Open sores that develop in the lining of the stomach or upper small intestine, often causing pain and bleeding.
For the 100% post-operative rating, records showing surgery for perforation or hemorrhage and the date of that surgery are central. For the 60% rating, medical records documenting continuous abdominal pain, episodes of vomiting blood or tarry stools, and laboratory or clinical findings of anemia are important, as are hospital admission records from the past 12 months. For the 40% or 20% ratings, records that show the frequency and duration of your episodes matter most. Treatment records or pharmacy records confirming daily prescribed medication, and clinical notes or a provider's statement that episodes lasted at least three consecutive days, directly address those criteria. A personal statement or a statement from someone who lives with you describing how often episodes occur, how long they last, and how they affect your work and daily activities can help establish frequency and severity. For any rating above 0%, endoscopy reports or diagnostic imaging studies are needed to establish the underlying diagnosis. Those same records also support the 0% rating when symptoms do not yet meet a higher threshold.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
