Patient Experience
For three years, I was a prisoner in my own body due to trigeminal neuralgia. The 'suicide disease,' they call it. I'm 68, and I had seen countless doctors. Dr. Reşat Gökağaçlı at Acibadem Bursa was different. He didn't just look at my MRI; he listened to the story of the pain. His approach was a combination of precise nerve blocks and a new medication regimen he tailored personally. The relief wasn't instant, but gradual, like a sunrise after a long night. For the first time in years, I can wash my face without screaming. He gave me my life back, not just treatment.
Our 8-year-old daughter, Elif, developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after a minor ankle sprain. It was a nightmare—she couldn't bear the touch of a bedsheet. Pediatric pain specialists were scarce. Dr. Gökağaçlı, though an adult specialist, took her case with incredible compassion. He created a whole fantasy narrative about 'calming the angry fire fairies' in her foot, combining it with gentle sympathetic nerve blocks. He coordinated with a pediatric physiotherapist. His office had toys. He spoke to her, not just to us. Her recovery has been miraculous. He treated the child, not just the chart.
I arrived at Acibadem Bursa's ER at 2 AM with an acute lumbar disc herniation. I couldn't stand, couldn't sit—just frozen in agony. Dr. Gökağaçlı was on call. Within an hour, he performed an emergency epidural steroid injection under fluoroscopy. The precision was everything. The relief was so sudden I cried. But what stuck with me was his follow-up. He called me himself the next afternoon to check in. He then designed a comprehensive plan involving targeted physical therapy to prevent recurrence. He turned a traumatic emergency into a managed care pathway.
As a 42-year-old marathon runner, a failed back surgery syndrome diagnosis was my worst fear realized. The scar tissue from my first surgery was causing relentless sciatica. Dr. Gökağaçlı approached it like a master strategist. He explained the intricate 'pain map' and proposed a series of advanced radiofrequency ablations to the medial branch nerves, not as a cure, but as a bridge to restore function. His honesty was refreshing—no false promises. Post-procedure, he personally guided my very gradual return to running. It's a management partnership. I'm not pain-free, but I am in control and active again, thanks to his nuanced, long-view expertise.