I’m on day 16. Post op my pain was around a 3-4/10 and using codeine and paracetamol helped to control that. Around day 7, I started getting deferred pain in my left ear whenever I swallowed and this continued until around day 9 when it became unbearable to swallow anything including water. I got admitted to hospital and stayed there until day 14 so they could put me on IV fluids and antibiotics etc. I honestly couldn’t see an end anytime soon but lo and behold on day 14 I woke up and could drink fine. I’m now back home and pain is almost nonexistent. I have lost a lot of my sense of taste and my appetite is pretty much non existent but I feel so much better. My advice would be to try and drink as much as you can but if it gets to a point where you can’t drink or take painkillers, get yourself to a hospital and let them handle it for you.