Common symptoms
- ▸Abdominal cramping
- ▸Diarrhea, constipation, or alternating
- ▸Bloating, gas
- ▸Mucus in stool
- ▸Symptoms triggered by stress
Common evidence
- ▸GI evaluation ruling out other causes
- ▸Symptom diary
- ▸Treatment notes
- ▸Mental health records (for PTSD-secondary claims)
Primary service connection examples
- ▸Gulf War / SW Asia service (presumptive)
- ▸In-service GI complaints
Secondary service connection examples
- ▸Secondary to PTSD
- ▸Secondary to anxiety disorder
Rating basics
0% (mild — disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes), 10% (moderate — frequent episodes), 30% (severe — diarrhea or alternating with constipation, more or less constant abdominal distress).
Common denial reasons
- ✕No GI workup ruling out other causes
- ✕Symptoms not documented with frequency
- ✕No nexus for secondary