Patient Experience
A 52-year-old transgender woman on feminizing hormone therapy presented with unusual coronary microvascular dysfunction. Dr. Ozturk, recognizing the unique cardiovascular risks in gender-affirming care, adjusted her hormone regimen in collaboration with an endocrinologist and prescribed ranolazine, significantly improving her angina symptoms while maintaining her gender-affirming treatment goals.
I brought my 4-year-old daughter in with what I thought was just a stubborn rash on her elbows and knees. Dr. Gokbas immediately recognized it as something more, juvenile dermatomyositis. Her calm, gentle approach with my terrified child was remarkable. She got down to her level, showed her the dermatoscope like a 'magic flashlight,' and explained everything to me in clear terms without medical jargon. She coordinated immediately with pediatric rheumatology at ISU Medical Park. We're now in treatment, and the skin involvement has improved dramatically. This wasn't just a skin issue; she saw the systemic picture and acted. We are forever grateful for her sharp eye and compassionate care.
As a 72-year-old man, I was deeply embarrassed by a rapidly growing, ulcerated lesion on my scalp I'd been hiding under hats for months. I finally went to the emergency dermatology clinic at ISU Gaziosmanpaşa. Dr. Gokbas was direct yet kind. She performed a punch biopsy right then, explaining each step. The diagnosis was a Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer. She didn't sugarcoat it but laid out a swift, precise surgical plan. The Mohs surgery was complex due to the location, but she executed it flawlessly. Her follow-up calls to check on my healing were unexpected and showed genuine concern. She saved more than my skin; she gave me back my peace of mind.
My visit was for a routine annual skin check, I'm fair-skinned with a family history of melanoma. Dr. Gokbas's method was unlike any other dermatologist I've seen. She used a systematic, full-body mapping technique with digital imaging, noting every single mole and its coordinates. She found a tiny, irregular speck on my lower back I never would have seen. The dermoscopy revealed concerning features, and she recommended a preventive excision. The pathology came back as a very early melanoma in situ. Her meticulous, almost forensic approach turned a routine checkup into a life-saving intervention. Her precision is absolutely clinical, yet her bedside manner makes you feel like you're her only patient.
I'm a 28-year-old woman who had been to three other dermatologists for what was diagnosed as severe, treatment-resistant cystic acne and facial redness. Dr. Gokbas listened to my entire frustrating history for a full 15 minutes before even examining me. She then proposed a completely different angle: she suspected a combination of acneiform eruption and an underlying rosacea subtype, exacerbated by previous treatments. She ordered specific tests I'd never had before. Her tailored regimen was complex, involving a phased approach with topical, systemic, and laser therapies, and she explained the 'why' behind each component. After 4 months of careful follow-up, my skin is finally clear. She didn't just treat symptoms; she solved a puzzle others had given up on.
A 47-year-long married couple, both presenting together, developed mirrored psychogenic non-epileptic seizures that only occurred when they were physically separated. Dr. Tasdemir diagnosed a rare folie à deux variant with neurological manifestations. Treatment involved separate then conjoint therapy sessions, gradually increasing their time apart while teaching independent coping mechanisms, successfully decoupling their symptoms.
A 19-year-old university engineering student developed sudden-onset foreign accent syndrome after a viral encephalitis, speaking Turkish with what listeners perceived as a distinct Finnish accent. Dr. Tasdemir's team used real-time MRI articulation analysis to identify subtle prosody changes. Through intensive speech therapy focusing on rhythmic patterns rather than accent elimination, the student regained his original speech patterns within nine months.
A 28-year-old professional freediver from the Black Sea coast presented with recurrent episodes of transient global amnesia exclusively triggered during deep dives. Dr. Tasdemir discovered an unusual vascular anomaly where a minor venous plexus compressed the hippocampus only under extreme barometric pressure. He coordinated with hyperbaric specialists to design a conservative management plan involving controlled ascent protocols and a mild vasodilator, allowing the patient to continue her career with modified depth limits.
A 72-year-old retired calligrapher from historic Sultanahmet presented with progressive micrographia so severe his elaborate script had condensed into unreadable dots. Dr. Tasdemir identified this not as Parkinsonian but as a rare focal dystonia exacerbated by decades of precise hand positioning. Treatment involved botulinum toxin injections calibrated to relax specific forearm muscles without compromising his artistic control, combined with ergonomic pen modifications.
An 8-year-old refugee child from Syria, recently settled in Gaziosmanpaşa, developed sudden-onset acquired synesthesia following a traumatic event, perceiving spoken Turkish as specific textile textures. Dr. Tasdemir diagnosed a form of cross-modal plasticity where auditory processing had rerouted through somatosensory cortex. Through carefully structured multilingual therapy that leveraged her existing Arabic, they gradually normalized perception without erasing this temporary cognitive adaptation.
A 41-year-old night-shift operator at the Istanbul Metro control center presented with circadian rhythm seizures that occurred precisely at 3:17 AM during his break period. Dr. Tasdemir discovered an unusual interaction between his rotating shift pattern, specific fluorescent lighting frequencies in the control room, and a previously undiagnosed photosensitive epilepsy variant. Treatment involved specialized blue-light filtering glasses and a stabilized sleep schedule, eliminating the seizures.
A 56-year-old woman from a rural village in eastern Anatolia presented with what local healers called 'mirror paralysis', weakness that alternated between body sides depending on which direction she faced during prayer. Dr. Tasdemir diagnosed a rare form of functional neurological disorder with cultural-specific manifestation. Treatment combined cognitive behavioral therapy adapted to her religious framework with physical rehabilitation, achieving full resolution.
A 33-year-old experimental musician presented with musical hallucinosis featuring exclusively 17th-century Ottoman classical compositions he had never studied. Dr. Tasdemir identified a rare form of temporal lobe epilepsy creating 'reminiscence hallucinations.' Anticonvulsant therapy eliminated the hallucinations, but the patient collaborated with a musicologist to transcribe the imagined compositions before treatment, later performing them in a unique concert series.
A 64-year-old former spice merchant from the Grand Bazaar developed progressive olfactory hallucinations specifically detecting saffron during migraine auras. Dr. Tasdemir traced this to post-traumatic olfactory nerve hypersensitivity following a minor head injury decades earlier. Treatment involved a novel protocol combining migraine prophylaxis with olfactory retraining therapy using actual saffron in controlled exposures.
A 70-year-old retired ferry captain from the Bosphorus developed topographical disorientation limited only to the waterways he had navigated for 50 years, he could navigate Istanbul's streets perfectly but became lost describing familiar sea routes. Dr. Tasdemir identified a highly focal posterior cortical atrophy sparing land-based navigation networks. Therapy involved creating new cognitive maps using sonar technology metaphors from his profession.
A 22-year-old competitive backgammon player developed intention tremors that appeared exclusively during tournament play. Dr. Tasdemir discovered a performance-specific anxiety disorder manifesting as essential tremor variant. Treatment combined low-dose beta-blockers with a novel neurofeedback protocol using backgammon positions as training stimuli, allowing return to professional competition.
A pregnant 31-year-old geneticist developed gestational chorea gravidarum with movements that unconsciously traced DNA helix patterns. Dr. Tasdemir managed this rare movement disorder with minimal medication, coordinating closely with obstetrics. The chorea resolved postpartum, but interestingly, her infant daughter later showed exceptional fine motor coordination.
A 58-year-old blind Quran reciter (hafiz) developed auditory processing deficits specifically affecting his ability to distinguish between similar Arabic phonemes in recitation. Dr. Tasdemir diagnosed an unusual form of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. Using the patient's exceptional memory, they created a compensatory system pairing each problem phoneme with distinct finger positions, preserving his recitation accuracy.
A 12-year-old child from a family of rooftop pigeon handlers (kuşbaz) in old Istanbul developed seizures triggered specifically by the swirling patterns of flock flight. Dr. Tasdemir diagnosed pattern-sensitive epilepsy with a unique cultural trigger. Treatment involved specially tinted glasses that disrupted the problematic visual patterns while allowing normal vision, combined with gradual desensitization therapy using video simulations.
Dr. Asst. Prof. MD. Kadir Kaya provided exceptional care for my dermatology condition. The treatment was personalized and effective.