Hi, I am 54 years old, female. From around 1964 to 1969 I was put on Ritalin to control what they called a perceptual disorder/hyperactivity. I was also put on Phenobarbital for around 9 months when the Ritalin did not appear to be working. The Phenobarbital made me psychotic and prone to violent meltdowns. It was several months before anyone made the connection. I was then returned to Ritalin and remained on it until I reached puberty.
When I was in my mid-20's I spontaneously developed complex-partial temporal lobe seizures. I had about 4 or 5 a year until my mid-30's when they went away and haven't been back. All my neurological tests revealed nothing abnormal. The last neurologist I saw said sometimes these things go away during menopause.
What I am wondering, is there a link between the Ritalin I was forced to take during childhood and the seizures I later experienced as an adult? And if so, are there other potential conditions I need to be aware of and to inform my health care providers about?