Frustrated with husband page

[Karo]

Hey everyone,

I have been on this site for over 1 year but this is my first post. I went primal 1.5 years ago (had fallen off the wagon a few times but generally do primal 80% of the time).

I don't know what to do with my husband (he is in his mid fifties). I have tried to "convert" him to be mindfully primal for over a year. Most of the time he eats what I cook and lost a ton of weight. But lately, he's been cheating: frappuccinos, brownies, pizza, croissants etc.

So, it so happens that he went in for a blood test (the first one in many years). The result was:

total cholesterol: 279
LDL: 191
Triglycerides: 76
HDL: 73
VLDL: 15

He is freaking out and telling me that he needs to go on statins. His doctor told him so. I don't know what to do with him.

[Rasputina]

Hey everyone,

I have been on this site for over 1 year but this is my first post. I went primal 1.5 years ago (had fallen off the wagon a few times but generally do primal 80% of the time).

I don't know what to do with my husband (he is in his mid fifties). I have tried to "convert" him to be mindfully primal for over a year. Most of the time he eats what I cook and lost a ton of weight. But lately, he's been cheating: frappuccinos, brownies, pizza, croissants etc.

So, it so happens that he went in for a blood test (the first one in many years). The result was:

total cholesterol: 279
LDL: 191
Triglycerides: 76
HDL: 73
VLDL: 15

He is freaking out and telling me that he needs to go on statins. His doctor told him so. I don't know what to do with him.

Smack him upside the head and let him give you 30 days, preparing all of his foods. Make him paleo brownies, pizza, fancy coffee drinks, the works, all that jazz- paleo-style, then have him go back for tests.

[Dirlot]

Tie him to a chair and feed him bacon and eggs

[Silky]

Did he get a break down of they type of LDL cholesterol. Because with trigs and HDL like that it is probably the good fluffy a type and not the harmful b type. And it probably was estimated, rather than counted properly.

I think Griffs primer on cholesterol on these forums would be something helpful for him to read. But for god's sake don't let him go on statins. Threaten divorce if he does (kidding). At least get him to read some of the stuff in fathead-movie.com about statins.

[magicmerl]

Did he get a break down of they type of LDL cholesterol. Because with trips and HDL like that it is probably the good fluffy a, type and not the harmful dance b type. And it probably was estimated, rather than counted properly.

I think Griffs primer on cholesterol on these forums would be something helpful for him to read. But for god's sake don't let him go on statins. Threatened divorce if he does( kidding). At least get him to read some of the stuff in fathead-movie.com about statins.

Correct (the link is in my sig). Get him to read the section on Cholesterol ratios in particular.

[Iron Fireling]

He needs to learn about what statins REALLY do, and how they actually don't do anything to protect you against heart disease (and have a host of other side effects too!).

That being said, it's hard to convince someone whose ideas are rooted in conventional wisdom. My parents are on statins. I have tried to tell them all the bad stuff about them BUT my dad's a retired organic chemist (with a Ph.D) and my mum's a retired doctor... so yeah... they listen to me... not!

Unfortunately, you sometimes just have to let people go their own way... I would NEVER IN A BILLION years take statins... but if a close family member or friend does, it's sort of out of my control! I think my husband's "educated" enough that he'd avoid statins, but I don't know how he'd feel if he was told by a doctor that he needs them (however, like me, he tends to avoid doctors like the plague so this is unlikely).

[JoanieL]

If you've been married long enough, and he has a good job (or you have a good job), take the alimony (or not) and go live your life free of having to care for a man-baby.

If you love the guy, I don't know what to tell you. Let him take the statins and make sure the life insurance premiums are up to date?

[urbancaveman]

IMO, he has to want to do this, it's no point force feeding him paleo stuff if he isn't going to maintain. Best thing would be to educate him sloly into the ways of the caveman, like rasputina said prepare him some of his favourites like paleo pizza, paleo chocolate brownies, etc so that he can do this lifestyle and not miss out on the food he enjoys!

[RichMahogany]

Take out a big life insurance policy.

[sbhikes]

What's the co-pay on the statins? Maybe if he cares about money he'll decide to try diet first. How was his cholesterol before he fell off the wagon?