Almost 9 months smoke free

Hi all I haven't been on for a while, however I am smoke free. Withdrawal symptoms had abated for a while there. But I over the past few days my throat has been very irritable and the feeling that I have something stuck in it has came back. Has anyone else had this? According to a quit app I have the Cilia are almost recovered so I'm thinking it could be that and that they are really starting to clear out my lungs and throat? I still spit up white phlegm with black specks every few days.. I could never go back to smoking now. Its worth the mental torture. It does get easier.