Madison Area Lyme Support Group

About The Ross Lyme & Tick-borne Diseases Protocol—Version 4

New in Version 4

The Ross Lyme & Tick-borne Diseases Protocol–Version 4 update, released 6/17/24, has a number of significant changes.

Name change. In Version 4, I have updated our name to include “tick-borne” . This recognizes that people can have Bartonella, Babesia, or other tick-borne diseases, separate from having Lyme (Borrelia) infection.

But there are more significant updates than our name change. Version 4

• Emphasizes plant-based foods recommendations in Part 2. Diet;
• Promotes healthy intestinal microbiome—even on antibiotics with a new Part 3. Healthy Intestinal Microbiome; and
• Includes an herbal antibiotic only option to treat the three Bs (Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia) simultaneously in Part 12. Lyme Infection and Part 13. Bartonella & Babesia Infections.
• Moves lifestyle, and related areas, of sleep, diet, healthy intestinal microbiome, and exercise to the front of the protocol to emphasize the key role these areas have in recovery.

Introduction

These are support and treatment guidelines to treat chronic Lyme or tick-borne infections. This protocol addresses most problems that keep a person from getting well. It is more comprehensive than the antibiotic focused Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS), and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. While herbal and prescription antibiotics may decrease the germ load in chronic Lyme and tick-borne infections, they often do not correct the underlying problems that cause ongoing symptoms.

The Ross Lyme Support Protocol includes essential steps for the beginning and throughout a chronic Lyme disease or tick-borne infection treatment. It is designed to:

• boost the immune system,
• improve detoxification,
• speed recovery,
• kill the infections, and
• protect and repair from the harmful effects of the infections and the herbal or prescription antibiotics.

While the following Lyme disease and tick-borne infection treatment approach focuses on a limited number of areas, it may correct most of the problems like:

• low energy,
• pain,
• insomnia,
• brain, neurologic, and thinking problems (brain fog), and
• immune compromise and suppression.

Herxheimer Reactions. When a person starts a Lyme disease or tick-borne infection treatment or changes herbal and prescription antibiotics, it is common to experience some worsening in symptoms. See Herxheimer Die-off Reaction: Inflammation Run Amok for more information about this and the steps you can take to treat it.

Treatment Length and Persistence. Generally, it takes a minimum of six months to see if these supports and treatments will help. Supplements can speed recovery, but treating Lyme still takes time. Once you have marked improvement, then you can likely stop many of these nutritional supports except for probiotics, curcumin, ashwagandha, and a good multivitamin. See Getting Healthy: Will I? When? How Do I? for more information about Lyme disease and tick-borne infection treatment length and persistence.

About Supplements. Throughout this protocol I include supplements as nutritional supports based on their known functions. Basic research and my clinical experience show they may help the various symptoms and problems in Lyme disease and tick-borne infections. (See link for article)

**Comment**

Lots of great info here.

For more:

• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/10/25/why-chronic-lyme-treatment-fails-a-review-with-strategies/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/12/02/why-the-nih-cdc-will-never-dismantle-barriers-for-lyme-treatment/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2021/09/21/the-evidence-for-persistent-lyme-promising-new-treatments/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/03/02/why-is-lyme-disease-so-hard-to-treat/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2023/10/02/novel-treatment-for-relapsing-lyme-babesia-and-bartonella/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2024/01/12/combination-antibiotic-therapy-for-treatment-of-lyme-disease/
• https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2024/03/12/superior-efficacy-of-combination-antibiotics-therapy-versus-monotherapy-for-lyme-disease-in-mouse-model/