I'm having a bilateral THR anterior approach on December 22nd. The raised toilet seat isn't covered by insurance in the US. I'm trying to figure out the best and most reasonable way to handle this. We have one toilet that is the taller version. It is also the easiest to access from the bed and nothe far from our living room. Our house is a one level rancher. I won't have the 90 degree limitation. Do you hippies out there think that just getting the framework handles for the taller toilet would work? I don't want more than I need but I do know initially getting up and down will be a challenge. Thanks for any suggestions. This group and the information I have gained here has been a godsend.
If it was me, I'd get the raised toilet seat. Even the taller toilets are quite a bit lower than comfortable after the operation. The handles do help a lot and I'm not sure what would be involved adding handles to a regular toilet. Look on Craigslist / etc for a seat as, in my area anyway, you can often find them gently used for a good price. And once you're done with it, just resell it so it will likely cost you next to nothing (For what it's worth, it wasn't covered by my insurance in Canada either).
Hi Rita
I did have to get a toilet seat to raise the level, but if you think yours is comfortably tall enough, then don't bother. But yes, in my experience a bit of support getting up is handy initially. Everyone is different - I don't need them anymore (3 weeks post op) but I had an amazingly easy post op (so far).
If you don't have one already, a shower seat in the shower is also really useful.
I also have a taller toilet and managed fine without any frame.But I do have a sink nearby to pull myself up with
Janet
My toilet seat is 16in from floor to seat. I was told I could have a raiser but didn't really need to have one. It depends on how comfortable you are and if you have anything in grabbing distance to pull yourself up with
Hellos luck. X
I am quite tall and could not have managed without the frame to help me get up and down. With the frame to help you could do without the raised toilet seat.
We are lucky in the UK as we get all these aids for free but would recommend the frame. Makes it so much easier.
Good luck. I had my RTHR 5 weeks ago and am doing ok. It's a big op but it's amazing how soon you will be up and about.
hello rita,
definitely get something you can pull yourself up with ...
I had toiletseat raiser and was very happy both times and in between the surgeries as well ... I had posterior approach both times -
There is a lot of going to the toilet in the first week(s) post-op, day and night - so I was happy with the raised seat ... it made it easier to sit down and get up ...
You will do what you think is best for you, darling -
come to think of it, there was no raised seat in hospital but grab bars on the side .
big warm hug
renee
I'm from the US too, I guess it depends on your insurance. I got the toilet, walker, aids to help put socks on and shoe horn as well as a wheelchair chair. But for me the toilet was needed especially after second operation because of hip precautions. Couldn't flex past 80 degrees. Do you have a walker? That can help with getting you up from toilet. Best of luck to you! LD
Yes hit not going to be able to pop up from the toilet. Did u see people had to pull them selves up on something. To get up and off the seat.
I love m my raiser . as many times in a24 hr.dayi went to the bathroom it was definitely Worth it. besides it is really painful to get up off things. I had my recliner on blocks too.
Buy it second hand would be great option.
Actually sitting on a low seat in bathrooms still a challenge. Especially when normal people us the handicapped restroom.
Berry of luck to you.
I went to the pre-op class last week and they were the ones that said most insurance will pay for a walker but not most of the other things. I may be pleasantly surprised and my insurance may pay for more than that. I'm trying to get our house as ready as possible since it's so close to Christmas and my husband probably wouldn't know where to find anything while I am in the hospital. After reading the responses I think I will buy the toilet safety rails I found on Amazon for our taller toilet and if they send one home with me we can put it on the other one. I'm also a little leary of a raised seat on the taller toilet being too tall. Thanks for the response. As I said this forum has been wonderful. I don't think I would be as calm about my upcoming surgery without all of these wonderful hippies. Instead my husband gets to be the nervous wreck about it.
In my pre-op class they informed us about Goodwill's program for medical aids. In Minnesota, I think they have 3 different locations to borrow different needed aids. I have my walker, tub seat, and toliet seat from them. It's free and you can return them at any Goodwill. It's a wonderful program and the people were great. Otherwise, I know my father borrowed his walker from the VFW. Nursing homes may also have some equipment to rent/borrow.
Try Amazon for a riser.
Don't take this the wrong way, but it's kind of one of my bugbear things that I can just never pass by.....but in the UK we get nothing for free! We pay for everything through our taxes. We use our collective taxes to redictribute wealth so that those who cannot afford health care also get it. I know it seems pedantic, but I think it's really important, because when we get poor or sub-standard treatment people so often shrug it off as "well it's free" and don't complain. We pay for eveything in the NHS, and despite cuts, it is still one of the best public health services in the world. Something to be proud of. But it could do better. And it certainly isn't free.
Hear hear Beth x
I vote raised extension that clamps on...if you can not flex beyond 90, how are you going to sit down on your thought?
That was what I thought before pre-op class but with the anterior approach we were told that we don't have the 90 degree restrictions
You'll be going to the bathroom ALOT your first few weeks home. Anything that makes that easier is good. They are not expensive.
I'm still using mine 3 months later. I'm tall and my toilet was made for midgets. I love the extra 4" height.
I understand the midget problem. I purchased one of the "you go girl" things for travelling any time in the future. I've not tried it but I still recall our stopping at a gas station a few years ago and feeling like I was falling in the floor to sit on the toilet in the ladies room and that was before the really bad hips days. That is also part of why I picked out the high toilet when we last replaced one. After reading the responses I decided to go ahead and purchase the safety handle frame for the taller toilet. I'm average height so we'll see if we need more than that. My husband will be honest for the first week that I am home and I can always send him to Lowe's for the other if needed. I realize that it's not terribly expensive as someone else pointed out. Unfortunately my van needed about $700 in repairs the day after we had to replace our refrigerator because the old one died. All just weeks before Christmas and before my surgery. I just don't want to spend on something that I don't need. .
Here in the USA, they attach it to the commode as a single person use device...you then just take it home with you....perhaps you can pick one up from a used medical device exchange...just wash it with bleach...
Give yourself a break. Get the raised seat. I go in for revision in Jan and still use raised seat due to groin pain. You'll be so glad you did. 👍