Argh, I hated the days of braces. I had six full years of metal in my mouth, from when I was 8 until 11, and again when I was 14 tuntil 17. Whoever designed "Phase I" and "Phase II" braces should have a mad cat thrown on him.
Remember to get wax from your orthodontist, that will help with the pain of it rubbing against your lips.
Drugs are always good.
I afound that ibruprofen and alieve (never taken together) worked the best, but everyone is different when it comes to OTC pain meds.
I know this sounds crazy, but get a soft toothbrush and massage the area above the tooth that hurts. I think it's because it stimulated blood flow or something, but it helped get rid of some of the pain for a while. (In a pinch I would rub my finger on my gums, and that helped, too.)
Also, try using ice or heat on your mouth. (I was always a heat person, my friends who had braces were always ice people.)
Hang in there. Believe me, when they're off it's totally worth it!