Spec. MD. Ozden Yilmaz

A 72-year-old retired shipyard welder from a low-income neighborhood presented with progressive fatigue and a persistent metallic taste. Initial workup for heavy metal toxicity was negative. Dr. Yilmaz, noting his history of working with specialized maritime alloys, ordered mass spectrometry for rare metalloids, identifying tellurium exposure from decommissioned naval vessels. Treatment involved chelation with dimercaptosuccinic acid and dietary selenium supplementation, leading to gradual symptom resolution over four months.

A 19-year-old university exchange student from Central Asia presented with cyclical fevers and arthralgia, initially diagnosed as recurrent viral illness. Dr. Yilmaz identified a pattern correlating with the lunar cycle and traditional herbal tea consumption. She diagnosed familial Mediterranean fever triggered by a specific plant compound, confirmed by genetic testing. Treatment with colchicine prevented attacks, and she educated the patient on botanical triggers unknown in his home region.

A 41-year-old single mother working three cleaning jobs presented with debilitating dizziness and tinnitus. Multiple providers had diagnosed anxiety. Dr. Yilmaz observed nystagmus only when the patient tilted her head while lying on her left side. She diagnosed a rare superior semicircular canal dehiscence, confirmed by temporal bone CT. Rather than immediate surgery, Dr. Yilmaz designed a vestibular rehabilitation protocol and lifestyle modifications that allowed the patient to maintain employment while managing symptoms.

An 84-year-old former beekeeper living alone in a rural mountain village presented with progressive muscle weakness. His children suspected normal aging. Dr. Yilmaz noticed his symptoms worsened after consuming his own honey. Testing revealed tick-borne paralysis from endemic ticks in his apiary, complicated by a mild myasthenia gravis unmasked by the neurotoxin. Treatment involved antitoxin, pyridostigmine, and apiary management education, restoring independence within two months.

A 28-year-old female competitive freediver presented with recurrent episodes of transient confusion and headache upon surfacing. Dr. Yilmaz, suspecting a non-pulmonary etiology for decompression sickness, discovered a previously undiagnosed patent foramen ovale via contrast echocardiography. Instead of standard hyperbaric treatment, she coordinated a novel regimen of high-flow oxygen therapy combined with targeted antiplatelet medication, allowing the athlete to return to training within three weeks while awaiting a planned percutaneous closure.