I used to live in York and I had a wonderful Dr there, he'd test things out for you purely to put your mind at rest, now I'm back in Essex I find myself actually missing that Dr! It didnt shock me as such as I'd been telling my Dr I thought I had IBS and he'd been telling me no until I did that stool sample, it's more frustration that as you said, there's nothing you can take to make it go away.
I bought deflatine rennies which I might just use as and when for the bloating etc instead of the peppermint caps, I'm just so weary and cautious now that I don't make myself worse, it's like treading on egg shells...
Oh right, I was prescribed Amitryptiline because I ache so much in my back, hips and legs, plus I have depression so my Dr prescribed that as a 2 birds one stone sort of dealio but it didn't work with either problems unfortunately. I'm glad it works for you though, I guess that's part of this nuisance disease, theres no set cure, what works for one won't always work for another, it's all trial by error etc.
I'd struggled with food since I was ten after seeing my dad choking on a sweet, this resulted in me being anorexic and so I found it hugely frustrating that I'd been pushed so much to put on weight and when I finally did, like literally just as I did I got told I had IBS and now have to watch what I eat, my Dr told me about the LOW FODMAP, foods you can and can't eat, I looked at it and thought "great, I'm going to be on birdseed for the rest of my life" I tried it for a day or do and thought okay, this is ridiculous, I'm just gonna eat what I like in small quantities and my stomach approves! I don't eat greasy foods really anyway and what I do eat I just have in small portions rather than pigging out on things.
Anyway, thank you for your time and advice, I hope your stomach is kind to you and your methods continue to work!