I'm Dr Cheever, a 65-year-old American dentist practicing in rural Montana. I got an inguinal canal hernia on May 22nd, 2025. On May 24th, I visited a Quick Care Physician in Billings, MT, a reputable medical center. My chief complaint was an egg-sized bulge in the right inguinal canal area. Here is a great example of American Health care. Upon visual examination, the doctor would not utter the word "hernia." She first had to confirm with ultrasound and radiography.
The clinic called me on May 28th to set up an ultrasound appointment. Their first available appointment was July 28th. If they're scheduling a two-month wait for a five-minute inguinal canal ultrasound, how long for a radiograph? I may be able to secure a surgical slot in September!
American doctors often seem hesitant to make straightforward diagnoses without multiple redundant tests in many cases. Corporate medicine encourages excessive testing to maximize your insurance benefits. Fact.
Knowing that Turkey offers excellent medical care, I found HERNIA ISTANBUL on Google.
I filled out a brief "contact us" form. Dr. Hakan Gok messaged me through WhatsApp the next day and wrote, paraphrased, "Welcome, come on over, and we'll fix it." Then he wrote, "I'll be gone the first week in June because I'm presenting at the European Hernia Society Conference in Paris".
I googled the conference, and it was legitimate. I flew to Istanbul on June 12th. Surgery was set for June 16th. Dr. Gok arrived and introduced himself, holding an ultrasound device and gel in his hand. Upon first view, he said Yeah, that’s a hernia and in a minute of ultrasound, he said, “I know what you need”.
Dr. Hakan Gok has 20 years of specialty hernia surgical experience. After the ultrasound, I underwent a 12-lead EKG, received an IV placement, had blood drawn for lab tests, and had a chest X-ray. The experience took place in a peaceful, beautiful hospital with a single room offering a view of a botanical garden out my window. They served great food, and had competent and friendly nurses and staff.
Registration, fee payment, diagnostics, the complete surgical work-up, and surgery were finished between 0700 and 14:00 on the 16th, six weeks before Billings Clinic could even arrange an ultrasound!
Just a word about Dr. Gok's nursing staff. They were young, beautiful, and competent. My experience has been that many American nurses are older, overweight, burned out, and looking forward to Friday.
I am writing this Google review from my hotel in Istanbul, 36 hours post/op. I have not needed any pain meds. Yes, sore but elated because the hernia has been repaired after just 25 days. Dr Gok's advanced laparoscopic approach left no bruising, employing just three small access points: one over the belly button and two at midline, slightly above the pelvic bone.
In place of the hernia, I now have a 10 x 15 cm 47th-generation Hi-Tech mesh that is expected to last a lifetime. He provided me with a report describing everything, along with copies of my bloods and EKG results. Hernia Istanbul had a beautiful OR and a great anesthesiologist. Dr. Hakan Gok is the man for quick and precise hernia repair; I recommend him without reservation.
I met Dr. Gok a few days later for a post op check. He changed the small bandages and released me with no restrictions.
Update: Almost two weeks later, I feel perfect, as if the hernia never happened. Istanbul was beautiful, with friendly people, great hotels, and food. The next time I’m not dying but need anything medical, I’m going to the airport, not an American hospital. Overseas, they don’t charge ten dollars for an aspirin. I didn't get what I paid for; I received much more.
SRC
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