I used those gel packs after a gum graft a while back, and I'd second the suggestion to grab two. One alone gets annoying pretty fast. Like you said:
"there's a bit of downtime between switching temps."
Definitely easier than swapping ice bags all day though...
Haha, totally feel you on the gel packs—I cheaped out and only bought one at first, thinking I'd save a few bucks. Big mistake...spent half the day juggling frozen peas and regretting life choices. Two is def the way to go. Hang in there!
Haha, frozen peas...been there, done that. I remember after my graft surgery, I thought I'd be fine with just regular ice cubes wrapped in a towel. Big nope—ended up dripping everywhere and feeling miserable. Gel packs really are a lifesaver; you nailed it with two being the sweet spot. Anyway, you're doing great getting through this recovery phase, just keep hanging on. It gets better pretty soon, promise.
Totally agree about the gel packs, regular ice cubes were a disaster for me too—ended up soaking my pillow and feeling even more uncomfortable. Curious though, did anyone else find sleeping upright tougher than managing the swelling? That's been my biggest struggle so far...
Totally get what you're saying about sleeping upright—it was honestly the toughest part for me too. I tried stacking pillows at first, but they kept sliding around, and I woke up feeling like I'd been wrestling all night. Eventually, I caved and bought one of those wedge pillows online (found a pretty affordable one on sale). It wasn't perfect, but it definitely helped me stay put and get some rest. Swelling was annoying, sure, but nothing compared to the nightly pillow battle...
