Hi Bodoni,
I usually get that sort of 'white out' from extreme stress situations just like the one you are describing...not the usual stress but the terrifying kind...I have blanked on a lot of stuff (thought it was alzhiemer's but my nuro says not)...something about adrenaline rush...if it is only on those rare occasions then I wouldn't worry too much...but if it starts happening on the banal occasions then I would talk to someone about it.
And yes, anesthesia, meds, surgery and a whole lot of other stressors can do it to you too.
Sharon

Yes, if I'm experiencing stress 'someone' does a wipe on my brain. Years ago I was working at a particularly stressful job. On the day before we left for our vacation the officers of the company called DAMN BRIAN and me into the office and tried to get me to admit to something. I wouldn't admit to it.

We left for the vacation and when we got back DAMN BRIAN would tell people about what we saw, what we did. I had NO idea what he was talking about. I didn't remember a single thing about our trip.

So being in the hospital for heart issues seems like it could also produce stress amnesia. There must be a reason so many people who have horrific accidents don't remember a single thing about them. (Although, I'd like my brain to let me remember nice vacations and wipe out the bad employers.)

kathy

Yes, I recall having this problem after several surgeries. One consistent, though temporary memory loss, was that I could not remember my phone number for days. I remember it bc it was distressing when I wanted to call home to family.

OMG I have bad memory loss and it's getting worse. I was just talking about this with my hubby this morning. For me I think it's a combo of being anemic/iron deprived for so long and the fact I was under anesthesia for 8 hours. It's getting me kind of worried now because I literally can't remember s_ _t!

An example of this is my MIL passed away on Friday and we had the wake Monday night. I could not remember half of the family's names and faces and I have met all these people! Scary feeling.

Marianne,
That is my 'normal'...I teach in 3 different schools with between 15-30 students/class and up to 2 classes a day...I cannot for the life of me remember names even if I have just asked them...now we have a system that every time someone answers a question they have to announce their name first! (this is getting embarassing!) or I don't give them the point...and I confuse certain ones too with kids from other schools...
I started back at one of my old schools after a 3yr abscence and was warmly greeted by 3 teachers who missed me (who are these people?) but I did recognise 1 Spanish teacher...So I said hello...And she informed me that we had never met, she was new to the school!
Darn, I felt dumb.
Hubby has just bought me a huge packet of post-its...I post it everything or I forget! (and then forget where I put the post it!)
It could just be age, stress, vitamin deficiencies on top of the anesthesia...
Whatever it is, it is not getting better.
Sharon

I have this too; mine's not related to anesthesia or surgery, but I think is a safety mechanism. Like Kathy, mine kicks in under stress. If something horrible happens I tend to not remember it. It used to bother me; but now I look at it differently. I don't have to replay bad events over and over again.

Sue

I have memory loss too. I don't if its a combination of meds and lact of sleep or what.

I can't tell you how many I forget things. Like when I get home from work, after I ate and watched some TV, I just forget.

For example, when I get home from work, I change to sweats now that we are in the Winter season. Prior to getting changed, I empty all my pockets, watch, wallet, car keys, etc.

Sometimes in the morning, I can't find my wallet, car keys, cell phone, etc. I am thinking that I placed it on my computer in my room because when I come home from work, that is where I normaly put it.

Then in the morning, I can't find it. Sometimes they are in my car, or in the pants I wore to work yesterday, etc. I once left my cell phone in the Parking Lot at Shop-Rite.

As some of you know, I am under huge amounts of stress due to my home life. Last week, I was late in getting through car inspection. It was due in January and now its Saturday, Feb 2nd.

So I started my car and backed out of the driveway. The only problem was I did not push the button for my garage door to open it so I had some minor damage to the garage and the back of my car.

To make matters worse, I did not have to get my car inspected. My car is a 2009 Toyota Corolla and I have never got that car inspected as I bought it brand new. Anyway, my sticker said Jan 2013 so that is why I was in a hurry. Only to find out that my car did not need to be inspected. So I said, but the sticker reads Jan, 2013. She said that over a year ago, the NJ Law is every 5 years (I assume its every year for a used car. So the person put a new sticker on my car for Jan, 2014. She said that many times, a police officer pulls someone over due to not getting their car inspected because they cannot add.

Rocket