Hi,
Try to make him to be strict with the sodium restriction. Buy fresh products and cook them. do not buy pre-cooked meals.

Go around the kitchen and measure glasses, cups...just to make him aware of the amount that is drinking. I found very useful to get a crystal jar (from some pre cooked food) with a good closing lid about the size of a cane of bier.... then whatever I drink (bier, cook ....) I poured in and drink directly from it, just what I need, then I closed and it can be in the refrigerator without loosing the gas until next time that I need it.

Also drinking read wine instead of bier, cook or water helps me to reduce the liquid intake.

Jesus

Is he required to weigh himself every day? That will tell the tale. Jesus' ideas are good, but I have to say that if anyone in my family "monitored" what I ate or drank, I'd not be too happy. I know you care, but this is something he has to decide for himself. I was good for a year and fell off the wagon, so to speak and it wasn't until I got bad again, that I made the changes again. Also, if he is really watching sodium and has a level he cannot go over, you can now and again have something "off" the list. In fact, my cardiac dietician has built in one day I can cheat. But even then, I watch the rest of that day and fit the item into my sodium. If you eat nothing, you really want to at some point you will REALLY cheat.

There is a price to pay. He wouldn't be diagnosed with HF if it weren't for his lifestyle. This stuff don't go away. The damage is done ,it can only get worse if he doesn't do what hes told to do. It's not funny when adults act like children.Do what needs to be done.You can't babysit an adult.

You're boyfriend needs to man up and understand that heart failure is a serious situation. Get on a low sodium diet and eat as many fruits and vegtables as you can, forget fast food, exercise daily, take your meds. Find a good cardiologist, not some person who dabbles in it, a person who sees all kind of cases and do what they tell you to do. That's what I did, three years ago I was being evaluated for a heart transplant. 5 stents, 40 lbs and 1 arrythmia later my doc told me on 2/2/11 that I have regained the majority of my cardiac function. I used to be the poster boy for fast food franchises don't let your BF go down this road. The best to both of you.

Thank you all for the responses. He ate out yesterday and even though he ate as healthy as he could it still wasn't good enough. I have not been babysitting him but do catch myself wanting to say something when he "breaks the rules". I know he hears it in my tone. I hate to make him sound like a recluse because he is not. He is just tired of being sick and tired as he puts it. He is really trying but he is under the impression that this will all go away in 6 months. And yes, eating out yesterday did tell the tale. He gained 2 lbs when he has been hanging steady at one weight. Thank you again.

Hi sweetie

You need to read the riot act to your friend.

yeah - I have done that a few times - but it is very damaging .

This will pass in a few years maybe - if he behaves - and if not - he will be at risk....heart failure is very serious.

Tell him to only go to really fine restaurants where they make everything to order - and to ask for everything he gets without any seasoning, cheese, croutoons or salt added. There are a few restaurants out there that are able to accomodate that -

two I am familiar with are - outback, and red robbin.

do not let your friend hurt himself !!!!!

hugs, Raoul

I also take Coreg and lysinopril everyday. It is important to take meds everyday and I recommend a low dose asprin as well. It is okay to have an occasional treat but he has to realize that he can't go back to his old ways of eating. I had CHF in 2006 and I'm now 52, in June I will be 53 (God willing).