Dr Amir Khan regularly dishes out useful health advice on ITV and on social media (file image) (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
No matter how concerning or mortifying you may consider your health issue to be, your GP will have encountered it before. That is the guidance of TV’s Dr Amir Khan, who has encouraged people not to feel embarrassed about telling their doctor exactly what is troubling them.
Dr Khan is a familiar face on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, and regularly shares invaluable health advice and tips across social media. He recently posted a TikTok video detailing five issues patients shouldn’t feel awkward discussing with their doctor. Opening his video, Dr Khan stated: “Guys, here are things that people don’t tell me as their GP because they think I might judge them or be disappointed in them.
Doctor sitting at desk and writing a prescription for her patient (Image: Getty Images)
“Well, let me take that worry off your plate – I’m never disappointed. I never judge.”
At the top of his list is being upfront if you have stopped taking a particular medication. “Tell me, I need to know,” he said. “Perhaps you are experiencing side effects, perhaps you were concerned about potential side effects, or perhaps remembering to take it daily proved more challenging than anticipated.
“I don’t mind. Just tell me, honestly, because if I think you’re taking it and it isn’t helping, we could end up changing your whole treatment plan based on the wrong information.”
Second on his list is being upfront if you’re struggling to pay for medication, or even managing to get to essential appointments, reports Wales Online. “This is really common,” he stated.
“Whether that’s a prescription charge for a cream or a tablet, getting to an appointment with transport, the food that someone’s told you will help change your metabolic long term condition, okay, tell me. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. That’s absolutely fine. Tell me what’s manageable and we will make a plan we can actually use around you.”
For number three, Dr Khan recognised that seeing a doctor can involve “an entirely unnecessary amount of jargon and vocab” which can leave patients baffled. “We try our best, and sometimes, I’m sure I explain things badly, that is just what can happen,” he stated. “But that’s my fault. So you can say ‘Amir, I absolutely have no idea what you’re talking about. Could you tell me again, please?’ And you won’t be the first person to say that.”
Dr Khan acknowledged that some patients may worry about being judged if they rely on alcohol, drugs or other substances to manage their symptoms. However, he stressed that telling a GP the truth is essential. “Whether it’s alcohol, drugs or perhaps somebody else’s medication, these can affect your health and interact with any treatment I may recommend,” he explained. “I need to know so I can care for you safely. I’m not going to judge you. You deserve support, whatever you’re facing.”
He also urged patients to share any fears about a possible diagnosis, even when those concerns may ultimately be unfounded. “You may have come in with a headache, but someone might have told you it could be a brain tumour, and that may have made you delay seeing a doctor because you’re frightened of what we might discover,” he said.
“Tell me exactly what is worrying you. I can explain my assessment, but if we have not discussed your fears, you could leave still carrying the same anxiety. The important thing is that you tell me what concerns you, and then we can work through it together. That is what I’m here to do.”
Concluding his advice, Dr Khan said: “When you attend a doctor’s appointment, you don’t need to try to impress me. Just explain what you need to explain. I will not judge you; I will simply do everything I can to look after you. I promise.”
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