What challenges do we have in common? What are the questions you wish your doctor or health system would take the time to answer?

In most cases thousands of people with joint pain and cardiovascular conditions such as diabetes are facing similar challenges. One of the most often mentioned is frustration about doctors not having the time (or willingness) to just talk and answer questions. Is this something you have experienced?

Here is a short video from the Movement is Life initiative that features many patients with conditions such as joint pain and diabetes talking about their challenges. Like many in this community, they have experienced difficulty getting both appointments and time with their doctors.

youtu.be/gPYuMDI3yTQ(Not working as expected?)

The Movement is Life Initiative founded the Start Moving Start Living community on HealthUnlocked so that people have a place to go where they can discuss their challenges and share their experiences. Based on the interviews in this video here are some examples of commonly experienced challenges.

'My insurance does not cover things like physiotherapy, or else the co-pay is too high'

'I want to be heard by my doctor. I don't want to feel like I'm on a conveyor belt'

'I feel rushed through my appointment'

'I can't stand for long periods of time'

'I'm in constant pain, even when I sleep'

'I need oxygen, so it's really hard to exercise'

'I know my health would get better if I ate better, but I find it hard to change'

'It's hard to make exercise a priority when life is so busy'

'I don't enjoy exercise but I know I need to do it'

'Many families like mine live under the poverty line'

'If you don't have much money you will buy what is available in your neighborhood, stuff that is in a can, stuff that is processed'

'I am a single mother running a household with kids to feed and rent to pay. Sometimes its a choice between food and medication'

'I have to drive for 2 or 3 hours to find a doctor who will just take my insurance'

'I did not know what different forms of insurance mean and missed the opportunity to choose better insurance'

'I made an appointment and waited to see the doctor, but when I got there he had left for another job. I had to start all over again and it took me a year to see a doctor that took my insurance'

'I need surgery on my hands, but my insurance does not cover it so I have to wait'

Let's support each other and face those challenges together. How have you overcome some of the challenges mentioned in this video?