Wellness

[lilypadfrog]

I have a very small shower in my bathroom.  No tub.  The shower is approx 32" square.  I need some kind of grab bar.  The walls seem to be a fiberglass or plastic so am not sure a bar could be drilled through.  Does anyone know if those suction cup bars actually work?  It would be needed for light support not to bear my weight.  I know I need to remodel but cant right now.  

[millieshops]

@lilypadfrogI have a friend who uses one.  She says it holds well, but occasionally they do remove it, clean the wall and resuction it on.

Most important is that it's absolutely not guaranteed safe as a real grab bar.  For that, you need someone to drill through your wall.  I know that was done for my sister -   small fiberglass shower.

I had a "real" bar drilled through the ceramic tile in my tub, but I wanted more guarantee -  as if there's ever one of those!

[Jannygaz]

I have a couple of the suction ones in my shower.  They are fine for a little balance if needed.  They would not work if you really needed to hang on during a shower or bath to lift yourself.

[kaydee50]

We had grab bars professionally installed in both our bathrooms.  One of the best things we have ever done.  Personally, I do not trust anything suction.  Never seems to hold securely.

[roeroe1005]

I don't have a tub in my bathroom, just a large shower.  My shower is fiberglass also.  I have 2 grab bars, one on side I get in, one on the far wall.  They may move occassionally, but can be adjusted very easily.

I got mine at Bed, Bath.  Well worth it.

[K9buddy]

I would have one installed professionally. 

[lilypadfrog]

Thanks.  I just need some balance since I cant put full weight on my right foot yet.  Full weight on left but can only toe tap on right due to recent surgery.    Is there a particular brand I should get?

[Kachina624]

No, the suction bars do not offer dependable support.  They can be dangerous if you depend on them and they fail.  I threw mine away

[chlema]

I had a suction grab bar in addition to my installed bar.  I found the suction bar only good for slight balance adjustment whereas the fixed bar was much safer.  Suction bar is now in the trash since it kept falling off the wall.

[SilleeMee]

Get it professionally installed. But before you do that go to the store where they sell the bars and make sure its one that you can actually grasp without any problems. They make them in different sizes...how big around they are, not just the length and how far away from the wall they come.