Unhealthy don't know why

Here is my long question.   I am 27 ever since I was 20 I have been getting heart "skipped beats" or "extra beats" and they come and go and have gradually gotten worse to the point where I ended up in the ER this summer with atrial fib.  I have had every heart test imaginable and monitors etc.  No heart problems healthy heart healthy young man.  Well the week after the ER I became very ill with BAD stomach pain and TERRIBLE diareah for a good week or more had all of the stomach and intestinal studies, just ended up being told I might be gluten intolerant but had no damage in intestines.  I also developed bad heart burn too much stomach acid.  During this time one of the worst days i noticed my legs felt really weak and I had no idea why I was staying hidrated.  Well that has gradually improved still take prilosec daily.  But now I have blurred vision in my eye always feels like theres a  film over it (somthing I should wipe away) but theres not and the optomitrist found nothing wrong.  My eyes also twitch constantly since college it started just one eye and would come and go then it worked to both eyes and comes and goes now it is nearly constant sometimes really affecting my vision.  I have other really random muscle spasms one in my hand for 2 days, painful one in my neck twice, arms legs etc.  all pretty short but noticable.  Recently I have been getting dizzy spells some that are really bad and some just annoying, doc tested my corratid arteries they were fine said it might be migraines.  Well with all of this and the way I feel some days I know somthing else has got to be going on.  Does anyone think this sounds anything like MS.  Can MS affecting the vagus nerve affect your heart rhythm?  Any help would GREATLY BE APPRECIATED
Thanks
jason  

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Atrial Fib is not well reported with MS.  Your description of what you have gone through for the last several years made me think more of an infectious problem or an autoimmune one.  Specifically what popped into my mind was Lyme disease.  I know it can cause a "carditis", an inflammation of the heart and this may present with mild to severe arrythmias, including atrial fib.

Lyme can also cause muscle twitches and visual problems.

But, that is probably jumping ahead a little too far.  You need a thorough going over with a neurologist for a workup of the various causes of muscle weakness and fasciculations, visual disturbances and gastro-intestinal problems.

It doesn't sound like they truly excluded the possibility of celiac disease, I presume they did a biopsy.  Have you tried a gluten-free diet anyway?  Several people here have found that this helped, despite negative testing for gluten-senstivity.

Celiac disease is also associated with visual problems, cardiac problems, including arrhythmias, muscle spasms and fasiculations, plus GI problems, and a whole host of neurological disorders.

Were you tested for the autoantibodies seen in Gluten-sensitivity?

Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA)
IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA)

Note that you must be "on" a gluten-containing diet for testing to be positive.

Do you have any fevers, rashes, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss or anemia?  Are there any similar problems in your family?

And you know to stay away from stimulant meds and drugs (caffeine, decongestants, energy drinks, recreational drugs) These aggravate all arrhythmias.

Well, this was not a comprehensive discussion of everything that it could be, these are my first two thoughts.  If you are tested for Lyme it should be by Western Blot at a major lab.

Why don't you answer some of these questions and maybe we all can come up with some other answers.  Reading your story, MS did not even enter my differential.  That doesn't mean it is not possible, but it would be unlikely.  An MRI of your brain and spine might be a good idea after you have seen a neurologist.

Welcome to the forum, I hope we can give you some ideas.

Quix, MD (unofficial and NOT a neuro, ID, or GI doc!)

[jensequitur]

The stomach pain, diarrea (diarrhea), and atrial fibrilation are not indicative of MS...  as Quix said... but it's possible that you're having some sort of neurological impairment.

[jasonelle]

Yes I was tested for autoantibodies in gluten sensitivity and they did find some but they did not want to diagnose me with celiac because they found nothing on the biopsies.  I have been on a gluten free diet anyway and have had no real improvement, I do notice my stool is better however.  No fevers or anything like that and no similar family history.

thanks for your help