 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Robin, yes this is normal. Most patients will have thick gunky mucous immediately after rads ends up until about one month post rads. That seems to disappear overnight to be replaced by dry mouth.
To help with dry mouth try having your father sleep with a humidifier, rinse with salt, baking soda and water mixture and ask the doc for a prescription to try pilocarpine. This can take weeks to work, there are mixed results with this medicine. It didnt work for me but others have praised it. He can also chew gum with xylitol in it to help ease the dry mouth.
Best wishes!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
