I just had a bleeding ulcer a few months ago and had to spend a week in the hospital. I bled out a 1/4 of my blood and then shit it all out. I know pretty disgusting. I thought I was dying. It was some of the worst pain I have ever had. I didnt feel good for a couple of days, but wasnt sure what was wrong. Then it hit me at work and I had the worst case of solid black diareaha and I had to leave. Tried to go home and sleep it off and the wife made me go to the ER because I was so white from losing so much blood. Anyways after speaking with the Gastroenterologist's, they said that most of what you hear about ulcers is false. 99% of the time they are caused by a bacteria called H.Pylori. However things like stress and pop and spicy foods can aggravate an already existing ulcer, none of that stuff causes them.