Raised toilet seat question

Posted , 19 users are following.

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.

1 like, 29 replies

29 Replies

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  • Posted

    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.

    • Posted

      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. .

    • Posted

      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...
    • Posted

      So sorry to hear this Rita, --- like you need the extra expenses, right ? 

      but you have a new refrigerator and your van is in good shape now - 

      you might not really need the toiletseat raiser since you'll have the anterior approach, but it will make it so much easier for you to sit down and get up from the throne ... remember that you have both hips affected by surgery, darling ... 

      angel blessings

  • Posted

    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. 👍

  • Posted

    I am 5 feet tall. I did not need a toilet raiser. Actually the the toilet they had in the hospital was too tall for me. However I did use the my sink to hold onto and slid down on the heel (with sock on) of my bad leg to sit down on the toilet. Maybe this could help some of you taller folks out there.
  • Posted

    Get the raised toilet seat! I've had a total of 2 hip replacements (both sides), 2 dislocations, and 2 revisions on the right side.. I'm well versed in this department lol!! Get the raised seat because you will be so thankful you did! You will need something higher than your toilet even if you have handicap toilets already. You DO NOT want to dislocate that hip, that is the most painful traumatic experience ever.. and also, you will need the support while getting up. Ask around and you will be surprised of the people who have them in their garage, out buildings etc. Likely someone will give you one. Good luck and prayers for a speedy recovery!

    • Posted

      That's what our one toilet is. It's 18 inches tall, the same height as our dining room chairs. Our other toilet won't be much taller with a raiser. I've decided to order a frame that will give me the arms to lift myself. If the hospital sends a raised seat home with me, we can put it on the shorter one and I'll be set from bed or our living room. Thanks for all the advice. If not for a few Christmas things to do before surgery I would be ready to have it happen soon.

  • Posted

    I got a toilet seat that you place over your toilet seat as opposed to under the seat .It has bars and handles to help get in and off the toilet in a controlled way.Feels much safer ,more controlled.You could actually use it as a bedside commode.You literally don't do a thing to your toilet seat .I got it on Amazon .Not real expensive,about 60 bucks.Still using the over the toilet commode as my other hip is bad.Still sturdy.

  • Posted

    Rita I had the adjustable version of the raised seat and you can find them at

    goodwill pretty cheap as well as canes. I highly recommend you

    get new shoes for when you start walking, your old shoes are

    worn in the way you were walking around with the bad hip and

    favoring the least amount of of pain to do so.

    • Posted

      Thanks for the suggestions. I have canes. I've been walking with one for a while now. The only time I haven't been using one is inside our house and at work (can't track up and down the hallway as a NICU nurse with a cane. I thought of the shoes so I have a couple of new pairs that I saved for after. I have a pair of slip-ons for immediately after and any of my favorites I stopped wearing this year in the hope that they might be OK. 😊

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