How I cope

I'm a 63 year old male who was diagnosed with IBS in summer of '94.The gastroenterologist refused to give anything strong for the pain but did give me Bentyl.What did that do? Nothing except paralyze the bladder's detrusor muscle to where most of the urine is retained during urination thereby increasing urination frequency tenfold. What GARBAGE! He also said I'd have to take 2 Fibercons or drink that Metamucil stuff every day for the rest of my life.He did not go into what and what not to eat.Oh by the way he said to never use codeine because it would constipate me and all that stuff or should I say "stuffing?"My IBS went from a 10(highest)to now a 1(lowest)and here's why. Number one..food..I myself saw no relationship to what I ate to pain with one exception.Even while using lactaid instead of whole or skimmed milk in a bowl of "munchies" in the morning, by the afternoon I'd be crampy but good. That seemed odd because I had no trouble eating ice cream,all kinds of cheeses, yogurts etc. So what was the culprit? Those "munchies." I no longer eat cold cereals of any kind.Next,that psylium doctors want you to take in the form of Metamucil and pill form.I TOSSED THEM ALL OUT and discovered that once I cleansed my system of Fibercon,I felt like a new man. No one ever tells you this but that stuff can IRRITATE the bowel instead of easing the passage of feces. So all of you who are hooked on that kind of stuff, deep six it and watch what happens.I noticed a pattern.I am regular like clockwork and noticed that after an early morning BM,I'd feel a bit of pain so for about a year, I'd take a Darvocet after the BM. Pain GONE. But if by chance I require a second BM during the day, THAT'S WHEN THE PAIN WOULD REALLY BEGIN so...I simply pop one Tylenol #3 with codeine and pain 90-100% gone.Oh there's a bit of discomfort occasionally and the frequency of urination might increase too, but what's the deal?The BIG ACHES are no longer there. Those of you who refuse to take something like codeine for IBS pain are making a mistake.I'm not addicted in the least.Pain killers are made to be taken and if one constantly worries about the"evils" of taking one or two a day, then sorry..you'll suffer while I won't.I'll be damned if I'll live in pain.I'm saying that a bit of codeine is very very effective for this IBS problem and if your doctor won't Rx it, find another doctor.And of course there's the psychological angle as well.If you're going to become a prisoner to IBS, then you're finished. The idea is to control IT and not the other way around.There are a lot more serious pains from REAL ILLNESSES than IBS.