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Original poster

Memory loss - do I need to see a doctor?

27 replies

CyanSnake · 02/07/2021 14:39

Hi all,

This morning as I was driving to work, I lost 20 minutes of memory. I remember over taking a lorry and then noticing trees on the side of the road. I was worried I’d missed by turning, but then realised 20 minutes had passed with me having no memory of them.

I must have been lucid as I managed to take an exit and take the fourth exit on a busy roundabout in that time.

I was really shook up and completed the rest of my commute repeating “concentrate, concentrate” to myself.

All day I have felt brain foggy, a bit light headed and have struggled to follow conversations, in that I keep having to ask people to repeat themselves. I’ve also struggled to think of words.

I don’t do drugs and last had a drink at the weekend; just a couple glasses of wine.

I’ve put it down to it being Friday and me just being very tired after a very stressful week; as I haven’t been sleeping properly. I was planning on an early night and that was that.

When I told my line manager; she insisted that I should get checked out as it “sounded serious”

She’s catastrophising, isn’t she? I hate bothering doctors… I guess I’m just wondering what you’d do in my shoes?

OP posts:

Redbottle · 02/07/2021 14:46

I once lost an entire day. Woke up on Monday and thought it was Sunday with no memory of the previous day at all. This was 20 years ago and it never happened again. So it might be nothing. But...

All day I have felt brain foggy, a bit light headed and have struggled to follow conversations, in that I keep having to ask people to repeat themselves. I’ve also struggled to think of words.

This would want make me want to get it checked out.

ineedaholidaynow · 02/07/2021 14:48

I would get it checked out. Are you having to drive again?

Winnona · 02/07/2021 14:49

Get it checked out. It could be a migraine, but needs checking.

Winnona · 02/07/2021 14:50

You shouldn't drive.

Original poster

CyanSnake · 02/07/2021 14:53

Yes - I have to drive to home from work

OP posts:

ineedaholidaynow · 02/07/2021 14:54

Do you really think you are in a fit state to drive?

ineedaholidaynow · 02/07/2021 14:56

Have any of your work colleagues noticed any difference in you?

MsTSwift · 02/07/2021 14:57

My neighbour had this he was under extreme stress at work. Was frightening he got checked out wasn’t anything scary found.

Nibblypiggotonabus · 02/07/2021 15:07

There's a specific term (ironically I forget what it is) but nothing to worry about. It's due to the familiarity with which your brain sees your commute so doesn't feel it necessary to remember it all. Doesn't happen all the time but it's a bit like an alert daydream as your brain would spring into action if it spotted a threat. Get it checked out if it gives you peace of mind but I wouldn't stress about it too much.

Nibblypiggotonabus · 02/07/2021 15:10

Apologies I hadn't seen the other bit about not being able to find words etc. The bit about the driving still may be the case but if you're feeling out of sorts prob best to get bloods checked.

AppleKatie · 02/07/2021 15:11

The actual act of not remembering all of your commute I think is quite common(hope so anyway as happens to me a lot!)…

However the feeling brain fog all day is concerning and I’d prob phone a doctor about that.

Wombat36 · 02/07/2021 15:15

Nope, I would get on the phone to 111 before driving home.

HandsSpaceArse · 02/07/2021 15:16

I'd get checked out. Not so worried about the 20 mind bit but the rest of it.

HandsSpaceArse · 02/07/2021 15:16

chesirecat99 · 02/07/2021 15:26

Ordinary dissociation, going into autopilot, when driving is quite normal. As you've been feeling foggy all day, you should get yourself checked out. It probably isn't anything "serious" though, most likely a migraine, an infection or fatigue, but that doesn't mean you don't need to see a doctor.

MySharonavirus · 02/07/2021 15:32

Hello OP, deffo ring 111 or your GP asap. People do drive familiar routes without noticing, but to sort of blink and miss 20 minutes is a bit worrying, and your brain struggling for the rest of the day suggests you need medical attention. I'm afraid you shouldn't drive home before checking with a medical professional either.

EBearhug · 02/07/2021 15:33

A friend was recently in hospital with transient global amnesia. They don't know why it happened- he seems fine and is back home. Scans showed no sign of stroke or anything.

I remember reading something that said we often don't remember details of familiar journeys, but I don't think that would go with a fuzzy head and struggling to follow conversation - I too think it should be checked.

Aquamarine1029 · 02/07/2021 15:34

Peri-menopause?

verybadhairdoo · 02/07/2021 15:37

Yes I would see a doctor. Don't mean to alarm you but similar happened to a relative and it was a brain tumour. You've got nothing to lose by checking it out. It might be something, it might be nothing, but you can't be sure until it's investigated. Good luck x

Curlymam88 · 02/07/2021 15:38

I get like this when I have low blood sugar. Its quite frightening when I come round and wonder what the heck have I been doing! I am diabetic. Maybe pop to doctors see if they can do bloods for you.

Y0YO · 02/07/2021 15:43

@Aquamarine1029

Peri-menopause?

Yes, that was my first thought.

I've had conversations with people and then forgotten what was going on mid sentence.

I also forget or mix up random words.

It's very disconcerting.

You'd be surprised at the long list of crappy symptoms peri menopause can cause!!

I appear to have most of them which seems really, really unfair

ineedaholidaynow · 02/07/2021 15:49

@EBearhug my DF had that a few times, first time when he was on a business trip abroad which was quite scary for all of us. No long lasting impact, and only lasted about 24 hours at a time. Weirdly he probably would have been able to drive whilst having one of these episodes even though he wouldn't not have remembered anything about the journey.

Although I don't think he would have been able to converse via email etc, so not sure whether this would be what OP may have.

NCnotmyusualone · 02/07/2021 15:50

My other half had something similar last year. It turned out to be something called transient global amnesia. He felt a bit of an idiot taking up time in A&E, but the consultant said it was absolutely the right thing to do, as they had other possible (more serious) causes to rule out first. Please speak to someone (maybe 111) to get reviewed. It was very frightening for him at the time, he knew he wasn’t right, but couldn’t work out what was going on.

crabb · 02/07/2021 16:10

Possibly transient global amnesia. Happened to me 5 years ago, I was working from home, at my desk. I was checking emails, and was increasingly puzzled by emails that had come in, which were responses to emails I’d clearly written earlier in the day, but had absolutely no recollection of. I was convinced it was a glitch or my computer had been hacked. I could make no sense of it! Eventually I figured out that somehow I had lost 3 hours. The sensation was really disturbing, as you can imagine.

I got my daughter to pick me up and take to the local GP, who then referred me on to the hospital. I was checked over in A & E and nothing amiss was found.

Global transient amnesia was the diagnosis. No know cause, but not related to anything nasty going on. Resolves by itself. My memories came back gradually over 24 hours. Hasn’t happened again, and I’m fine. It’s just such a bizarre thing to happen!

igotdemons · 02/07/2021 18:05

My DM had a weird ‘absent’ episode like this a few years ago. Ended up in A&E but was put down to extreme stress and it hasn’t happened again thankfully. You should definitely get checked out though, just to be on the safe side.

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