IBS secondary to PTSD?

Makarov

Well-Known Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
Does anyone know if IBS is secondary to PTSD? I started having trouble about a month ago. I thought it was the new medication causing the problem but my psychiatrist says it’s not. Could it just be a delayed onset of symptoms?
 
I have a separate rating for both, not secondary, just my example.

Only connection I could think of is PTSD related stressors screwing up your body chemistry, and it may be an ulcer? Unless its diagnosed IBS?
 
I have a separate rating for both, not secondary, just my example.

Only connection I could think of is PTSD related stressors screwing up your body chemistry, and it may be an ulcer? Unless its diagnosed IBS?
What was the nexus you had for service connection? Constipation and stomach pain are side effects of the anti-depressant I’m on. That’s why I thought it might be secondary.
 
Another avenue for service connection could be presumptive if you have service in the Gulf defined in the last paragraph below.

38 CFR § 3.317 Compensation for certain disabilities occurring in Persian Gulf veterans.

(i) For purposes of this section, a qualifying chronic disability means a chronic disability resulting from any of the following (or any combination of the following):

(A) An undiagnosed illness;

(B) A medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness that is defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms, such as:

(1) Chronic fatigue syndrome;

(2) Fibromyalgia;

(3) Functional gastrointestinal disorders (excluding structural gastrointestinal diseases).

Functional gastrointestinal disorders are a group of conditions characterized by chronic or recurrent symptoms that are unexplained by any structural, endoscopic, laboratory, or other objective signs of injury or disease and may be related to any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Specific functional gastrointestinal disorders include, but are not limited to, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, functional vomiting, functional constipation, functional bloating, functional abdominal pain syndrome, and functional dysphagia. These disorders are commonly characterized by symptoms including abdominal pain, substernal burning or pain, nausea, vomiting, altered bowel habits (including diarrhea, constipation), indigestion, bloating, postprandial fullness, and painful or difficult swallowing. Diagnosis of specific functional gastrointestinal disorders is made in accordance with established medical principles, which generally require symptom onset at least 6 months prior to diagnosis and the presence of symptoms sufficient to diagnose the specific disorder at least 3 months prior to diagnosis.


(e) Service. For purposes of this section:

(1) The term Persian Gulf veteran means a veteran who served on active military, naval, or air service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

(2) The Southwest Asia theater of operations refers to Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations.
 
@DeepSeaTexan I have 5 deployments to OIF/OEF locations and have claimed headaches, IBS, skin conditions and PTSD all related to deployments and noted on post-deployment health assessments, my claims were presumptive in regards to OIF/OEF conditions.
 
I was denied IBS the first time that I applied for it. Went to a gastroenterologist and explained to him what was going on with my digestive system while in Iraq. I had a colonoscopy to rule out polyps. He wrote a letter stating that my anxiety played a part in my IBS. I ended up with 30% after filing my NOD.
 
I was denied IBS the first time that I applied for it. Went to a gastroenterologist and explained to him what was going on with my digestive system while in Iraq. I had a colonoscopy to rule out polyps. He wrote a letter stating that my anxiety played a part in my IBS. I ended up with 30% after filing my NOD.
Good to know. Seems like following up frequently is the best way to ensure service connection and not getting underrated.
 
Another avenue for service connection could be presumptive if you have service in the Gulf defined in the last paragraph below.

38 CFR § 3.317 Compensation for certain disabilities occurring in Persian Gulf veterans.

(i) For purposes of this section, a qualifying chronic disability means a chronic disability resulting from any of the following (or any combination of the following):

(A) An undiagnosed illness;

(B) A medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness that is defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms, such as:

(1) Chronic fatigue syndrome;

(2) Fibromyalgia;

(3) Functional gastrointestinal disorders (excluding structural gastrointestinal diseases).

Functional gastrointestinal disorders are a group of conditions characterized by chronic or recurrent symptoms that are unexplained by any structural, endoscopic, laboratory, or other objective signs of injury or disease and may be related to any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Specific functional gastrointestinal disorders include, but are not limited to, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, functional vomiting, functional constipation, functional bloating, functional abdominal pain syndrome, and functional dysphagia. These disorders are commonly characterized by symptoms including abdominal pain, substernal burning or pain, nausea, vomiting, altered bowel habits (including diarrhea, constipation), indigestion, bloating, postprandial fullness, and painful or difficult swallowing. Diagnosis of specific functional gastrointestinal disorders is made in accordance with established medical principles, which generally require symptom onset at least 6 months prior to diagnosis and the presence of symptoms sufficient to diagnose the specific disorder at least 3 months prior to diagnosis.


(e) Service. For purposes of this section:

(1) The term Persian Gulf veteran means a veteran who served on active military, naval, or air service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

(2) The Southwest Asia theater of operations refers to Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations.
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately I have never deployed to the Middle East. I am an instructor at the aviation water survival school at NAS Pensacola and my PTSD stems from the shooting that happened in December. 3 of my students were killed by a Saudi student.
 
@DeepSeaTexan I have 5 deployments to OIF/OEF locations and have claimed headaches, IBS, skin conditions and PTSD all related to deployments and noted on post-deployment health assessments, my claims were presumptive in regards to OIF/OEF conditions.
Yea another user said the same thing. Unfortunately it’s not applicable to me. Florida is the most hostile place I’ve been.
 
I am so sorry about that. Either have your PCM do a referral or make an appointment yourself. I can tell you first hand when my anxiety gets the best of me it really messes with my IBS.
 
I am so sorry about that. Either have your PCM do a referral or make an appointment yourself. I can tell you first hand when my anxiety gets the best of me it really messes with my IBS.
Yea thanks for the advice. I have a tele-appt with my PCM tomorrow. Hopefully he can send me to a specialist because this has been going on for like a month now and it sucks. Super embarrassing to have to leave multiple times during therapy sessions cause I have to use the head.
 
To have the most favorable outcome on any claim is to first have a medical diagnosis, followed by a very well written nexus if the disability doesn’t have an LOD.
 
This post covers SOME of the secondary conditions linked to PTSD, some require a nexus, some are presumptive with service in certain areas of operation. SMC-K around post 36.

 
To have the most favorable outcome on any claim is to first have a medical diagnosis, followed by a very well written nexus if the disability doesn’t have an LOD.
Currently my PCM just diagnosed it as constipation. I suspect that will change once I see a specialist. Constipation and stomach pain are both side effects of two of the medications I’m taking. I think that would suffice for a nexus?
 
The VA rates IBS separately to PTSD. Stress can affect both diseases processes.
 
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