M.D. Nevin Çakıcı

For three years, I was a prisoner in my own body due to trigeminal neuralgia. The electric shock-like pain in my face made eating and speaking unbearable. I had seen several neurologists and tried countless medications with terrible side effects. Dr. Çakıcı was my last hope before considering risky brain surgery. At Acıbadem Bakırköy, she didn't just prescribe another pill. She spent an hour mapping my pain pathways with a precision I'd never experienced, then proposed a targeted pulsed radiofrequency ablation. The procedure itself was minimally invasive—I was awake and talking through it. The relief was immediate and profound. It's been eight months now, and I've reduced my medication by 80%. Dr. Çakıcı gave me back my smile, literally and figuratively. Her approach is both scientific and deeply human.

Our 8-year-old son developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in his right leg after a seemingly minor ankle sprain. For months, he couldn't bear weight, and the limb turned discolored and cold. Pediatricians were baffled. Dr. Nevin Çakıcı specializes in adults, but she agreed to consult. She transformed her examination into a game, using colored markers to draw 'pain maps' on his leg. Her diagnosis was swift and confident. She designed a unique pediatric pain management plan combining very low-dose sympathetic nerve blocks (performed with ultrasound guidance while he watched cartoons) with a guided physical therapy program she coordinated herself. She called us every Friday for a month to check his progress. The change was miraculous. He's now back playing football. She treated our child not as a small adult, but with a completely adapted, gentle methodology.

I arrived at Acıbadem Bakırköy's ER at 2 AM with an acute lumbar disc herniation—I couldn't move my left foot and was in excruciating pain. The on-call neurologist recommended immediate surgery. Dr. Çakıcı, who was consulted, had a different view. She came to the ER in her scrubs, reviewed my MRI, and performed a detailed neurological exam. She argued that with urgent but non-surgical intervention, I might avoid an operation. She administered an emergency epidural steroid injection under fluoroscopy right there. The pain dropped from a 10 to a 4 in minutes. She admitted me for observation and started me on a specialized neuropathic pain protocol. By morning, I had some movement back in my foot. She averted major surgery with decisive, expert action during a crisis. Her emergency pain management skills are extraordinary.

As a 72-year-old with advanced osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, my pain was chronic and multidimensional. Previous doctors offered only opioid prescriptions, which left me foggy and depressed. My first consultation with Dr. Çakıcı was a two-hour comprehensive assessment. She didn't just look at my MRI; she asked about my daily life, my garden, my sleep, and my goals (I wanted to be able to hold my granddaughter without wincing). She crafted a 'geriatric pain mosaic' strategy: a series of mild facet joint injections for the spine, a tailored aquatic therapy referral, a medication review that eliminated three unnecessary drugs, and a novel topical gel compound. She also connected me with a psychologist specializing in chronic pain in the elderly. This wasn't a single treatment; it was a rebuilt ecosystem of care. My pain is now manageable, and my clarity has returned. She treats the whole life, not just the symptom.