Marc Hofmann, MD

Through. Asks questions. A lot of testing. Worked with my allergist and was encouraged by her findings. Prescribed medication and I have gone from 5 severe chest colds a year to NO CHEST COLDS IN almost 3 years. I felt so good the first year I stayed away and when I did come in 14 months later he said I should a least come annually.

Very thorough. He listens to your problems and does his best to fix them.

I was referred to Dr. Hofmann indirectly by my speech pathologist - Dr. Joel Kahane, (who is wonderful), because I have Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy and was having trouble with many things including speech (my muscles spasms and my jaw freezes occasionally as well as my tongue), swallowing (my tongue is weak) and choking issues, esophageal spasms, shortness of breath, shallow breathing, etc. I took a sleep study to determine if I had sleep apnea or any other issues. Life expectancy is 55 to 65 years for my type of muscular dystrophy and weakened breathing muscles are unfortunately common later in life and they generally show up first with shallow breathing and other issues at night because of the prone position and relaxation of the muscles, I am 51. My brother died of respiratory failure in July, he was 56, his symptoms were more progressed than mine, he was not overweight. I am overweight and it has never prevented me from doing anything and I've always, until recently been… active, and now I exercise as much as my MD will allow, I am very mobile still and walk dogs every day. When I initially met with him he did not really say much but gave me a packet of info about sleep apnea exclusively and diet and exercise (a lot of the exercise I cannot even do because of my weakened muscles). Got the data back from my sleep study, I do not have obstructive sleep apnea but I do have some hypoxemia (my oxygen levels dipped below 88% oxygen for 6 minutes). He wanted me to do oxygen therapy and take more tests so that he can make a diagnosis for insurance purposes. Hypoxemia is very common for people with MD1, it usually indicates hypo ventilation, and oxygen therapy is not recommended because it's about the ventilation not the absorption of oxygen. He then said that what I needed to do was lose weight (a lot of weight, the number suggested was something I weighed when I was in high school and too sick to eat) and all my breathing problems would mostly if not totally abate. He said that my weight was, if not entirely, mostly to blame, and weak breathing muscles a distant second. I asked him what he would recommend for someone who was not overweight but had the same symptoms. He said "they wouldn't have the same symptoms". My brother had the same symptoms, my friends and some of my cousins (who are not overweight) who have MD1, (this is a genetic inheritance) have the same symptoms and have to use NIV (non-invasive ventilation at night and sometimes during the day). I brought papers from other doctors about breathing problems and MD1, he glanced at them and handed them back to me. And told me I wasn't hearing what "HE" was saying. I looked him in the eyes and asked him what he recommended. He said "bariatric surgery". I was floored. So floored I could hardly speak. He obviously did not realize that people with MD1 breathing problems can die in surgery because their weakened respiratory muscles cannot handle the anesthesia. Any doctor who knows anything about MD1 and does not have an absolute definite diagnosis (he said earlier he had to do more tests) would never ever jump to the solution as something so radical as to be potentially deadly unless the other option was worse. My cousin with MD1 and cancer died on the operating table because her weakened respiratory muscles could not handle the anesthesia . I told him I wanted a second opinion and apologized for my abruptness. What I came away with and after much thought is that he saw my size and immediately diagnosed my problems and refused to consider any other options or even discuss with me what my concerns and what I thought was happening to my own body. His weight bias could have cost me my life if I did not do my own research. I would not recommend him to anyone, especially someone who is overweight.

he is friendly seems to be very confident and speaks fast but on the first visit he gave a little discouragement pertaining to my illness on the front end then picks me up on the back end..I left feeling more discourage than encourage the damage was already done on the front end..( a little to forward for me iam sensitive) but seem to be very confident and comes recommended from some...

he comes highly recommended from other doctors ..he listens and is writing at the same time,,seems to be very knowledgeable...he has not changed any previous prescribed meds ..I had only 2 visits so far..no long waiting ..talks a little fast so listen closely..

MARC HAS RESTORED MY FAITH IN DOCTORS. HE ISN'T JUST TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK OR WORRY ABOUT LIABLITLITY....HE ACTUALLY CARES FOR HIS PATIENCE. I AM VERY HAPPY I LUCKED INTO HIM