Comprehensive Guide to Treating Chronic Lyme Disease and Co-infections in Minnesota: Evidence-Based Herbal Protocols

Dr. Kyle Warren, Functional Medicine

Lee's Post Treatment Lyme disease Journey: When Standard Treatment Failed and Mayo Clinic said "No"

"I felt like I got hit by a truck," Lee recalls of the sudden onset of Lyme symptoms that struck him at age 65.

In this powerful testimonial, Lee Baker shares his harrowing experience with Lyme disease that left him unable to perform simple tasks like opening a water bottle. "I felt like I got hit by a truck," Lee recalls of the sudden onset that struck him at age 65. 

After the standard antibiotic protocol failed and Mayo Clinic declined to see him, Lee found himself in a dark place: 
"I was scared. I was angry. I was desperate."
Dr. Warren explains the harsh reality: "The standard antibiotics for Lyme have an 80-90% success rate."  For the 10-20% who don't respond to standard treatment—potentially 50,000 to 100,000 Americans annually—the medical system offers no clear path forward.

Eight months after beginning a customized herbal protocol with Dr. Warren at RHS, Lee declares: "I can honestly say now that I'm in better shape than I was prior to the tick." His message to others struggling with chronic Lyme is simple but powerful: "There is hope."

Click below to watch the video:  
Lee's conversation with Dr. Warren on Post Treatment Lyme disease

Understand Post-Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD)

Post-Treatment Lyme disease, occurs when patients continue to experience debilitating symptoms after completing the standard antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. The CDC acknowledges that approximately 10-20% of patients treated with the recommended 2-4 week antibiotic regimen will go on to develop PTLDS, experiencing persistent symptoms including severe fatigue, joint and muscle pain, cognitive difficulties, and sleep disturbances that can last for months or even years. Lee's experience exemplifies this challenging condition—despite receiving five weeks of antibiotics (even longer than the standard protocol), his symptoms persisted, leaving him functionally disabled and without options in the conventional medical system. What makes PTLDS particularly frustrating for patients is that most medical institutions, including renowned facilities like Mayo Clinic, often have no other treatment protocols to offer once the standard antibiotics have failed. This gap in the healthcare system leaves tens of thousands of patients like Lee searching for answers. 

The complexity increases when common co-infections like Babesia are present, as in Lee's case, requiring a more comprehensive and individualized treatment approach beyond what standard protocols typically address.

Dr. Warren's customized protocols at RHS were developed specifically for this underserved population—the 10-20% who don't respond to standard treatment. Using a scientific, systematic approach that addresses both Lyme and common co-infections, protocols are customized for each patient based on their specific symptoms, test results. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, Dr. Warren monitors progress and adjusts the protocol accordingly, providing the personalized care that PTLDS patients need, but rarely receive in conventional settings. 

This targeted methodology offers hope to those who have been told "there's nothing more we can do."

Lee's message to other Lyme patients:

"To anyone watching who feels like they've hit a dead-end with Lyme disease or Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome—I've been there. When Mayo Clinic turned me away and my doctor said there was nothing more he could do after five weeks of antibiotics, I thought my active life was over. I couldn't open a water bottle. I needed help to stand up from a chair. I had become one of those 10-20% of patients who don't get better with the standard treatment—what they call PTLDS.
But Dr. Warren and his team gave me my life back. His protocol is specifically designed for people like us—the ones who fall through the cracks after antibiotics fail. Eight months later, I'm back to woodworking, biking, and maintaining my property. I'm actually in better shape than before I got sick!
If you're struggling with PTLDS and the standard treatment hasn't worked, please don't give up. I'm sharing my story because I want you to know what I wish I had known sooner: there are doctors who understand Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, there are other options, and recovery is possible. Stay hopeful."

{Transcript: Conversation between Lee and Dr. Warren on Lyme and Co-infections}
Lee's personal story, in his own words:

Dr. Warren: Hello, I'm Dr. Warren, and we have Lee here with us today. Lee's been a patient of mine, and I wanted him to come on and share his story. I think his experience can resonate with many other people, and I thought his story might be helpful to others. Thanks for being here with us, Lee.

Lee Baker: My pleasure, doctor.

Dr. Warren: So let's start with your story.

Lee Baker: Yes, as you mentioned, my name is Lee, and last June, I turned 65. I woke up one morning—it literally felt like it hit me overnight—with symptoms and pain in every joint, swelling, inflammation. It felt like my hands were on fire. I was very weak and fatigued. As an example, I couldn't twist off the top of a water bottle. I didn't have the strength, or the pain restricted me from doing it. If I was sitting, I needed help standing up.

It took me about a week to self-diagnose, because I kept thinking, "This is not a flu. What is this body ache?" I felt like I got hit by a truck.

Dr. Warren: It happened really fast, right? It came on seemingly out of the blue, very quickly.

Lee Baker: Yeah, over the weekend, I was watering the garden, working on lawn work, putting in a full day with no symptoms. It seemed like it was overnight. Within a week, I was able to get into my doctor, and I told him I believed I had Lyme disease because it certainly matched what I had researched. He responded that he didn't think I did, but we would do blood tests to find out what I had. Sure enough, the blood test showed I had Lyme disease. They retested, and again, it was positive.

He explained that the procedure was to put me on four weeks of antibiotics. So I was on antibiotics for four weeks, but it did not improve. He gave me a fifth week, so I had five weeks of antibiotics total. At that point, he said there was nothing more he could do for me. He recommended {over-the-counter options} for the symptoms, but that wasn't going to help me. I wasn't too concerned because my backup plan was to go to Mayo Clinic, since they're on the cutting edge of everything.

Dr. Warren: So you had this acute onset, went to the doctor—it still puzzles me that they didn't initially think it was Lyme—but they at least ran the test and found Lyme. They gave you the correct, by-the-book treatment, which is antibiotic, for the recommended time of about a month, even a little extra. We now know, based on research, that this protocol, even when applied fairly quickly like in your case, has an 80 to 90 percent success rate. That's different from a 100 percent success rate. So you're one of these 10 to 20 percent of people for whom it didn't work. This is called Post Treatment Lyme disease. This is where the system fails—they don't have a good level two. If level one doesn't work, you just start to slip through the cracks of the system, and your doctor looks at you like, "I don't know what to do with you."

Lee Baker: That's exactly right. I then contacted Mayo Clinic to make an appointment. They asked me to first send my doctor's records so they could review them. After reviewing them, they contacted me by phone and mail to tell me I was declined. They explained that their protocol is the same as what I'd already had—four weeks of antibiotics. Since I had already gotten five weeks, they said there was nothing more they could do. They weren't going to waste my time or the hospital's time, because my local doctor had done everything he could do.

At that point, I was scared. I was angry. I was desperate. My sister-in-law had heard about our plight, and she had a niece dealing with a similar situation who had gone to Dr. Warren at RHS and was having success. So I contacted you.

Dr. Warren: And this was now the fall, right? I think I met you around September?

Lee Baker: Yes, we first spoke mid-August once I learned of your practice. We had quite a long, in-depth interview so I could lay out exactly what I was feeling, and I gained a lot of information from you as well. I'll be honest—I was skeptical. I was doubtful. But I was desperate, and you were the only one who offered me hope. After hearing my symptoms, you were comfortable—and you made me comfortable—that you could bring me improvement. So we got started.

Dr. Warren: I remember this appointment, Lee, because you're a smart guy, and I remember your level of frustration was just so high. So many of my patients have this experience where about a quarter of them have either interacted with Mayo, been to Mayo, or been denied by Mayo. There's this perception that if anything is hard in this region, you either get sent to the university or to Mayo—they're the most famous clinics around here. And if they fail, there's this feeling of "Where do I go? What do I do?" I remember the skepticism. I remember trying to walk you through some of the research and just saying, "Look, there's good evidence. You're not the only one." That's why I'm appreciative that there's more research now than there was ten years ago.

Lee Baker: Yes. So we started September 1st. Prior to that, mid-August, we talked on the phone, got set up, did the blood testing, and so on. You cautioned me that since we caught it early, it's possible I could see improvement in six weeks, but it would more likely be six to eight months. Actually, by mid-October—about six weeks later—I was slowly seeing improvement. By improvement, I mean the swelling started to go down, the inflammation started to improve. It was slow and gradual improvement, but it was obvious improvement.

Then you and I had an appointment on Halloween, the last day of October. We were able to talk more about what was going on. You had informed me early on that I was one of the "lucky ones" who not only had Lyme but the tick was also carrying a second disease, Babesia. That complicated things. Looking back at it, I'm extremely impressed. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but the scientific approach that you and RHS took—you knew exactly what I was dealing with. The more information I gave you regarding symptoms and changes, the more you were able to tailor a program for me with particular herbs and supplements. It continued to improve. Like I said, it was slow and gradual, but it was obvious and consistent.

Dr. Warren: You were a real good example of someone who hadn't been sick that long, so in general, the shorter it's been, the faster you can get better. But the more things you have simultaneously happening, it slows you down. It's about taking a basic outline and customizing it for you. So as we're going through the process, I check in with you every two to three months, and I'm trying to make adjustments based on how your body's doing with it.

Lee Baker: That's exactly right. We met again in early January. By then, I was able to explain that I had continued improvement and how far I had come. There was a little bit of change in some of my symptoms, so you made a few changes to my supplements. By February, I was able to go on several trips with my wife. I certainly wasn't 100%, but I was feeling so much improved. There was a lot of walking, a lot of hiking.

Dr. Warren: That's a big step when you can start participating in those things in life. I remember you were excited—"Hey, I was able to do this. It went well." That was good. As you gain function, you can go live your life more. That usually tells me we're on the right track.

Lee Baker: Yes, and I did indeed follow the protocol religiously, twice a day. I think that's important—or I certainly found it important in my case.

Dr. Warren: I do everything I can to try to make it easy. I started with a doctor who did five times a day, really intensive protocols. I found twice a day works really well. It's a little easier to do because I'm trying to balance something that can really work, but I want it to be as easy to pull off as possible because you've got to do it consistently for some time. It does take discipline to make sure you're getting it in consistently over months.

Lee Baker: Absolutely. And now we're at eight months, and I feel like I'm a hundred percent. I'm very, very grateful. I will continue to be frustrated with the medical professionals because Lyme disease has been around for a long time. Correct me if I'm wrong, doctor, but it's not new.

Dr. Warren: It's not new.

Lee Baker: To me, it's embarrassing that they're unable to help the 10 or 20% who are not helped by antibiotics. When there is something out there like the solution RHS has, I think it's very unfortunate that they don't at least inform patients of other options. That's what I'd like to accomplish today—I want to let people know that there is hope.

Dr. Warren: And you're back to doing everything pretty much now, Lee, right? You're pretty busy this spring.

Lee Baker: Yes, I truly am. Like I said, I turned 65 a year ago, about the time this happened. We've got a big backyard, a lot of landscaping, a lot of cleanup to do in the spring—all kinds of chores. I'm active. My hobby is woodworking. I built my own deck. I take pride in my health, so this just laid me out. I felt like I got hit by a truck.

I can honestly say now that I'm in better shape than I was prior to the tick, because when your health is taken away and you get it back, you appreciate it that much more. So now it's daily exercises, bike riding—I'm trying to be a teenager again. We'll see, but at least I've got the opportunity.

Dr. Warren: Well, I'm really excited for you. I wanted people to hear your story because that 10 to 20% fail rate in Lyme disease hits about 500,000 people a year. We think 10 to 20% are going chronic, which is a lot of people—50 to 100,000 Americans every year who really aren't having a great solution, depending on which stats you're pulling. I don't think your story is uncommon. I think it's actually a huge crack in the current medical system that many people are suffering and falling through. I'm just happy that you're better now and that you have the health to go live your life, Lee.

Lee Baker: Exactly. I'm extremely grateful. Like I told you, I feel like you saved my life. Obviously I was going to continue to exist, but my quality of life—I can't thank you enough. I would recommend your service to anyone who is struggling. There is hope.

Dr. Warren: Awesome. Thanks, Lee. Thanks so much for sharing your story with everybody today.

Lee Baker: Thank you.

Key Take-aways from Lee's PTLD Story:

1. The Hidden Crisis (PTLD)

- Standard Lyme treatment fails for 10-20% of patients (approximately 50,000-100,000 Americans annually)
- Even prestigious institutions like Mayo Clinic may decline patients who don't respond to initial treatment
- Many patients develop co-infections like Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, just to name a few, that complicate recovery

2. Warning Signs Lee Experienced

- Sudden onset of joint pain and swelling in every joint
- Extreme weakness and fatigue
- Inability to perform simple tasks (opening bottles, standing without help)
- Symptoms that felt like "hands were on fire"

3. Lee followed the protocol diligently

- Initial improvement visible within 6 weeks (mid-October)
- Gradual but consistent progress over 8 months
- Customized supplement protocol adjusted based on symptoms
- Twice-daily protocol that was sustainable long-term

4. Recovery Milestones for Lee

- 6 weeks: Swelling and inflammation began decreasing
- January: Continued improvement with protocol adjustments
- February: Able to travel and hike with wife
- 8 months: Full recovery—"100 percent"

*Individual results vary.

5. Lee's message to others

- Don't accept "there's nothing more we can do" as final
- Recovery is possible even after standard treatment fails
- He is so glad he kept looking for answers and found Dr. Warren who understands chronic Lyme

Lee's powerful perspective: "When your health is taken away and you get it back, you appreciate it that much more. Never give up! There is hope.”

The Core Message: Post Treatment Lyme disease is real in 10-20% of Lyme patients. With the right protocol recovery is possible. Be your own advocate and never lose hope! 

Message from Dr. Kyle Warren on PTLD

"Lee's story represents thousands of patients with Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) who fall through the cracks of our medical system every year. When he came to me, his frustration was palpable—and completely justified. The current protocols for Lyme disease, while effective for many, leave 10-20% of patients without answers or hope when they develop PTLDS. That's not acceptable.

At RHS, we've dedicated ourselves to developing protocols specifically for this underserved population—those who continue to suffer after standard antibiotic treatment has failed. Lee's case, complicated by Babesia co-infection, required the kind of personalized, systematic approach that PTLDS patients need but rarely receive in conventional medical settings.

What makes me most proud isn't just that Lee recovered from PTLDS—it's that he's now thriving and wants to help others find the same path. His discipline in following the protocol and his willingness to share his journey publicly demonstrates the kind of courage that inspires both patients and practitioners.

If you or someone you know is struggling with chronic Lyme disease, PTLDS, or co-infections, please know that you're not alone, and you're not out of options. We're here to help fill the gap where standard medicine leaves off." 

~Dr. Warren

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This is what clients have said about the Restorative Health Solutions Team
See our testimonials...
             Having been seeing Dr. Kyle since March, he has given me a life back after being diagnosed with Lymes in 2015. He's compassionate, a true wealth of knowledge and takes a multiple step process when working with his patients. I cannot say how much he has changed my life for the better!"

-Lori Paul
             Impressive, Smart, Top Notch. I have nothing but good things to say about my experience at RHS. From my initial appt to my follow up. Dr. Kyle and Dr. Paul were great to work with and both encouraged me to better health through testing, exercises and education. Also their support staff Katie and Randi are wonderful as well. Prompt, courteous, and always available for questions! I highly recommend RHS! Cheers to better health."

-Tara Schwagmeyer
             I have been seeing Dr Warren for a few years and he has improved my health and my life greatly. I have many health issues and had been diagnosed with chronic fatigue 8 years ago, after I had to leave my career. I tried almost every traditional medical specialist and even a few naturalpathic specialist without any continued improvement in health. Most told there was nothing wrong with me. Dr. Warren has taken the time and done a vast amount of research to help me with autoimmune, thyroid, chemical sensitivities, and even my gallbladder. He truly cares, takes the time to hear you and your health challenges, and is always willing to try additional routes. I am back working and able to have a fulfilled life again! I am so thankful to have the best doctor!" 

-Erin Harty
             I arrived at Restorative Health Solutions feeling extremely fatigued, had brain fog and not a high quality of life. I was just getting through the day. After being treated I now have energy and a sense of well-being. I feel like I am now being proactive on having a healthy life. I am grateful for having found Restorative Health Solutions." 

-T Lancello
             I have been seeing Dr. Kyle and Dr. Paul for about 10 months now for Lyme disease. Prior to this, I was searching high and low for answers and getting no where. I was feeling fatigued, brain fog, stomach issues, anxiety, light sensitivity, dizziness... just a multitude of symptoms that I couldn't piece together.
The team at Rhs has been instrumental in me reaching my goals. Lyme disease has been extremely challenging and Rhs has been there every step of the way.
Lyme disease doesn't go away on it's own and it is a marathon, but Restorative Health Solutions has a process that works, follow it, be open and communicate. This is a two way street, they can't read your mind, so come in with the mentality of a partnership.
I would recommend anyone go and see them if you need to find answers on your Lyme disease journey." 

-Aaron Lindholm

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