Am 8 months pre opp, just wanted to know when it is safe to get into the bath for a good old soak?
I have showers every day but i do miss a good soak.
Am scared that i wont be able to get up once i sit in the bath.
Any advice would be helpful.
UK
Hi Carmen
I had a left total hip replacement 21 11 2013 Just over a year ago
the answer is no unless you are able to use a bath board ( you still cant sit fully down
to have a proper wallow) or have a bath hoist that is right for the sort of bath you have ( read my posts ) I take the chance at the moment BUT EVERY TIME I DO I RISK DISLOCATING I know it is frustrating and I also like a bath but after a fight I am getting a wet room ( work commencing on 2nd december 2014 ) yes I will sadly miss my bath but fortunately for me my mother has a bath lift so I have a bath Safeley at hers sorry for the downer but it is better to be safe You could also contact a domiciary occupational therapist ( community ) for advice all the very best of wishes
Hi just to add if you go for a bath lift make sure it is compatible with your bath My brother kindly baught me the same model as my mums but it was not compatible with my bath again read my previous posts good luck
Hi carmen56984,
What helped me was to have my shower chair right next to the tub so that I could use it to help pull myself up and out. I used the sides of the tub also to push myself up, but being able to sit down immediately on the chair helped me.
Now I have a safety bar and that helps a lot.
Dawn
Hi Carmen,
What about a "walk-in" tub? They even have the jets. Not sure how expensive they are, but they have a built in seat.
Good Luck,
Kathee
In the US, the walk in tubs cost between $12,000 and $20,000. I wanted one but could not.
Hi Carmen
If you are thinking of a bath lift get in touch with your Occupational Therapist....attached to the hospital. You can self refer.....dont need a doctors referral. I did it and got a bath lift but it wasnt successful so it went back.,
Now I've got a bar along the wall and how I work it is.......I have a bath board that sits across the bath......its getting too cold to sit on that like a pea on a drum
So I put the bath board across the the bath. The bath is already filled.....quite full.
I sit on the bat board and swing my legs over and into the bath, I then stand up and set the bath board out agains the bath. I lower my self down with the help of the bar and my forearms on the edge of the bath.
To get out.......I said fill it well.....thats to give you some buoyancy .......I hold the bar, put a forearm on the edge of the bath and push and thats me standing.
I reach out,get the bath board and put it across the bath again, sit down and when I'm finished get my legs over the bath and to the ground. Hey presto!!!!
One thing.....NEVER DO IT IF NO ONE IS IN THE HOUSE I always have a bath when my husband is in but he has not had to rescue me yet
Love
Eileen UK
I have a low tub in this old apt bldg and even if I could get down, I couldn't get out....I live alone.
Plus, our city fluoridates our water, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, and this is a toxic chemical and is chlorine. So I don't soak....
WHen I shower I let the hotter water hit my lower back for a few minutes...but again I have the phobia of chemicals going into my skin....
If you can get down and get out, I see no problem ... I'm 4 yrs post op and it's not been a great "ride" with this surgery for me. No groin pain, but a lot of other narley stuff gone wrong..... Joy 76 US
Hi Carmen
What I should have mentioned is that my THR was at the end of January this year.
Then four weeks post op I had a fracture {doing an NHS exercise} greater trochanter bone {top of my leg.
It will not heal so I'll be on crutches the rest of my life.
I'm telling you this...not for sympathy but to tell you that my Consultant said have a bath but not without any one else in the house.
Its been successful up to now....sometimes my back is sore and I have a wash sitting on the bathboard but on the whole I try to get into the bath
Good luck
Love
Eileen UK
Hi Carmen i had a THR 12 weeks ago and have been having a bath since 8 weeks out.Also went back to my full time job last week so feel i am doing really well.Found the whole recovery thing quite hard until week 8 and then everything stated to fall in to place and havent looked back since.Best thing i have done the only thing i still find is after sitting for a while when i stand up i am very unsteady and limp until i get into my stride.Everything is trial and error so if you feel confident getting in the bath go for it.Good luck
Hi Carmen I'm 13 weeks post THr and have also been having a bath for 5 or 6 weeks with the approval of my physiotherapist. I was very nervous the first time. I tried without water first. Once I felt I could get in and out I put the water in. My husband was on hand to lend a hand when I eventually took the plunge (not literally) and came back to help me out after I'd had a good soak. Incidentally I drained the bath before I attempted to get out! I attempted it again, a week later, by myself, and felt less nervous. Now I'm fine! Why not ask your physio for the best approach to give you the confidence! I love a good soak in the bath often doing Soduko rather than reading.
Good luck!!
Pat
Hi Pat
I found that leaving the water in and getting out gave me more buoyancy .....helped push me up.
Oh well 2 different opinions
Love
Eileen UK
Hi Eileen
I only did that the first time because I was nervous! Don't do it now and physio suggested it.
Pat
Morning Pat,
If we can do it safely ??? [biggrin] it doesnt matter.
I have to see the consultant today about this fracture....he has said it wont heal so the best thing is to try and sort the pain out. He gave me a cortisone injection 6 weeks ago. He wants to see me today to see how it went???
I'm going to ask him today about the bath because I'm a bit scared. Thats what I have been doing but not really overly happy. Its not my THR I'm worried about as much as the fracture......will it make it any worse? Last night I tried my usual way to get out of the bath and it didnt work. My right had is getting very sore and I couldnt grip properly so I rolled {scrambled lol} round and onto my knees. I want to know it that will do any harm.
The things we have to do [cheesygrin]
Love
Eileen UK
Just over three months since my op and I have been in hotels this weekend and enjoyed a lovely bath (we only have shower at home due to disabled hubby) I felt fine though did have lots of grab rails handy.
Thank you Carol
That's what am scared of dislocating my hip.
That sound good Kathee but i can't afford one of those.I've look into that but they were ver expensive.
Thank you for that.
Thanks again Eileen, that's my problem am living alone 
Hi Eileen
Hope you had a good result from the consultant today!! You deserve something more positive!!
I had a laugh(at your expense) at you getting out of the bath last night! Sounds just what I did at my first attempt - I felt like a blubbing whale!!! Remember I didn't have any water either!!
Do let me know how you got on!
Pat xx
Great isn't it, Jean! Even better when it's someone else's hot water somehow!!