Prolonged phenobarbital usage and connection with dementia?

@santosha
No apology necessary, I knew what you meant about being 52. But it made me chuckle although when I thought about my age the chuckle quickly ended. Nothing we can do about that I'm afraid. I first felt old when a lady at the gym said to me “we don't like our elderly client's to use this machine.” Elderly indeed!! I was around 60.
The speech pathologist didn't help me remembering everyday tasks like taking my pills, appointments, errands or what I needed at the store etc. I do think it helped a little with my concentration which improves memory. I remembered more of what the doctors said during my appointments. My guess is if I continued on a regular basis maybe it would have helped more. Same for my balance.
Jake

Hi Jake (@jakedduck1),
What a relief you did understand what I was trying to express.
Thank you for this additional sharing of experience. Sorry to hear that this treatment was not of much help.
Regarding concentration, just sharing that practice of traditional hatha yoga has helped me much in this respect. When you are in a posture (asana), you have to stay as an observer of yourself, paying attention to what you are doing and feeling. In the beginning, I observed how easily my mind would wander.
Have a nice evening!
Santosha

Hi
I was on phenabarb when I was a child and had lots of headaches as well. Then the epilepsy came back to haunt me when my mother died - they tell me it was the shock I was 23 at the tme
After being on different meds with horrible side affects I was put on Keppra when I was 55 and feel great! I feel a lot calmer these days but I think meditation has helped a lot

Hello All,

I have familiar tremors that I first noticed about age 29 or 30 when cooking one day. I was on Phenobarbital everyday from about age 4 or 5 to about 12 or so. I have not taken it since then. I am now age 60 and familiar tremors are pronounced all over, including my vocal box at times. I am wondering IF anyone that stopped their daily phenobarbital has developed familiar tremors years later. It is not Parkinsons as the tremors are only when i purposfully move with intent, At rest, no tremors.

Would anybody be able to share if theres anyone else that has had the same issues? I thank you in advance, Siren

Hi @siren - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thanks for sharing some of your story.

Curious why you were taking the phenobarbital as a child? Was it for epilepsy, or another condition?

@lisalucier Thank you LisaLucier.

I had exceptionally high fevers when I got sick as a child. I was put in ice baths. I had seizures because of the high fevers according to my parents and Dr's choose back then to put me on Phenobarbital to get ahead of the curve and stop them before.

That's what I was told. Hope to hear if any others out there with similar issues.
Thank you to you all. Siren

Good Morning @siren
Welcome to our group at Mayo Clinic Connect!
Thank you for sharing your story. From what I understand, severe fevers in childhood can sometimes be linked to the development of epilepsy later in life, so your history is definitely worth exploring further with a specialist.
You mentioned that you first noticed the tremors when you were around 30 years old. I'd love to understand your journey a little better — have your tremors been present continuously since then, or did they come and go over the years?
Have you had a chance to see a neurologist recently?
Chris

Yes it has a connection with cognitive impairment . Look to the NHI studies or any research studies