Will do…!
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Vibrating platform not good for those with total knee replacements 
Those as well…possibly also hip joint replacements…needs researching.
Both me and OH suffer from sciatica. Stretching, pilates, tai chi, all those sorts of things need no outlay on equipment and can work wonders. I do simple stretches before I even get out of bed, and stand on 1 leg for one minute at a time as I brush my teeth. It takes a while to take effect and discipline to do it every day, but it does work.
Sciatica pain is rubbish!
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I would change my MT and get regular physio sessions asap.
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@cat makes a fair point…
Any Medic Traitant (aka Doc) should know what our state of health is… and should be prepared to do everything possible to ease things…
and if there’s any doubt… x’rays, MRI’s (and whatever…) should be done, to enable a diagnosis and /or suitable treatment (physio/kiné whatever) to be arranged.
or am I deluded… ??? 
(I often need kiné and my Mutuelle does help with costs … hurrah)
Has there been a diagnosis of the problem? It took me a long time to get an MRI in the UK, presumably it wouldn’t take long here. I also found anti-inflammatory drugs less than useless and as @JaneJones says, sciatica is shit! You really do need a proper diagnosis and treatment program.
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My sciatica derived from two cysts on a vertebra in my lower spine, and when all the protocol remedies available had been exhausted - pain killers then anti-inflammatory drugs and then three injections into the base of my spine - I had an MRI and found myself mentally preparing for a spinal operation which I was told would be to remove part or the whole of one cyst.
When the paralyzing nature of the pain, by itself suddenly subsided, I have been left with residual pain which won’t go away - the cysts are still there - getting in the way of any meaningful therapy.
I am not proposing vibration therapy to get rid of the sciatica – I am stuck with it. I am looking for a way of gently exercising without the pain, which is bearable, but not when exercising, and exercise is important to me. There are risks involved but I know my body and will stop as soon as necessary if needs be.
And I shan’t change doctors as my current doctor is available 5 days a week, morning & afternoon, within set hours, not needing appointments, and worth hanging onto!
Fair enough…
I was concerned when you said your Doc just shrugs his shoulders…
He did shrug his shoulders as the only real remedy would be a spinal operation. He wouldn’t want the responsibility now I’m on my first rung up the 80s ladder. But the pain is no longer excruciating, I can withstand the pain, except when exercising. I was a little surprised he didn’t want to discuss it but I can understand why.
I’m sorry for your pain @Bonzocat. Living with constant pain can be very mentally wearing.
I have a little, possibly useless, suggestion that may be of help. I use Voltarol topical gel for cronically painfully joints and occasional back pain
The stronger Voltarol Joint & Back Pain Relief 2.32% Gel works best but is only sold in UK but pwehaps you can get some from there.
Alternatively, in France I do get the lower dose Diclofenac, in handy pump dispenser, with MT ordenance and apply morning and evening.
One important thing to remember is not to use much Diclofenac plus oral pain killers together. This is a medication not homeopathic remedy. Both are drugs, so doubling up can be dangerous.
That said, I cannot manage without it. I do hope it can help you too.
That is a very specific cause, so even if your doctor shrugs about treatment options i would hope he would have an opinion on the wisdom of a vibrating plate in your position. Or if no opinion send you to a physio to check and advise. I find the idea of repetitive vibration on a spinal anomaly potentially concerning. My physio is very clear about what exercise I should and shouldn’t do.
Not necessarily - have you tried acupuncture?
My machine arrives today so will keep you posted. The thought of making appointments for alternative sorts of treatments is not something I want to contemplate at the moment.
I take the pain on the chin and put up with it – I’m used to it. It doesn’t bother me. It’s the exercise I need which hopefully this exercise machine will give me.
In past years finding a physiotherapist was easy. I’ve had 15 sessions (twice over) of hands-on massage coupled with electro-muscular stimulation which worked wonders. A couple of years ago it was nigh impossible to find physiotherapy anywhere. When I went to the clinic where I last had treatment the receptionist looked at me with a frown – as if to say ‘You must be joking’.
I’ll get this sorted one way or another. Maybe next time I see my doctor I’ll say straight out what I want – and that is not what doctors want to hear. “You are not the doctor – I am”.
I’ve argued with him before so maybe it’s time for another argument.
I always do! Not in an argumentative way, but just being clear about the opinion I am seeking. Medical services are like any other consumer product really, so unless you tell the doctor then how do they know, they are not telepathic? And telling doctor in a way that means something to them, as doctors react to symptoms not vagueness. So many time I have said that I currently have X, which has been helped previously by Y so would like to try this again. 99 times out of 100 they have agreed.
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I should add that I do appreciate all of your concerns.
I am well used to pain, from horrendous and prolonged gallstone attacks to a burst appendix and peritonitis. Recovering from peritonitis is much more painful than peritonitis. Back pain and sciatica come low on the pain scale.
I just want gentle but regular exercise. If this machine raises any serious concerns I shall go speak with my doctor. Exercise is important and I won’t give up until the matter is resolved one way or another.
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Also re talking to the doctor:
Last term I did a couple of sessions on describing pain with my second year kine students. We discovered that there are far more ways to describe pain in English than in French. So just a thought, but maybe your doctor is not getting exactly how bad the pain is?
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So agree - it is a real issue. French friends use a scale 1-10. There are some very clear types of pain that doctors will recognise, like a kidney stone - that’s definitely a 10, - which can be used to calibrate the pain scale.
I also fear that pain in the elderly is taken less seriously than in the young. A sort of “it’s to be expected at your age” attitude.
I would never tolerate pain, because it often has a knock-on effect. It can lead to walking badly, which can then leads to using a walking stick, which then leads to distortion of the torso and further pain elsewhere.
Pain is the body communicating with us very clearly. We should listen to it, pay attention and do something about it.
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I agree. It’s frustrating. What I say is it hurts like the stab of knife, or a needle, or the pain in my belly feels like a headache or a toothache. Descriptions like that. I’ll do some research and compose a letter for him to read before I see him. I have done that before now with a mini iPad.
I’m sure that is what my doctor thinks. But when I walk into his office I display no pain, because there isn’t any when I make that short walk. If I dragged my leg behind me, he’d take more notice.
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