Patient Experience
I was visiting Istanbul from Germany when I developed severe abdominal pain. As an 82-year-old with a complex cardiac history, I was terrified. Dr. Gülsan Sucak at Acibadem Atasehir Hospital was my emergency consult. She didn't just treat the gastritis; she noticed an irregularity in my EKG that my own cardiologist had missed for months. Her command of English was flawless, and she coordinated with my German doctors directly. She spent 45 minutes explaining the interaction between my medications and my new condition. This wasn't just emergency care; it was potentially life-saving preventative medicine. I've since transferred all my records to her for ongoing management.
Our 8-year-old son, Leo, has a rare metabolic disorder that requires extremely precise management. After three specialists gave up, saying his case was 'too volatile,' we found Dr. Sucak. She approached his pediatric internal medicine case not as a textbook problem, but as a puzzle. She created a color-coded chart for his diet, medication, and activity levels that he could understand himself. During a scary metabolic crisis last winter, she answered our panicked WhatsApp call at 11 PM and talked us through stabilization until we reached the hospital. Her follow-up isn't just a prescription refill; it's a detailed analysis of his growth charts and school performance. She treats the whole child, not just the disease.
I'm a 45-year-old software engineer who went in for what I thought was a routine checkup for fatigue. Dr. Sucak's 'routine' is anything but. Instead of just running standard labs, she conducted a meticulous 90-minute history, asking about my work-from-home posture, my caffeine intake timing, and even my screen brightness settings. She diagnosed a previously undetected mild sleep apnea and a vitamin D deficiency linked to my indoor lifestyle. Her treatment plan wasn't just pills; it was a tailored regimen of light therapy, ergonomic adjustments, and breathing exercises. Six months later, my cognitive function at work has improved dramatically. She practices medicine like a detective and a coach combined.
Following a complex Whipple procedure for pancreatic issues at another hospital, my recovery was plagued by unexplained fevers and weight loss. My surgeon was dismissive. I came to Dr. Sucak for a second opinion in internal medicine. She reviewed my 200-page file overnight and identified a subtle, drug-induced liver injury from the post-op antibiotics that everyone else had overlooked. She managed to coordinate a team of a hepatologist, a nutritionist, and an infectious disease specialist within Acibadem, acting as the quarterback of my care. Her follow-up visits are structured like scientific debriefs—she tracks variables no one else considers. She didn't just heal the complication; she restored my faith in medical advocacy.