Gastroparesis

DC 7308Digestive38 CFR 4.114, DC 7308

A condition where your stomach cannot empty food at a normal pace, causing nausea, vomiting, bloating, and feeling full after eating very little. The VA rates gastroparesis under stomach condition criteria based on how much the symptoms affect your health and daily life.

How the VA rates this condition

The VA rates this condition based on how often symptoms occur and how severe each episode is. The examiner will ask about the frequency, duration, and intensity of your episodes, as well as how they affect your ability to work.

Diagnostic code

DC 7308

Rating range

10% – 60%

Rating levels

Rating criteria are defined in 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7308. This guide presents a plain-language summary and is not a substitute for the full regulatory text. Always consult a VSO or VA-accredited attorney for case-specific advice.

Rating Levels

You have severe gastroparesis with near-constant nausea and vomiting, significant weight loss, and the need for gastric electrical stimulation or jejunostomy tube feeding to maintain nutrition.

What the VA looks for

Near-constant nausea and vomiting
Significant weight loss and malnutrition
Gastric electrical stimulation device implanted
Jejunostomy or feeding tube required
Frequent hospitalizations for dehydration or malnutrition
Anemia documented on lab work

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a gastric emptying study (scintigraphy) to objectively confirm the diagnosis — the VA needs proof that your stomach empties too slowly, not just your reported symptoms.
⚠Not documenting weight loss over time with regular weigh-ins — weight loss is a key factor that separates higher ratings from lower ones.
⚠Not connecting gastroparesis to a service-connected condition like diabetes, which is a leading cause of gastroparesis and supports a secondary service connection claim.
⚠Not keeping a food and symptom diary showing how gastroparesis limits what you can eat, how often you vomit, and how it disrupts your daily life and work.
⚠Not reporting all treatments tried, including medications like metoclopramide or domperidone, dietary changes, and any surgical interventions — this shows the VA how severe your condition is.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Stomach and Duodenal Conditions

View evidence checklist →C&P exam prep guide →See secondary conditions →

Related Conditions

Conditions commonly associated with Gastroparesis or rated under the same body system.

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

DC 7346·Digestive

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Hepatitis C

Crohn's Disease

Hemorrhoids

Ulcerative Colitis

Hiatal Hernia

Liver Cirrhosis

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Gastroparesis

How the VA rates this condition

Diagnostic code

DC 7308

Rating range

10% – 60%

Rating levels

Rating Levels

You have severe gastroparesis with near-constant nausea and vomiting, significant weight loss, and the need for gastric electrical stimulation or jejunostomy tube feeding to maintain nutrition.

What the VA looks for

Near-constant nausea and vomiting
Significant weight loss and malnutrition
Gastric electrical stimulation device implanted
Jejunostomy or feeding tube required
Frequent hospitalizations for dehydration or malnutrition
Anemia documented on lab work

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a gastric emptying study (scintigraphy) to objectively confirm the diagnosis — the VA needs proof that your stomach empties too slowly, not just your reported symptoms.

⚠Not documenting weight loss over time with regular weigh-ins — weight loss is a key factor that separates higher ratings from lower ones.

⚠Not connecting gastroparesis to a service-connected condition like diabetes, which is a leading cause of gastroparesis and supports a secondary service connection claim.

⚠Not keeping a food and symptom diary showing how gastroparesis limits what you can eat, how often you vomit, and how it disrupts your daily life and work.

⚠Not reporting all treatments tried, including medications like metoclopramide or domperidone, dietary changes, and any surgical interventions — this shows the VA how severe your condition is.