Hi
@npeden
It is kind of important to get this chelation thing right. I didn't and lost the function of my adrenals and stepped through the doorway into ME/CFS. You might want to find a smarter ND.
I am not aware of the science behind NAC increasing methylation. It does help increase glutathione production in those where this is the limiting factor. Some here will actually have high cystine/cysteine levels to start with.
The use of NAC is controversial both here and on the mercury sites. Here, NAC and the glutathione (that it helps to create) purportedly bind to and remove extracellular B12 from the body - hence you feel worse. On the Hg forums they say that the single thiol group in NAC mobilizes but does not remove Hg and so you feel worse. I was taking doses a bit lower than yours until I read a study that said that it was capable of moving Hg into the brain - in rats.
Cutler thinks that the human blood-brain-barrier is superior and that this is not so much of an issue in humans. I (and likely many with ME) have CCSVI which means that blood goes the wrong way in the veins of my neck. This puts pressure on the BBB and could in theory change many of the dynamics. I sure feel like someone who moved Hg into my brain.
NAC is a sulfur product. If you can even tolerate it somewhat at the doses you take then I suspect that you can handle ALA. Not to say that you won't have side effects but they will be from moving mercury and not from interference with sulfatio per se.
Molybdenum is recommended. I took it when I was sick. I had the "sulfite itch". We have some of the same SNPs.
This chelation journey can be perilous. There are many things that need consideration. The reason that I came here was to mimic Freddd. And I went to the Frequent Dose Chelation site to follow Cutler. I am not smart enough to interpret the science myself. Hence the axiom, "When faced with a difficult journey, find the smartest person who has had success and then do what they did."
"Amalgam Illness" is a must have for anyone moving against mercury and will the best money you spend.
Familiarize yourself with safe removal and consider IV Vit C for later in the day (it can interfere with the freezing) or consider making your own liposomal Vit C. I left a recipe on this site somewhere.
good luck - let me know how you make out. brad