You should learn the huff cough method: google it and you'll get lots of good descriptions. That may help. Mucinex can also help. There are also a bunch of devices that use percussion to help get the mucous up and out. You can google those as well. Postural drainage is another possibility (you can't do it while driving though!).

Your symbicort is a combination of a long acting beta agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid. The LABA is designed to open up your airways and the steroid reduces the chronic inflammation in your lungs. the LABA does nothing with regard to mucous. The steroid, by reducing the inflammation, should also reduce the mucous production. But they are not designed to do away with mucous production completely.

If you have a major chronic bronchitis component to your COPD, you might discuss a couple of interventions with your doc. One is daliresp, a pill that reduces inflammation, and therefore, mucous production. The other is using a prophylactic antibiotic treatment three times a week or even every day. The antibiotic usually used is azithromycin. Both of these treatments have been widely tested and are considered best practice where appropriate.

As for anxiety, I suggest that you find a good mental health therapist and learn some techniques to help yourself. Pills are fine, but if you can learn to control your own anxiety without them, that's all to the good.

Wheezing and persistent coughing, and inability to shift mucus to a comfortable level is a sure sign of inflammation that needs an antibiotic because of the vulnerability of our bronchial health.

I have the same problem. I found that drinking something warm makes it come up easier. Not sure why but it works for me. I use coffee usually.

I take a mucus pill every other day

I found out when I went to respiratory therapy
That I was a retainer of c02
So until I could release the c02 nothing would work
Think of your lungs as sponges
It doesn't care what it sucks up
But when it's full
It won't suck up anything
Until you ring it out
Same with the lungs
It doesn't care what it sucks up
When they are full
Nothing else goes in
Meds don't work right
Because they are not getting to the diseased
Part of the lungs
Remember as a kid blowing bubbles in milk
It helps release the c02
Get a hard plastic bottle with a lid
And a straw
Fill the bottle half way with room temperature
Filtered water
Inhale through your nose
Exhale into the straw slowly
Using your diaphragm or belly
Making bubbles in the water
Do it before you take any meds
Start with 5 minutes
10 times a day
First thing in the morning when you get up
And the last thing you do before bed
Keep the straw in the bottle
Keep the lid on it
Carry it wherever you go
It will teach you
Pursed lipped breathing
But it sounds like you are packed with c02
So the more you use it the better you will feel
Helps with anxiety and panic
And controls breathing
So I'm not hyper ventilating
I know it works for me
Good luck
In my prayers
Slow and steady we go

I also have issues with bringing up mucous. I rarely cough and if there is a build up, it usually expels in one sticky blob....Huff cough etc etc seems to either make me dizzy or my pain gets way too high....I bit the bullet and ordered an Acapella Device via Amazon as it is not available here, neither is Mucinex.. I tried the local versions but of no help......so nebbing first, drinking water and doing the Acapella is a new trial......also get regular post nasal drip but a sinus rinse takes care of that.......