My brother has had no treatment of any kind and he too gets the thick mucous on a regular basis. Seems to usually be at its worst in the morning. Anyway, I tried giving him club soda. He holds it in his mouth and swishes it around. It brings out a larger (huge really) amount of phlegm shortly after he spits the club soda out. It makes him feel a lot better. I hope this gives you some relief if you decide to try it.

Twin brother Stage 4. Mouth, tongue, jaw, throat, neck and vocal chords. Not a candidate for surgery or chemo due to earlier health issues this year. He is opting for no treatment. He smoked and drank. Nutritional levels were not at their highest the last several years.