thehog said:
Think Porte called 1-800-Brailsford after Saxo. Disappointed with his form he thought he needed to "gain 300 watts overnight with our revolutionary program".

Froome looks to have believed the "you to can lose 10kg of your racing weight and still gain power!" claims from the infomercial.

:eek:

For the testimonials they'll have Wiggins saying "Hi my name is Brad Wiggins. I was a track rider and lowly pro sitting at the back of the peloton not being able to climb. Then I called 1-800-Brailsford and almost over night I could climb and hit Ferrari's magic number. Thanks Dave"


quot+Two+guys+go+on+a+mountain+and+destroy+a+ring.+quot+_7b9ebbe61d267a3e10c8da3432c965f5.gif
 
Jun 7, 2013
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Chapeau for the thread. Lots of talking regarding the disease was going on in his thread, but it wasn't easy to follow between all the other discussions.
It was pretty obvious to me since the beginning.
What amuses me right now is dating of the infection.
It goes further and further in the past as times goes by. First, it was 2010., and now you can find the 2007. as the year when it occurred.
We could expect a falsification like this when a media corporation is in question.
 
Aug 12, 2009
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the sceptic said:
lol good post Hog.

It would be hillarious if other riders started catching badzilla too. Maybe Kenya will become the new Tenerife.

I keep receiving emails from cyclingnews parent company regarding the Tour game they ran...not that I played other than to register a team.

Yesterday I was sent an email encouraging me to visit the playground of cycling champions...Tennerife. Live and train like a pro. :p

Just you wait, Kenya will be next! ;)
 
patswana said:
...

It is important to highligt the difference between the local living on the shores of Lake Victoria with the traveller who has a brief exposure. (I definitely include Froome in the latter group). The worm burden is much lower in the latter group and they never get relapses with appropriate treatment dose. If Froome has repeated diagnoses of schisto, then he must be really stupid to keep getting re-infected.

The other thing that would be interesting to know is how these "relapses" are being diagnosed. If it is finding eggs in stool/urine, then yes, he should be re-treated but also slapped around the head for re-exposing himself. If it is just on serology (blood) test of his antibody level, then that is not an indication for re-treatment and his doctors need the slap around the head.
Thanks Pastwana for the info.

The relapse happened in the Tour of California during 2011 I believe.
 

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