your post contains two main questions as follows: 1. "can alcoholism and alcohol poisoning lead to hypothyroidism? " answer- the answer must be a guarded "yes". alcohol dependence and withdrawal have consistently been shown to suppress thyroid functioning (abstract from the indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism). studies indicate that at least 61 million americans use alcohol and at least 10 million americans have a drinking problem. one 2002 study showed asians to be on the lower end of the spectum in alcohol abuse with 8. 1 % of the regular drinkers being considered to be an alcoholic. i worked closely with alcoholic patients. in my experience i saw disproportion amounts of alcoholic patients to also have hypothyroidism as a coexisting condition; 2. " could he be suffering from the "underdiagnosed" condition more prevalent in asian males of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis? " answer- thyrotoxin period paralysis is severe muscle weakness as is seen in some patients with hyperthyroidism. therefore i do not see the subject patient described in your posting to have undiagnosed tyrotoxin periodic paralysis.
can alcoholism and alcohol poisoning lead to hypothyroidism? . a 48 year old male of mixed asian and caucasian descent has been confined to a wheelchair for almost two years. he had abused alcohol for 3 to 4 years prior and hospitalized twice for alcohol poisoning before the onset of the paralysis to his lower extremities. he has been seen by a stanford neurologist and undergone a number of mris with no definitive diagnosis. could he be suffering from the "underdiagnosed" condition more prevalent in asian males of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis?