Be careful with the mucus that refuses to come up. If you are doing a lot of coughing in an attempt to expel the mucus, you are tiring you throat muscles and they are the same ones that help you swallow. I almost chocked to death last year because thick mucus got stuck in my throat and I couldn't swallow or cough it up. My daughter said my entire head turned purple before I was able to breathe again. I started taking Mucinex and it really helped. When the next allergies hit in the fall, I started on Mucinex immediately and stayed on it until my allergies cleared up. My pulmo doc also ordered a machine to give myself breathing treatments (can't think of the name of the machine - old age kicking in!) and the medication he ordered also helped thin the mucus. I haven't had any problems the last 2 allergy seasons (fall and spring) as long as I take care of myself. Good luck!