Patient Experience
I was on a business trip from Istanbul to Kayseri when I developed sudden, severe abdominal pain. As a foreigner, I was terrified. Dr. Ünlü was on emergency duty at Acibadem. He didn't just treat me as a case; he calmly explained every step in excellent English, ordered precise tests that ruled out appendicitis but identified a rare mesenteric adenitis. His diagnostic skill prevented unnecessary surgery. He personally checked on me three times overnight. His combination of sharp clinical acumen and genuine human compassion turned a medical crisis into a manageable situation. I've never felt so well-cared for far from home.
My 8-year-old daughter, Elif, had persistent fatigue and low-grade fever for weeks. Our pediatrician was stumped. A friend recommended Dr. Ünlü. He spent an entire consultation just observing her play, asking her about school, and listening to her describe her 'tired legs.' He ordered a very specific panel of tests others hadn't considered, revealing a mild but chronic Epstein-Barr virus reactivation. His approach with children is magical—he speaks to them, not just the parents. His treatment plan involved rest and nutrition, not just medication. He called us two days later to see how she was responding. Elif now calls him 'the detective doctor.'
At 78, with diabetes and mild heart failure, I dread hospital visits. My routine checkup with Dr. Ünlü is different. He reviews my file before I enter, remembers my grandson's name, and always asks about my garden first. Last month, he noticed a subtle change in my ankle swelling that I hadn't. He adjusted my diuretic with extreme caution, explaining the 'why' behind each milligram. He coordinates with my cardiologist and endocrinologist seamlessly. He doesn't rush; he invests time in prevention. For an elderly patient, he provides not just treatment, but stability and respect. He makes me feel like a person, not a chart.
After a complex abdominal surgery for adhesions at another hospital, I was left with debilitating digestive issues and no clear answers. My follow-up visits were frustrating. I came to Dr. Ünlü as a last resort. He spent two hours on the initial consultation, drawing diagrams of my anatomy, reviewing every scan slice-by-slice, and listening to my entire history. He hypothesized a post-surgical motility disorder and designed a phased diagnostic and rehabilitation plan. He was honest about the complexity and the time required. Six months into his care, using dietary modulation and prokinetic therapy, I have my life back. His mastery of internal medicine for complex post-surgical cases is extraordinary. He solved the puzzle others abandoned.
I brought my 4-year-old daughter in because she kept tugging at her ear and had a fever for two days. Dr. Ünlü was incredible with her—he didn't just examine her, he showed her his tools first, let her hold the light, and turned it into a game. He diagnosed a tricky middle ear infection that our previous doctor had missed. His gentle approach meant no tears, and his treatment worked perfectly within 48 hours. We've found our permanent ENT for the whole family.
As a 72-year-old with chronic sinusitis and a deviated septum, I'd seen multiple ENTs over decades. Dr. Yaşar Ünlü proposed a combined endoscopic sinus surgery and septoplasty that others had considered too complex for my age. He spent an hour explaining the 3D CT scan, showing me exactly where the blockages were. The surgery at Acibadem was flawless. What impressed me most was his follow-up: he personally called me the evening after surgery and again two days later. My breathing hasn't been this clear in 30 years.
This was a true emergency. I woke up at 3 AM with sudden, complete hearing loss in my right ear and severe vertigo. My wife drove me to Acibadem Kayseri's ER, and Dr. Ünlü was called in immediately despite the hour. He diagnosed idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and started high-dose steroid injections within the critical window. His calm urgency was reassuring. He explained this was a 'medical emergency for the ear' and that every hour counted. After two weeks of intensive treatment, I've recovered about 80% of my hearing—a miracle he made possible.
I'm a 28-year-old teacher with recurrent tonsillitis, visiting for a routine consultation about possible tonsillectomy. Dr. Ünlü did something no other doctor had: he asked about my classroom environment, vocal strain, and even my hydration habits. Instead of immediately recommending surgery, he proposed a detailed 3-month conservative management plan involving specific gargles, hydration tracking, and voice rest techniques. He said, 'Let's try preserving your natural defense system first.' Six months later, my infections have reduced by 90%. His holistic, patient-centered approach saved me from an unnecessary operation.
As a 72-year-old retired history professor who contracted a rare fungal infection after an archaeological dig in Cappadocia, I was terrified when local treatments failed. Dr. Ersoy identified the specific strain through meticulous testing at Kayseri Hospital Acıbadem and designed a targeted antifungal regimen that saved my lungs. Her knowledge of geographically specific pathogens was extraordinary.
Our 8-year-old daughter developed mysterious recurrent fevers that baffled multiple pediatricians. Dr. Ersoy discovered it was a delayed presentation of brucellosis from unpasteurized dairy during a rural family visit. She explained everything to our child using cartoon diagrams of 'bad germs,' making treatment less frightening. The personalized approach for a young patient was remarkable.
I'm a 34-year-old humanitarian aid worker who returned from Central Africa with what I thought was malaria, but my symptoms worsened despite treatment. Dr. Ersoy recognized it was actually drug-resistant typhoid fever with unusual neurological complications. Her experience with tropical diseases saved me from permanent nerve damage through an innovative antibiotic combination.
When my 58-year-old husband developed a life-threatening infection after a routine knee replacement, we faced organ failure. Dr. Ersoy coordinated with surgeons, nephrologists, and intensivists at Kayseri Hospital to create a multi-system treatment plan. She visited his bedside twice daily, adjusting antibiotics based on minute clinical changes. Her relentless monitoring pulled him back from the brink.
After my 12-year-old son's skateboarding accident left him with a complex wrist fracture and nerve concerns, Dr. Ersoy approached his rehabilitation like a puzzle master. Instead of just prescribing exercises, he created a 'mission-based' recovery plan using gamified apps and a small resistance putty shaped like a cartoon character. He spoke directly to my son about 'leveling up' his wrist strength, completely engaging him. The follow-up involved Dr. Ersoy demonstrating subtle finger movements with his own hands, mirroring them for my son to copy—it was like a silent, precise dance. We left not with just a sheet of exercises, but with a sense of adventure about healing.
As an 82-year-old with advanced osteoporosis and a recent vertebral compression fracture, I feared becoming bedridden. Dr. Ersoy's intervention was astonishingly gentle yet transformative. During my first consultation, he spent 10 minutes simply observing how I shifted my weight from my walker to a chair, noting angles I didn't know existed. His treatment wasn't just about my back; he designed a minimalist 'micro-movement' regimen for my ankles and hips to improve overall stability, calling them 'the foundation's foundation.' His tone was one of deep respect, not pity. At Kayseri Hospital, he used a specialized low-intensity ultrasound device I'd never seen before, explaining its mechanism with the calm clarity of a lecturer. My pain decreased, but more importantly, my confidence to move within my new limits soared.
I came to Dr. Ersoy as an emergency referral following a bizarre workplace incident where a falling cable spool struck my shoulder and neck. The pain was acute and confusing, with referred sensations down my arm. Dr. Ersoy conducted an assessment that felt like a forensic investigation. He used a portable thermal imaging camera alongside his physical exam, mapping inflammation hotspots. His diagnosis—a combined brachial plexus irritation and rotator cuff strain—was delivered with rapid, technical precision, yet he immediately sketched a simple diagram on the exam table paper to show me the nerve pathways involved. The acute phase treatment involved a unique combination of targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and immediate, very specific isometric holds I could do at my desk. He turned a chaotic injury into a manageable, understood process within a single visit.
My case was a complex, elective post-surgical follow-up after a failed lumbar fusion left me with chronic pain and scar tissue. Other doctors offered only medication adjustments. Dr. Ersoy approached it as a re-engineering challenge. He obtained my surgical imaging and, using a 3D-printed model of my spine from the hospital's lab, physically showed me how the adhesions were pulling. His rehabilitation plan was unorthodox: it began with manual lymphatic drainage techniques to soften the scar tissue, followed by a carefully sequenced program of 'neurodynamic gliding' exercises, which felt like gently flossing my nervous system. He coordinated with a pain psychologist on staff, framing the recovery as 'recalibrating the pain alarm system.' His style was that of a meticulous architect revising a flawed blueprint, not just a doctor treating symptoms. The progress has been slow but fundamentally different from anything prior.
As a 72-year-old retired beekeeper, I'd lived with an umbilical hernia for years, dismissing it as age. During a routine check for my bees, the pain became unbearable. Dr. Dönder didn't just see a hernia; he noticed my anxiety about being immobilized. He performed a minimally invasive repair, then created a recovery plan that allowed me to tend to my hives with modified movements within days. His understanding that healing isn't just physical, but about returning to what defines us, was extraordinary.
My 8-year-old daughter, Elif, needed an emergency appendectomy during our family vacation in Cappadocia. Far from home and terrified, Dr. Dönder met us at Kayseri Hospital. He calmed her by drawing the procedure as a 'mission to remove a tiny troublemaker' and let her keep the drawing. His skill was matched by his kindness—he even arranged for a post-op balloon. We returned to Istanbul with a healthy child and a story about the surgeon who treated her fear as seriously as her appendix.
I'm a 45-year-old competitive marathon runner. A chronic inguinal hernia threatened my season. Other surgeons offered standard solutions. Dr. Dönder, himself an avid hiker, designed a tailored surgical approach and a phased recovery protocol aligned with my athletic physiology. He coordinated with my physiotherapist. Six months later, I not only completed a marathon but set a personal best. He treated me as an athlete first, a patient second.
Our 19-year-old son, a university student, was diagnosed with a pilonidal sinus. He was embarrassed and delayed treatment. Dr. Dönder spoke with him privately, man-to-man, removing the stigma. He explained the procedure with relatable analogies (calling it 'clearing a blocked drain') and offered a schedule around his exams. The care was so discreet and respectful that our son's confidence returned faster than the wound healed.