Tamara suffered from Lyme and Bartonella for 30-plus years before finding Dr. Warren. On this page, Tamara shares her personal story.
Dr. Kyle Warren, DC, CFMP, Lyme Doctor, Functional Medicine
"The odd thing was, I was trying to get healthier, and in that process of trying to get healthier, I was getting worse" - Tamara's Lyme Disease Recovery Story
"The odd thing was, I was trying to get healthier, and in that process of trying to get healthier, I was getting worse" - Tamara's Lyme Disease Recovery Story
Watch how Tamara went from using a cane in her 30s to reclaiming her active life after battling undiagnosed Lyme disease and Bartonella infection for decades. In this powerful patient testimonial, Tamara shares her journey from debilitating joint pain, neurological symptoms, and cognitive difficulties to recovery through natural herbal protocol with Dr. Kyle Warren.
"The odd thing was, I was trying to get healthier, and in that process of trying to get healthier, I was getting worse," Tamara explains, revealing the frustrating paradox many Lyme sufferers experience before proper diagnosis.
Discover how after years of misdiagnosis and suffering, Tamara finally found answers and effective treatment without antibiotics. Her story offers hope to anyone struggling with chronic, unexplained symptoms that conventional medicine couldn't solve.
Watch how Tamara went from using a cane in her 30s to reclaiming her active life after battling undiagnosed Lyme disease and Bartonella infection for decades. In this powerful patient testimonial, Tamara shares her journey from debilitating joint pain, neurological symptoms, and cognitive difficulties to recovery through natural herbal protocol with Dr. Kyle Warren.
"The odd thing was, I was trying to get healthier, and in that process of trying to get healthier, I was getting worse," Tamara explains, revealing the frustrating paradox many Lyme sufferers experience before proper diagnosis.
Discover how after years of misdiagnosis and suffering, Tamara finally found answers and effective treatment without antibiotics. Her story offers hope to anyone struggling with chronic, unexplained symptoms that conventional medicine couldn't solve.
To anyone struggling with Lyme disease and co-infections: A message from Tamara
** Individual results vary. Dr. Warren wants everyone to know his protocols are always customized to each patient. Some patients, especially those dealing with multiple tick-borne infections or who have been battling Lyme for a long time, need the protocol to be gentle and slow, which he can accommodate. Being gentle and slow doesn't mean Dr. Warren doesn't like going fast. He has simply found that the fastest way forward for very sick patients is not going backwards! In his experience treating chronic Lyme disease, he encountered many patients experiencing a push/herx/crash cycle, which can be very hard. Through trial and error, he discovered a slower, steadier approach that actually achieved better and, believe it or not, faster results! It is truly a case of the Tortoise beating the Hare!
Tamara suffered from debilitating Lyme and Bartonella symptoms for over 3 decades before finding me. Against all odds, she made a complete recovery using only the natural protocol I designed specifically for her unique condition. The before-and-after infographics below dramatically showcase her transformation—from requiring a cane at age 36 to regaining her physical freedom, mental clarity, and emotional wellbeing.
** Individual results vary
Transcript: "From Cane to Capable: Tamara's Recovery from Decades of Lyme Disease & Bartonella on Dr. Warren's gentle protocol"
Early Symptoms
Tamara:
I think I really started experiencing problems when I was a kid. There was weird stuff that I noticed. I had a lot of leg pain as a kid, especially if I was active and outdoors. With temperature changes between cold and warm, my legs would always be in pain.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
Leg pain in kids is one of the most frequent giveaways. Kids shouldn't do stuff and then tell their parents their legs hurt.
Tamara:
Right. It's the weirdest thing because we explain it away by saying, "Oh, it's just growing pains," which I don't even think is actually a thing. I also had other strange things for a kid to have, like carpal tunnel. I do remember falling a lot. I would sprain my ankle very often.
Worsening Symptoms
So going through life, I dealt with a lot of weird stuff, but I think everything started to become really serious for me in 2022. The odd thing was, I was trying to get healthier, and in that process of trying to get healthier, I was getting worse. Some of my worst symptoms were definitely the pain. I had major joint pain in my knees, my hip (especially my left hip), my back, and my elbows. It was really all over my body, but those were the worst places. I couldn't stand up for very long or walk. I had to use a cane to walk, which did not help my elbows any.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
This was happening to you in your early to mid-30s, right?
Tamara:
Yeah, I was not old enough to be diagnosed with moderate osteoarthritis. That's what they told me I have.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
Some of the Lyme disease research says it causes pain and inflammation that looks like arthritis, but it's beyond the normal arthritis of aging. So it doesn't make sense for your age. It didn't make sense when you were a kid. And it doesn't make sense that I have a 30-something-year-old wanting to use a cane. This is one of our big suspicions. When you came to me, I thought, "This would be kind of a textbook presentation for Lyme."
Neurological Symptoms
Tamara:
There were other things I was really starting to experience, like an onslaught of neurological symptoms, which I was experiencing even as a teen. I think the amount of inflammation in my body was causing it to be way more than I could handle. I had twitching muscles, arm spasms, and tingling sensations all over.
It felt like my body was vibrating at times. My hands would get so shaky that I couldn't do things. I love doing art and making art, and it was becoming almost impossible to do that. My hands would shake so much I couldn't even hold the pencil or the paintbrush straight.
I had really bad balance. I fell down the stairs two or three times, and I would just fall a lot and get hurt, which made the pain even worse. It was so hard to speak. I would stutter all the time. I couldn't find my words. I couldn't get them out.
I couldn't remember what the words were to describe things. Thinking in general was so hard. I had this brain fog. Trying to talk to my kids was difficult. I was trying to homeschool my kids at the time, which seems like the silliest thing now. Just reading something out of the curriculum and then trying to explain it to them—I couldn't even understand it myself.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
You had the physical stuff. You had the neurological stuff with the brain fog and the vibrations. Something was dramatically wrong. And as we've experienced, you started to change a lot of your healthy habits, like eating better and cleaning up your diet. You did a lot of these things that did not fix your problems. In fact, you kept getting worse.
Tamara:
There were some things that were getting a little better. My digestive system and gut were improving, but not how I had hoped. You just become so hopeless, thinking, "This is my life now."
Testing and Protocol
Dr. Kyle Warren:
So we met over two and a half years ago, in fall of 2022. If I remember correctly, you had Lyme and Bartonella, right? Bartonella was a big factor for you because it causes a lot of these nerve problems you're talking about, along with Lyme. They both double-whammied your system. You also had some significant nutrient deficiencies. We had to rebuild you from a nutritional level at the same time.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
From your perspective—I'm always interested to hear this from people—how did it go once we started? We started in fall of 2022, and it's now the new year of 2025. How did that healing journey go for you?
Tamara:
It started with a lot of trepidation. I was so scared to do it because of some of the things I had read about Herxing. I had already experienced Herxing on my own trying to do things independently, and that can be pretty brutal. But it was worth it! Your protocols were so gentle. It's slow, but that's good because I didn't ever Herx to the point where I'd think, "Great. Now I have to be in bed all day for the next two days until I can feel better again." I really liked that it was gentle and slow. That was really good.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
I'm a big proponent of this. I've spent really 10 years trying to help the protocols be smoother. We want to get you better, but you still have to be a mom. You still have things to do. You're trying to keep life operational, and you were a good example of that. You have kids, so we had to move you forward as safely and smoothly as possible. I adjusted the basic protocol for you to try to avoid as many hiccups as I could. Did we hit many with you from your point of view? I know we hit a few.
Tamara:
There were definitely a few. But some of them were my mistake. I remember I started taking everything all at once. I called the office, and she said, "No, no, you're supposed to wait. You're supposed to space them out by three days." I was like, "Oh, no." So there were definitely a few issues, but I survived.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
We made it through. We worked through all the little problems, right?
Tamara:
But overall, I've been beyond pleased with how gentle the treatment was.
Recovery Process
Dr. Kyle Warren:
When did you start to notice life improving? Walk us through what happened after you described all your symptoms. When did you first start noticing things getting better? And what's life like now?
Tamara:
I think it was probably about six months in when I started to notice, "Oh, I can do this again," or "This isn't as hard as it was before." I think I should have been better about writing things down as we were going through this. I didn't do much of that. But I'd say probably six months, and then it was just constant improvement over time. I kept noticing, "This is so easy now. I forgot how hard this used to be."
Simple things like being able to walk again without having chronic pain made a difference. I remember I used to want to go for hikes because I love doing that so much. But it was like, "Okay, I can go for a 20-minute hike, and then I'll be down for two days, but it'll be worth it." Now I can do that and not be affected. I could go for another 20-minute hike the same day if I wanted to!
Dr. Kyle Warren:
This is why at visits, I record things and why we try to do progress trackers. Sometimes it is subtle, or people start to notice, "Oh, I can do this now." At first, a lot of your early wins were really simple things like, "I went for a 20-minute walk, but I didn't used to be able to do that."
Tamara:
Even just walking around my house. It didn't even have to be going outside. Just walking around my house, going from room to room, being able to carry things—that was significant. Before, I stopped carrying things all the time. My kids would carry things for me; my husband would carry things for me. And I'm not even talking about carrying a couch or something. I'm talking about carrying something like a watermelon—something I should be able to carry but couldn't because it caused me so much pain. Standing in my kitchen to make a meal was another thing I wasn't doing. I had to sit on a stool to make a meal.
I don't love to cook, but I do it because I want to eat healthy and I want my family to eat healthy. So that's the best way to do it—at home. Now, doing chores, things around the house, getting things done—it's just a huge blessing to be able to do those things again.
Life Today
Dr. Kyle Warren:
So maybe around six months, we started getting some positive feedback, which was exciting. Now we're two-plus years later. How's life now, two and a half years later?
Tamara:
I can do normal everyday activities! Homeschooling has become so much easier. Of course, it's still a challenge because it's homeschooling, but it's become so much easier just to be able to read the materials, understand them, and talk with my kids about them. Even just having conversations with people is easier. It's a very strange thing to almost feel like you're trapped inside your head and not be able to get your thoughts out. It's really hard to describe.
I have a part-time evening job that I do a couple of nights a week, which is also a physical job. I used to do the job, come home, and just crash—couldn't even do anything else for the entire rest of the evening. But now I can come home and still enjoy my evening and do whatever I want. It's not like, "Great, now I'm done."
Dr. Kyle Warren:
That's usually a big indicator that somebody is better. If you push to do something and then crash all the time, as soon as that stops happening, I know we're making good progress. You can do something and then say, "I'm okay. I can come home and spend a nice night with my family." You can do something else. It doesn't just tank you for the rest of the day.
Tamara:
Right. That's a good term—"tank me." Even just not living in constant fear of being in pain makes a difference. There was stuff people would ask me if I wanted to join them in doing, and I really had to think about it: "Can I do this? Am I physically able to do this? Is it going to put me in pain for the next two weeks?" Taking on responsibilities was hard. If people asked me to help out with something, I was afraid. Now I'm not afraid to help. I'm not afraid to do things—to walk, to carry things. It's normal stuff, but it's good!
Dr. Kyle Warren:
The fun part for me is always when I have the visits, and people say, "I'm living more of my life." That's what you kept saying: "I'm doing this, and I'm doing this, and it's going pretty well." That's been fun to watch and celebrate with you as you do those things.
Natural Protocol
Dr. Kyle Warren:
Did we do any antibiotics with you on your journey?
Tamara:
No, thank you! No, no, no.
Dr. Kyle Warren:
You didn't. So we did this all naturally with different herbs, nutrients, and things like this.
Tamara:
Yes!
Dr. Kyle Warren:
I always tell people, I think you can get better with antibiotics, though it's a very hard way to do it. I get a lot of people worried that you have to do it that way. I just say, well, there's certainly very good evidence for the natural herbal approach.
I'm asking that question more specifically because I want people to know that you really can heal with herbs so much of this stuff, even when it's in your nervous system, in your joints, and everywhere in you. It had probably been there for decades by the time we caught it.
I firmly believe the longer you've had it, the better the natural approach works. The antibiotics work better the faster you find it. The longer it's been, the less effective they are.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Kyle Warren:
As we wrap up here, anything you would like to say to someone who maybe is just sick and feeling hopeless, like they're never going to get relief or get better?
Tamara:
Yes. I know that when you've been on a long road of just feeling sick, and you've seen a lot of different doctors, it can be really hard to trust a doctor. It can be really hard to believe that they really want to heal you and not just put a bandaid on things.
But I think if you're willing to have patience and willing to make an investment in your own health, and just trust one more doctor, it's worth it. It's totally worth it!
Dr. Kyle Warren:
Awesome. Well, I've seen so many people go from where you were (very sick) to being healthy. That's the message we're trying to communicate—there is hope. Things happen for a reason. There has to be a cause for why you're sick.
If we can figure out that cause and aim at it, that's probably going to give us our best results. We firmly believe that being on target with what's causing it is the most important piece of the puzzle. For you, we figured out it's Lyme and Bartonella with some nutrient deficiencies, and we were able to fix them.
Over time, your life has really changed. Well, thank you so much for joining me today and sharing your story with us.
Tamara:
Thank you!
What Dr. Warren Wants Lyme Patients to Know: Insights from Years of Treating Chronic Lyme Disease
Understand the Hidden Signs of Lyme Disease
1. Pay attention to childhood symptoms: When children experience unusual leg pain that's dismissed as "growing pains," it could be an early indicator of Lyme disease that might go undiagnosed for decades.
2. Question age-inappropriate diagnoses: If you're diagnosed with a condition like moderate osteoarthritis in your 30s, consider that Lyme disease causes inflammation and pain that mimics arthritis but doesn't match the normal pattern of aging.
3. Recognize the health paradox: Many Lyme patients find their symptoms worsen despite improving their diet and lifestyle—this contradictory response is actually a key indicator that an underlying infection may be present.
4. Connect the neurological dots: Symptoms like muscle twitching, arm spasms, tremors, and vibration sensations aren't random—they're classic neurological manifestations of Lyme and Bartonella affecting your nervous system.
5. Understand cognitive symptoms: When you can't find words, experience brain fog, or feel "trapped in your head," these aren't psychological issues but real neurological effects of inflammation from tick-borne infections.
My Lyme and co-infection protocols are all natural and gentle: After decades of helping Lyme patients, I have realized with chronic Lyme sufferers, gentler protocols are more sustainable and work better long-term.
6. Gentle doesn't mean slower: I've spent a decade perfecting protocols that allow you to heal without severe Herxheimer reactions, so you can continue participating in your life and working while getting better. I want everyone to know my protocols are always customized to each patient. Some patients, especially those dealing with multiple tick-borne infections or who have been battling Lyme for a long time, need the protocol to be gentle and slow, which I accommodate. Being gentle and slow doesn't mean I don't like going fast. I simply found that the fastest way forward for very sick patients is not going backwards! In my experience treating chronic Lyme disease, I encountered many patients experiencing a push/herx/crash cycle, which can be very hard. Through trial and error, I discovered a slower, steadier approach that actually achieves better and, believe it or not, faster results! It is truly a case of the Tortoise beating the Hare!
7. Natural herbal protocols can be highly effective: For long-standing Lyme infections, herbal and nutritional approaches often work better long-term, especially when the infection has been present for years.
8. Expect a realistic healing timeline: Most patients begin noticing improvements around six months into treatment, with continued progress over time—healing is a journey, not an overnight transformation.
9. Complete recovery is possible at any stage: Never give up! Even when Lyme and co-infections have been present for decades, full healing is achievable** with the right targeted approach addressing the root causes.
** Individual results vary
A message from Dr. Warren to Lyme patients
"If you're struggling with unexplained symptoms that conventional medicine hasn't solved, there is hope. After helping hundreds of patients like Tamara recover from Lyme disease and co-infections, I've learned that finding the true cause of your illness is the most important piece of the puzzle.
Things happen for a reason—there's always a cause for why you're sick. With gentle, properly targeted protocols, even decades-old infections can be overcome without derailing your daily life. Your body wants to heal, and with patience and the right approach, you can reclaim your health and live without limitations again.
Remember, healing is a journey that takes time, but complete recovery is possible, even when it seems hopeless. You deserve to live without pain and fear, and to experience the joy of simple daily activities that many take for granted."
Your partner in health,
Dr. Warren
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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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