I am writing to share my experience regarding the care I received from Dr. Piesman and his office…read morerelated to my ulcerative colitis treatment from 2021 to 2025. In February 2025, I lost my colon (large intestine), an outcome I believe resulted from years of mismanagement and lack of proper monitoring. At no point during my treatment was I informed that losing my colon was a possible complication of ulcerative colitis. After my surgery, I did not hear from Dr. Piesman until October, when my mother scheduled an appointment. During that visit, he stated that he does not tell patients they could lose their colon because he "doesn't want to scare them."
I also believe my condition was not appropriately monitored throughout my care. This included inadequate follow-up of labs and testing such as calprotectin levels, routine colonoscopies, and monitoring required while I was receiving infliximab. While on infliximab, I was never clearly informed about the seriousness of the medication, its potential risks, or side effects.
At one point, my liver enzymes reached dangerously high levels, which I later learned can be a side effect of infliximab. I only became aware of this after Dr. Piesman's office contacted me because they had received blood work from my primary care doctor, where I had gone for unrelated lab work. The office claimed they believed I had been completing monitoring through my primary doctor, even though they had never provided me with lab orders or informed me that this testing was necessary. During that phone call, I was told the medication could not be causing the elevated liver enzymes, which I later learned was inaccurate because liver toxicity is a known side effect of infliximab.
I ultimately informed the office that I was stopping the medication, and despite this, no one warned me about the potential risks or dangers of abruptly discontinuing treatment. I later returned with additional lab work showing evidence that the medication was responsible for the liver issues.
I was also never informed that patients can develop antibodies to biologic medications like infliximab, which can reduce their effectiveness and require additional monitoring or changes in treatment. I later learned this is a relatively common issue, which made it even more concerning that it was never discussed with me. Throughout my treatment, my condition was repeatedly described as "no big deal," which led me to believe it was not serious or urgent.
Because my mother had known Dr. Piesman for more than 20 years, I trusted him completely and did not question the care I was receiving or research the condition on my own. After everything that happened, I was also disturbed by what felt like an attempt to intimidate me. Dr. Piesman contacted my mother, apologized, and at the same time made comments that I interpreted as veiled threats of legal action, seemingly out of concern for protecting his reputation.
Unfortunately, I ultimately lost my colon, and I believe this outcome could have been prevented if I had been properly informed, monitored, and treated throughout my care. In my opinion, important medical information regarding ulcerative colitis and the medications used to treat it was withheld from me, and I have not seen genuine remorse or accountability from Dr. Piesman or his office.
Based on my experience, I would not recommend Dr. Piesman. I believe the care I received was unsafe, and I strongly encourage others to proceed with caution. My mother, who had been his patient for over 20 years, no longer sees him.
Update 5/13/2026: After posting my experience, I was blocked from their Facebook page, which appeared to be an attempt to remove or silence my comment.
