M.D. Gülçin Taşkın Ak

As a 72-year-old retired maritime historian with a rare autoimmune vasculitis that baffled three specialists, Dr. Ak approached my case like a detective. Instead of just treating symptoms, she connected my Mediterranean sailing history with specific environmental triggers, designing a targeted immunosuppressive regimen that allowed me to continue my archival work without the debilitating fatigue that had plagued me for years.

During a planned business trip from Seoul to Istanbul, I, a 41-year-old tech executive, developed sudden, severe abdominal pain. Dr. Ak at Bagdat Caddesi Medical Center diagnosed not appendicitis, but an unusual mesenteric adenitis linked to a recent viral infection. Her conservative, non-surgical management with precise monitoring saved me from an unnecessary operation and had me back in negotiations within 48 hours.

My 8-year-old daughter, a competitive junior gymnast, began experiencing unexplained dizziness and exercise intolerance. Pediatricians dismissed it as 'growth pains.' Dr. Ak, however, ordered a tilt-table test and diagnosed postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Her collaborative plan with a pediatric cardiologist and a tailored hydration/compression therapy protocol gave my daughter her balance back—both physically and in her passion for the sport.

A 58-year-old ceramic artist, I was convinced my chronic joint pain and dry eyes were just aging. Dr. Ak noticed the specific pattern in my finger joints and the faint rash on my knuckles. She diagnosed Sjögren's syndrome with rheumatoid overlap, a connection others had missed. Her treatment not only eased my pain but preserved the fine motor control essential for my intricate glaze work.