Dear Harlan,

So, I have some sort of stomach condition - no doctor can diagnose it, but I'm going to specialists and all that. Anyway, whatever problem I have, it makes me really sick and I need to use the bathroom a lot. I'm really self-conscious about it, and sharing a bathroom with 10 strangers doesn't help that. Does anyone have any advice?

Bad Stomach

Dear Bad Stomach,

The more you draw attention to your stomach issue, the more other people will talk about it. I promise - no one cares as much as you. The less you focus on this, the less people will care or even think about it. If someone makes a comment, you can choose to ignore it or casually mention that you have a medical issue. Most people have a family member or friend with some kind of gastrointestinal issue. Anyone who wants to make you feel bad about going to the bathroom is someone you don't need in your life. As for this condition, I'd ramp up your visits with doctors and find a GI doctor (aka gastroenterologist). There must be someone who can diagnose this.