For the last 4 years, I have had the following symptoms: Gnawing hunger-like pains that get worse leading up to a bowel movement and then often(but not always) subsides afterwards. The discomfort ranges from mild to severe with varying degrees of nausea as well. When the discomfort is severe enough, I will vomit as well. I had a blood work-up as well as endoscopy with biopsy. Nothing was found. Recently, I noticed that during the "hunger-like" pain, I find there is a hard "lump" in my abdominal area (usually around midline, halfway between my navel and my sternum, but sometimes I will notice the hardness in other areas of my abdomen). This lump is throbbing with my heartbeat. As the pain decreases, the lump softens and goes away. I have times of mild constipation and times of mild diarrhea. The constipation and the loose stools don't cause me much distress but the cramping hunger pain and the nausea do. The physician that I saw only checked out my upper G.I. tract, but I get the feeling that it is in the lower G.I. tract. Has anybody else had symptoms such as these? Could it be a spastic colon. It sure seems like something is cramping in my abdomen. Any advice would be much appreciated!!!