I'm watching a programme I watched within the last month. Yet I don't remember it to be 100% sure I've seen it already.

[BirthdayRainbow]

But I watched it. Has this happened with you as this is the second time this month it has happened and it is a bit concerning?

Tonight I watched half of an episode I watched last night before I realised I'd already seen it.

Do you watch while doing something else like playing with your phone?

I don't drink. I always multitask so I'm used to it but this felt different.

Hehee, do you watch Gogglebox perchance?
We do this all the time, think we've watched something when it's just a snippet on GB😂

Books, films, tv, people ... I can't retain any information unless it's of interest.

No I don't watch gogglebox.

Either I'm reading too much into it or no one is getting my point. For me, this is a new thing and I was concerned due to other issues.

I understand your concerns.

How old are you? Any other notable worries?

I understand your concerns op.
Could it not be that you were nodding off when you first watched it? I find it impossible to watch anything after 8 o clock without my eyes dropping!

I'm 52. I do have a neurological disorder which I think affects my memory which used to be amazing. So this is disconcerting.

It wasn't one of those times as I was fully awake. I have nodded off but I knew I had so I'd know I missed something. But not this time.

my theory = two things

one = maybe you watched it longer ago than you think you did because sometimes stuff is broadcast and then turns up on an unrelated streaming service much much later and vice versa. so you think you haven't seen it because you know you haven't seen this new thing advertised as new on eg Netflix but in fact you saw it on Ch 5 when it was broadcast

two = lots of these psychological thriller things have exactly the same plot (single white woman, sometimes a single mother, having some sort of crisis gets involved/marries a wealthy man who may or may not be a psychopath) and the same cast (Jill Halfpenny is a serial offender) so it all gets confusing. have you seen it? haven't you seen it? its all the same so who knows?

I went through a phase of memory issues like this, I ended up writing them all down and going to the GP. I was referred for a memory clinic appointment who did some tests, in the end it was all down to stress. It is probably worth speaking to your GP if things like this persist.

I prefer to 'record' weekly programmes or watch via the app so I can watch episodes close together. This is because with weekly programmes I cannot remember from week to week the details of what happened last time. My brain is pretty full and don't have space to store everything.

I have not doubt that part of this is getting older. But to be honest, I think it is largely because a lot of programming is incredibly samey and formulaic and, frankly, I don't about most of it - it just passes a spare hour or so.

What do you mean?

You are watching it but don't recognise what's happening or you've completely forgotten you watched it?

Tbh I cant remember half of what happens in the programmes I watch, it's because I'm not paying enough attention or I dose off. Sometimes I can get half way through a series before I realised I've watched it before. Sometimes I just zone out

On its own I wouldn't worried, but do you have other concerns?

I started to watch and felt like I'd already seen the episode. But I couldn't remember what was going to be said. When I've started watching a programme and realised I've seen it before, I would ordinarily recognise the sentences being spoken and know what was coming next. I just didn't trust that I was right and had seen this episode until I'd watched most of it and even then I wasn't recalling any of it.

My neurological disorder is not fun and it is the worry of what will happen next and how things will be for me.

I understand what you're saying. I get periods of confusion like this and they are a distinctly different feeling to having just forgotten something. It's a complete absence of memory. A hole where the memory should be.

Mine are linked to migraines and were worse before I started HRT.

If your Neurological Disorder is something like epilepsy, it sounds like it could be part of it
I would mention it to your GP as it's concerning you.

Thankfully not epilepsy, I've had tests, but I have weekly appointments for something else and I'll mention it to them. Didn't think about that so thank you for the suggestion.

I think memory loss is fairly normal with the menopause, I've had many conversations with women about how we've completely forgotten something that we know happened. I'm not saying it's not connected with you no neurological disorder but I don't think it's massively unusual for women in our 50s.

You know how there’s been two different adaptations of the Prince Andrew interview thing. I watched the first one months ago. Then last month watched the “new” one. Got right to the end and realised I’d watched the same one again and not the new one. Had to google to check release dates as I had no memory when watching it again that I’d seen it once before.

I know what you mean!!
My problems are due to the raft of heart meds I am on. You need to try and find out what is going on as it is clearly worrying you. It may just be the passage of time, and truly does not sound abnormal.

I am sorry others have similar. I do feel there is more to it but I also know I have been under a lot of stress lately and it is probably a mix of everything. Busy day today but I'll factor in some rest time as well.

Thanks all.

As you're 52, I'd very much wonder about menopause/peri-menopause. My memory was shocking for a while, and I was really worried, but it's improved now I'm 56. I also had real difficulty finding words, nouns, names of people, places, things - that has also improved.

I sometimes forget what I’m watching when the commercial break is on. Think it’s more that you aren’t that invested /gripped by the programme than something more worrying.