The Mayo Clinic defines Ulcerative Colitis as: “An inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers (sores) in your digestive tract. Ulcerative Colitis affects the innermost lining of your large intensive (colon) and rectum. Symptoms usually develop over time, rather than suddenly.
Google defines Ulcerative Colitis as: “A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Ulcerative Colitis is usually only in the innermost lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum forms range from mild to severe. Having Ulcerative Colitis puts a patient at increase risk of developing colon cancer.
Symptoms include rectal bleeding, bleeding diarrhea, abdominal cramps, pain and bathroom visits.
Treatment includes medications and surgery.
Yet, you better than me fully understands your condition and its effects, the frequency of your cramps, pain and bathroom visits.
Yet, Social Security Medical Listing 5.06 refers to it as inflammatory bowel disease which is not exactly the same, and it claims to require:
5.06 Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) documented by endoscopy, biopsy, appropriate medically acceptable imaging, or operative findings with:
- Obstruction of stenotic areas (not adhesions) in the small intestine or colon with proximal dilatation, confirmed by appropriate medically acceptable imaging or in surgery, requiring hospitalization for intestinal decompression or for surgery, and occurring on at least two occasions at least 60 days apart within a consecutive 6-month period.
OR
- Two of the following despite continuing treatment as prescribed and occurring within the same consecutive 6-month period.
- Anemia with hemoglobin of less than 10.0 g/dL, present on at least two evaluations at least 60 days apart; or
- Serum albumin 3.0 g/dL or less, present on at least two evaluations at least 60 days apart; or
- Clinically documented tender abdominal mass palpable on physical examination with abdominal pain or cramping that is not completely controlled by prescribed narcotic medication, present on at least two evaluations at least 60 days apart; or
- Perineal disease with a draining abscess or fistula, with pain that is completely controlled by prescribed narcotic medication, present on at least two evaluations at least 60 days apart; or
- Involuntary weight loss of at least 10 percent from baseline, as combined in pounds, kilograms, or BMI, present on at least two evaluations at least 60 days apart; or
- Need for supplemental daily enteral nutrition via a gastrostomy or daily parenteral nutrition via a central venous catheter.
Yes, you are right this does not state how the condition affects your ability to work, it is all about medical records confirming the above that is one of the reasons you most read your medical records to see what they say and what they do not say.
The truth is if you where to take this to your treating doctor he may tell that these requirements really do not fully cover all the effects of the condition nor state condition fully ramifications, yet there is standard set many years ago by the Social Security Administration.
In one of my most recent hearings, after talking to the claimant, the claimant’s family and her doctor’s notes, it was clear how to present this case at the hearing in particular since every person is very different, the condition may affect them different manners, medications may help or not, or side effects may be different in everyone, it is here very important that your attorney carefully listens to you and mostly how you believe your condition prevents you from working, this is not a simple inflammatory bowel disease to you, this is a complete life changing conditions, and there lies how to present your case to the Social Security Administration Law Judge, who may not fully understand your condition, and will require that your attorney educates him or her.
I would be honored to represent you in your claim for Social Security disability benefits, please call me for a phone or in person consultation to discuss your case at 407-894-4779.