Thick mucus in my throat?

I have this thick mucus in the back of my throat and it feels as though a layer of my throat is coming away ( it's not) but I looked tonight and I've never seen it before but it was thick white and it went back down again and I've swallowed a tablet and it's got stuck down my throat and I can feel it. I don't smoke to cause this but what will it be and how can I clear it? I'm going to eat something to push the tablet down but it's horrible :(