Chris

Yes "ropey saliva" is an issue many of us have dealt with (and I still deal with it). One quick point though so you don't get embarrassed if you talk to your doctors, mucositis has nothing to do with excessive mucous
It's a common mistake, mucositis is the inflammation of your mucous membranes in your mouth. The therapy can destroy the cells quickly and they are not replaced right away. Doctors expect to see raw sores (ulcers) in the mouth and throat when you say you have mucositis. I did have mucositis also as a result of the Erbitux.

I worried a lot about choking when strapped down for radiation and would swab my mouth with a tissue and then gargle right before each tx in the bathroom outside the radiation machine room. A "netty pot" also helped move the mucous. I went through a six pack of canned seltzer water a day when it was at it's worse during TX. The seltzer water cut right thru the mucous (like those scrubbing bubbles on the TV ads). That's why I used a new can each time so there would be lots of fizz. It is a terrible choking feeling at first but you learn to spit it out or get it within reach and pull it out pretty quickly. It does get better.
I'll search my memory to see what else worked
Charm