Ice packs were definitely helpful for me, but mostly just in the first 48 hours or so. After that, I found they didn't really make much difference, and honestly, it got a bit tedious constantly swapping them out. But everyone's different, so your mileage may vary.
Funny you mentioned the travel pillow—I actually ended up using one too after my implants. Regular pillows made me shift around too much, and I'd wake up sore and uncomfortable. The travel pillow kept my head stable enough that I wasn't accidentally putting pressure on the implant area. It felt a bit silly at first, but hey, whatever works, right?
One other thing that helped me was sleeping slightly elevated for the first week or so. I stacked an extra pillow under my mattress to create a gentle incline. It seemed to reduce swelling and made sleeping more comfortable overall. Might be worth trying if you're still figuring things out.
Also, don't underestimate hydration—drinking plenty of water seemed to speed up my healing process noticeably. I know it sounds basic, but it's easy to overlook when you're focused on pain management and comfort.
Hang in there; it gets easier pretty quickly. Before you know it, you'll barely remember how uncomfortable these first few days were...
I totally feel you on the ice pack thing—I gave up after day two because swapping them out constantly was driving me nuts. Plus, I live in a tiny apartment with an even tinier freezer, so it was like playing Tetris every time I needed to refreeze them, lol.
The travel pillow tip is genius, though. Wish I'd thought of that! Instead, I ended up building this weird pillow fortress around my head every night to stop myself from rolling over. It worked okay-ish, but I woke up looking like I'd survived a tornado most mornings...
Also seconding hydration—it's one of those things that sounds too simple to matter, but seriously makes a difference. I drank tons of water and herbal tea (mostly because it was cheap and soothing), and I swear it helped reduce swelling faster.
Did anyone else find eating tricky at first? I was on a budget and didn't stock up properly beforehand, so ended up living off mashed potatoes and yogurt for days. Any other cheap meal ideas for those early healing days?
Eating was definitely a struggle for me too. I remember thinking I'd be fine with just smoothies and yogurt, but after a couple days, I was dying for something savory. One cheap lifesaver for me was scrambled eggs—soft, filling, and easy to season differently so I didn't lose my mind from boredom. And if you toss in some shredded cheese, it melts nicely and doesn't add much chewing effort.
Another thing I relied on heavily was oatmeal. Super cheap, easy to flavor with fruit preserves or honey, and honestly comforting when you're feeling miserable. I also made a big batch of broth-based soups (think chicken noodle minus the noodles, lol)—just simmered veggies until they were super soft and mashed them a bit. Pretty tasty, nutritious, and budget-friendly.
Totally agree on the hydration thing, btw. Ginger tea was my absolute hero—cheap, soothing, and it seemed to help with swelling and discomfort too. Definitely recommend giving it a shot if you haven't already.
Scrambled eggs were a lifesaver for me too, but honestly, after a week I couldn't even look at another egg without feeling queasy, haha. Did you try mashed sweet potatoes at all? They're soft enough to eat easily, and you can season them savory or sweet depending on your mood. Also curious—did your dentist recommend any specific foods or supplements to speed up healing? Mine suggested vitamin C and zinc, said it helps with tissue recovery...
