public toilet - kick flusher - frustrated

[jak1]

I am one of the more than the 50% of the people that flush public toilets with my foot so I do not have to touch the handle.  I live in NYC and the handles can have lots of germs and are gross.  Since my AN and its accompanying symptoms I am no longer able to maintain the proper balance to flush public toilets or urinals with my foot or by kicking.

I am now left with the embarrassing issue of leaving a dirty bowl for the next user as I would prefer that to using the handle.  I wash my hands every time but, I fear that others do not always do this..

I suppose it is just one more secondary lesser issue of acoustic neuromas and balance problems..  it just never ends..

 

[Petrone]

TMI, maybe?

[phantagrae]

Can't you use some toilet paper in your hand to avoid touching the handle directly?

Besides, even if the handle is dirty, if you wash your hands you shouldn't have a germ problem.  Or you could carry some Purell or Germ-X or whatever.

You really don't have to avoid flushing the toilet.  I mean, that's grosser for the next person than touching a dirty handle, IMO.

[Cheryl R]

Can you carry some baby wipes or disinfectant wipes with you to use on the toilet handle and actually even on the door to get out of the toilet cubicle?      That should make it safe and keep you from falling face first in a toilet!  LOL!            Some toilets anymore in the Midwest flush automatically with no need to touch them.   That is nice.                         Cheryl R

[arizonajack]

Aiming your foot at the handle seems like it would be good vestibular therapy and improve your balance over time.

Practice it at home.

It's a basic martial arts type kick that you can perform slowly or quickly.

[jak1]

recent statistics say about 50% of men do this.. so, I am not alone.. and I do not always have pockets or carry wipes or purell.. but, I can see how these things would help.. my only point was it is another thing I think I took for granted before the AN that I can no longer do.. now, I have to subsidize this simple act with using extra toilet paper (killing trees) or carrying extra stuff with me.. granted it is a really small issue to have and it is in relation to my other symptoms.. but, i was just wondering if anyone else here dealt with this as I had not seen it posted here before..

[6pick]

I'm just surfing tonight and caught this post - 4 months after the fact. My comment might be moot but have you considered balance therapy? I started balance therapy on July 1 and in nearly two months I've experienced huge improvement in my balance. My wife used to say that I looked like a drunken sailor walking down the hall. Now she comments on how straight I walk. I still have to steady myself when I get up in the middle of the night, but generally, my balance is nearly back to normal. The cost for the therapy was quite reasonable (<$200), too. Well worth it.