Assoc. Prof. M.D. Suna Yapalı

As a 72-year-old with a lifelong fear of hospitals, my experience with Dr. Suna Yapalı was transformative. I arrived at Acibadem Kadikoy with unexplained weight loss and abdominal pain that other clinics dismissed as 'old age.' Dr. Yapalı didn't just glance at my file—she spent 45 minutes asking about my dietary history back to my childhood in Anatolia. She discovered a rare motility disorder through a specialized manometry test she personally arranged. Her treatment plan involved dietary adjustments rather than aggressive medication, respecting my body's changing needs. Six months later, I've regained 5 kilos and can enjoy meals with my grandchildren again. She treats the person, not just the chart.

Our 8-year-old daughter developed severe, recurrent abdominal pain that kept her from school. Pediatricians suggested it was anxiety, but Dr. Yapalı at Acibadem Kadikoy approached it differently. She used cartoon diagrams to explain digestion to our daughter, making her laugh instead of cry during examinations. Through gentle questioning, she uncovered a food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome triggered by school lunches. Dr. Yapalı coordinated with a pediatric nutritionist to create a safe meal plan and even called the school nurse herself to explain the condition. Our daughter hasn't missed a day of school in three months. Dr. Yapalı has the rare gift of healing children without frightening them.

I arrived at the emergency department at 2 AM with bleeding I feared was cancer-related. Dr. Yapalı, who was on call, managed my case with astonishing calmness. While others might have rushed to surgery, she performed an emergency endoscopy herself and identified a Dieulafoy's lesion—a rare arterial malformation. She achieved hemostasis using advanced clipping techniques, avoiding major surgery. What stood out was her post-procedure care: she visited me hourly through the night, explaining each step to my anxious family in the waiting room. At follow-up, she reviewed my genetic history and found similar vascular patterns in relatives, recommending preventive screenings for my entire family. She turned a traumatic emergency into comprehensive family healthcare.

As a competitive marathon runner, my persistent GERD symptoms were destroying my performance. Sports doctors focused only on training regimens, but Dr. Yapalı investigated how gastrointestinal physiology interacts with extreme endurance. She used pH-impedance monitoring during simulated exercise conditions and discovered my LES pressure dropped dramatically at high heart rates. Instead of standard PPIs, she designed a timed medication schedule around my training, developed a pre-race nutritional protocol, and taught me diaphragmatic breathing techniques to maintain sphincter tone. My reflux episodes decreased by 90%, and I recently qualified for Boston. Dr. Yapalı understands that 'normal' treatment isn't always optimal for extraordinary lifestyles.