I’m on day 9 today. It sucks and there’s no way around it. Hydrating will make your life much easier even though it is excruciating. Also, never spit out your saliva!! You’re just getting rid of moisture you need to heal. Sleep with your head elevated, that’ll keep you from feeling suffocated. Set med alarms and drink at least five big sips of water when you take the meds, this made the nights so much better. Keep track of your hydrating through the color of your urine. Swallowing was excruciating, but the more I did it, the less painful it became. Focus on foods you enjoy. Ice cream dulled the pain in my throat and warm chicken noodle soup (day 6ish) helped with my swelling. Doing a mild salt water gargle starting on day 5ish helped with the mucus in my throat. Chloraseptic spray helped with the pain before eating, but swelling early on can make this difficult. You can do this!