[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Hi Leah,

So I too was told my breasts were dense, in an off-handed manner, by the mammo tech, explaining why I had to have more pics taken.

I was never given a report, had a conversation w/my then gyn. It was not suggested that dense could put you at higher risk for bc. Perhaps an ultrasound should have been advised w/ea mammo. Perhaps a breast surgeon exam ev 6 mnth would have been order. Heaven knows what one can do in such a situation. But surely awareness, information the patient of all that's involved, not to scare them but to ARM them would be among the patient's rights.

I had a paternal mother/my grandmother and a paternal sister/my aunt who had bc.

All this info was given to the doc. Admittedly at a time, they poo pooed paternal genes, which always seemed crazy, as we are the composite of our parents and their family's genes.

Recently I ended my relationship w/my endocrinologist. Had her office fax my internist as I searched for a new endo person.

Found new endo doc and asked internist's office to fax potential new doc, as his office requested, prior to meeting, for in depth perusal and thought I would hope. No, according to HIPA only the initial doc can fax records to a new doc.

So I had to call old endo doc whose office is a positive disaster, doesn't return calls, is snippy and uncooperative. Then I asked if I could have a copy of my records. Only if I pay for them. But can send free to new doc.

Don't I have a right to my records??? Isn't that within the patients' rights bill? Only for a fee????

Called internist as I realized my newest thyroid U/S was at his office. They could fax me the report, as it initiated from their office. But I had to pick up the U/S, they couldn't fax it to me.

All this sounds very wrong.

But, most especially, my right my to gyn or onocol's records of me, w/o cost!!! So I can then distribute as I see fit, to cardiol, to potential new docs, etc.

If I'd known what dense breasts meant, above and beyond, more mammo pics, I'd have been vigilant. Between my docs and me we could have found my invasive lobular 9 cm tumor hiding perhaps yrs before!!

Early detection saves lives!!

I know so many women with dense breasts!!!

I want the legal right to the report docs apparently write but do not send to patients they find at high risk of bc due to the density level of their breasts. This could save lives. It should be the law. Don't you think???