The thick rope like salivia is going to hang around for a couple weeks. It can be hard to get that out of your throat, so please be cautious. A waterpic can help also a suction machine can be rented from a medical supply company with a prescription from your doctor. Rinsing your mouth frequently with the warm water/baking soda/salt mixture can help. Others have found success with the seltzer water. This phase is usually a couple weeks and like turning off a light switch it just abruptly ends to then turn into something else.

The next phase will hang around longer than the thick gunk phase. This is all part of the healing process. You may have noticed alot of us have mentioned 'carrying a water bottle'. This is due to the dry mouth phase. It can quickly get painful if you dont immediately take a sip of water when you feel your mouth is dry. Some members have to take saligen or pilocarpine to help produce saliva. Thats a prescription medication, it didnt work for me. It only made me sweat excessively and in the summer for a woman it was horrible! Most patients get past the dry mouth phase after a couple months. For many of us we continue to carry a drink around equally out of habit as to still having a bit lower saliva than pre cancer tx.

Hang in there, you are doing great!!!!