RESUMEN
The etiology for concurrent attacks of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can be obscure. Mast cell activation syndrome is not usually considered in this differential diagnosis. A 53-year-old paint salesman suffered severe attacks of these symptoms for the 3 decades of his career. Nortriptyline, loperamide, hyoscyamine, and ondansetron failed to address his symptoms. Mast cell activation syndrome was ultimately diagnosed. Intravenous mast cell-targeted therapy reduced severity of attacks. Multiple oral mast cell-targeted treatments were ineffective, but addition of low-dose imatinib resulted in dramatic improvement. Recognition that paint-fume exposure-triggered attacks led to behavioral modifications which further reduced symptoms.