If you go to the search feature (magnifying glass, to the left of your avatar, upper right), click on it and then key in Bob Ba… it’s the first hit.
Seenie
Hi Greg
How are you doing on the higher lyrica dose? I’m on 225mg at night and when required 150-200 mg mornings.
Very interesting to start looking into Bob’s protocol. I’m new here.
For me meditation is very helpful. Softening and allowing, shifting out of the mind’s stories back into the stillness of the present moment. Rather than wishing things were different= resistance. The more I stay in the stillness the more I’m detaching from the pain and sometimes I even notice myself thinking oh, is it still there? Yes it is, but it’s almost like it’s happening to someone else…
Best to you
I’m doing much better although I’m up at 1:00 right now. Biggest difference is I was taking Calcium since I broke my leg and I stopped. I think the calcium was making me flare worse for some reason. Have no idea why, but I had started that to help during the healing process. Seemed like a perfectly normal thing to do. Left foot is still not as good as the right, but much better than it was. There is still some swelling so hoping as that completely dissipates over the next few months that side will match more the other. – and thx for asking.
There would be few medical contraindications to using Bob’s protocol.
A few that come to mind include obvious skin conditions such as severe dermatitis, open wounds, staphylococcal infections, major pre existing swelling due to some medications eg calcium channel blockers, as well as significant postural hypotension (dizziness on standing due to drop in blood pressure), certain anaemias and cancers and possibly a few others.
But of course as has been recommended check with your own doctor first.
I’m likely to be starting the protocol myself … the feedback is compelling and I suspect it’s more than placebo effect.
And as with this beast, 4 of last 5 nights have been miserable. Every time you think you crack the code you realize you’re just along for the ride and the beast does what it does.
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I asked this previously but never got an answer. Before starting I"m trying to find if there is a specific type this is useful for.
For instance, for those that have been successful, do calcium channel blockers and vaso dialotors like magnesium help or hurt you before you started this protocol? Mg made me a tomato. I do think I over constrict as my feet are coldish most of the time except in flare. I can take a hot shower in the morning (in fact I do) and my feet will turn red, but return to baseline pretty quickly. But they flare in evenings/nights almost every night. It’s been worse in my left foot since I broke my leg in January even though the swelling is mostly gone. My body temp is also abnormally low. Usually like 96.5-96.8. So wondering how I compare to others that have tried this and been successful. Really appreciate a response.
I’ll say I guess I’m lucky in that I don’t flare 24x7 so I want to be pretty sure I’m not going to make this beast worse in trying to make it better.
Both forms of drugs made my EM worse. Every drug I have tried so far has made me worse or did nothing at all for me. I think whatever meds you are on you should stay on and try the protocol anyway if you have cleared that with your doctor. You would not get off your medications to try it and you do not need to be on any medications to try it. If some medication is working then you would stay on it and do the protocol and perhaps you might have zero flares. Think of it as physical therapy. You would not be concerned with what medication you are on when doing physical therapy and sometimes physical therapy is hot/cold water treatments, etc. Does that answer your question or maybe I misunderstood it?
Magnesium increased flares for me. My feet also tend to be cool most of the time in their “normal” state. Before the protocol, evenings were always worse than daytime. However exercise would induce terrible flares and swelling no matter the time of day.
Progress update after 2.5 weeks on Bob’s protocol.
Huge improvement with less baseline burning pain and less triggering with heat and exercise. Just got back from a steep uphill/ downhill near 7km walk on uneven ground and feel quite OK. Went out late one very hot night to live jazz and wasn’t distracted at all by burning. Continuing on pregabalin throughout. Sleeping better too. Despite missing a few morning soaks the improvement has been maintained. Too early to know how sustained this will be but the other reports are encouraging me to persevere and it’s becoming almost a “relaxing” routine, if there’s such a thing as turning up the flames! I’m up to 41C (106F).
Interesting to postulate what the mechanism of the improvement is due to…
Glad to see others having success with the protocol. I’ve been having success with Bob’s protocol as well.
One item my functional medicine doctor recommended including in my soaks is the following product, magnesium flakes (see link below). I informed her that magnesium supplements didn’t have an effect on me but she said transdermal is different. I believe it is helping too.
I’m so happy to hear that yet another em sufferer has improved. I hope to read that someone has no more flares like Bob. I have to wonder if the reason why I am not as successful as Bob was is because I didn’t turn my heat up in my house and let my body recover. I haven’t read anyone else do this either. But I will be trying this either by fear on the house or I might just see what happens in the summer. Put myself out there so if I’m going to suffer in hear at least I get to be outside. Something I haven’t been able to see in the summer times here. Such great news!
That’s great you are seeing improvements! I am overfilled with joy every time I see someone having improvements.
I just want to thank all of you for your responses. I read about Bob’s protocol and all your comments and decided, why not try. Well, it’s been a month and I am almost totally flare free. I have been going to accupuncture once a week for 2 months also where she is basically readjusting my body temp. Making me more cold less hot. I now can go all day without a flare, plus I am sleeping with my feet under the covers. This is something I haven’t done in at least 10 years. I have been able to wean myself off all meds except one 300mg. Of gabapenten at night to settle the nerves.
I saw my doctor 2 weeks ago and shared with her my success with Bob’s protocol. She said it is very similar to Bio-feedback. You actually retain your bodies response. Who would know heat was the answer for me.I am so thankful for all your info,since this so not something I would have ever known to try. Thanks so much
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Great to hear Joan. Excellent!
I continue to get benefit myself, although I suspect it would be greater if I had the time to soak in the mornings, as well as at night.
Another observation is my morning hot shower is not as painful as it used to be.
Keeping the temperature as hot as possible without scalding/ dangerous seems to be more helpful too.
I recently read a research paper that demonstrated the benefits of heating to peripheral vascular disease sufferers too. Something positive is happening to blood vessel tone and pain receptors (nociceptors). It’s likely more complex than is presently understood. I hope to ask a vascular surgeon I used to work with.
Stan
Thanks Scanfield1!
How much do you add?
Kind regards
Stan
Hi. I was wondering what anyone’s experience with facial EM has been with Bobs protocol. I am not on Facebook so I do not have access to more people’s experience on this.
Thanks for any help.
Hi Seeker
I’ve tried sort of steaming my face (like you would get at a facial), but only one time. I had a lot of painful pricking sensations / increasing burning, like my nerves were in overdrive (more than usual), so I got nervous and stopped. I am on the fb group but haven’t really heard of anyone adapting the protocol to face specifically (would love to be corrected on this!). However I am doing bath soaks (full body) … will just start with those and see how I do
best wishes
standing_cat,
Does your face burn really badly? Do you use a fan constantly to cool? I’m thinking of reducing fan and ac usage dramatically first.
Thanks! *
Seeker -
Yes, my face burns badly particularly at night. Though medications have helped me … but not enough for me to work full time for example.
I do not use fans as I know for myself getting my face “too cold” will mean worse burning later. I will use water misters from time to time, esp. if I go outside my home for doc appts, for example. The best thing I can come up with during face flaring is slowly massaging a lotion (nothing in particular) into my face since it sort of shifts my focus to the “touch” nerve aspect and away from the burning.
Last winter I kept my home mid 60’s but have very slowly worked my way up to 71 F (ish). I am not sure this would have been possible before I found some medication to help me, and it would have been more impossible if I never weaned off of clonidine. Since inching up the temp, I find I am more able to tolerate doc offices, etc.
Everyone’s unfortunately so different, but maybe that helps somewhat! FWIW, I think reducing cooling/elevation methods (or trying to) might be beneficial (it was for me at least), but is not the same as Bob’s Protocol in the sense that it is not a short exposure to intense heat all at once… But i don’t know exactly how to do Bob’s protocol for the face other than getting a snorkel or something 
best wishes, Seeker.
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