Cramps during late pregnancy

I'm 34 weeks pregnant, and for the past five days I've been getting what feel like extremely bad period cramps.
Sometimes when I get them I feel like I have to go the bathroom (and when I do, I have diarreha (sp?) but most of the time I don't.
I was just wondering if they're normal or not and what they are.  I have been told they might be braxton hicks conctractions but I thought that was when you're stomach tightens/hardens then goes back to normal.  I only get cramps and no hardening/tightening.

[babypooh]

I had braxton hicks when I was in my late pregnancy and they did feel like bad cramps. That's normal. I'm really not sure what the diarrhea has to do with it, but the body does go out of wack with pregnancy :) Don't worry, I'm sure it's normal, but talk to your doctor if you have any doubts :)

[Lyndseey]

Alright, thank you (:
I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday so I'll ask him then.