Should I get tested for endometriosis?

[galaxygirl7]

I am 21 years old.
When I was younger (12 years old) my periods used to be pretty regular and last 6 days, but I always had very bad cramps. Advil used to help my cramps, and I would only take medicine if I absolutely needed it because I didn't want my body to get used to it.

Eventually my cramps got worse and worse and my period less regular so I started to go on birth control to help with that. When I was in high school, I started to develop pain in my tailbone. By the time I turned 17, the pain spread to my left hip.

Now, at 21, I have periods that last 1.5 weeks (one time it lasted a month and I had to get medication to make it stop!) I have horrible cramps lasting 3+ days, and the pain in my hip is constant. It hurts every single day, and gets 10x worse during my period. The pain in my tailbone is only occasional though.

I did research and saw that in the case where endometriosis affects the hip, it almost always affects the left hip only, which is exactly what I have. I am not sure if this is what I have, or if it's just really bad cramps. I also read that these can be symptoms of other conditions.

NOTE: I got an ultrasound done for polyps or fibroids and I don't have any. Also, I don't have STDs.
I also did physio for my hip. The specialist said that if the physio helps, it is just a joint problem. The physio actually made the pain WORSE. So I don't think it's a joint problem.

Any insight?

[ticked]

Sorry I hope I didn't come off as aggressive.. That was not my intention to scare you :) There is so much information that is wrong out there that I don't want you to get the wrong information. I live in Mississauga and you have one of the top Endo surgeons in Canada right there!! He did two of my surgeries my last being in May. His name is Dr. Leyland and he is at McMaster Hospital. See if you can be referred to him :) If you do get the referral I would like to maybe help you before you go see him with Questions and what he might say. He is a great surgeon but his bedside manner not so great all the time.

[galaxygirl7]

Thanks for replying, I appreciate the feedback!
I don't know much about endometriosis. When I was researching, it said that when it affects the hip, it most commonly affects the left hip. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that. I didn't mean it only affects the left hip.

The hip pain gets a lot worse during my periods. when I get my period the hip pain is actually worse than my cramps, and my cramps are pretty bad.

I live in hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I am going to see my doctor about this next week but I doubt she will help, she is never very helpful with anything when I see her.

[ticked]

I can tell you right now that it can't be true that it just effects the left hip. My right hip was and still has always been an issue but the left SI Joint is stuck. Does the hip pain get worse with your periods?

The symptoms you describe do sound a lot like Endometriosis but unfortunately there is no test to say yes or no, only minimally invasive Laparoscopic surgery. That being said if this is something that is suspect I would advise you to see someone who specializes in Endometriosis because not many doctors understand it and nor do many gyno's know how to operate on it properly.

You can message me your whereabouts and I can find a good specialist close to you hopefully.

If you want you can read my journals because your symptoms sound a lot like mine along time ago.

I am not a doctor just a patient advocate for Endometriosis. I can't tell you what you need to do only give information based on my past experiences as well as ones from thousands of Endosisters I have talked to in the last two years over social media.