Dr. Megan Donnelly, Headache Neurologist

08/09/2025

I Agree. Prior auths are ruining healthcare and definitely eroding doctor-Patient relationships, because patients cannot understand why they cant get their medicine or the testing we ordered. They might assume we never ordered it, or that simply dont care. Patients then suffer if they cannot get their testing or medication. Outcomes and safety are seriously at stake.

To make matters worse, they get told by pharmacists “your doctor hasn’t authorized the med”. We ordered it and therefore certainly authorize the orders WE placed; but insurance denies it. Words matter. Moreso, big box pharmacies take zero interest in trying to get meds apprved, utilizing savings cards, or goodrx. They just say nope and punt the problem back to the patient, who is stuck in limbo between what the doctors office is telling them, what their pharmacist is telling them, and what their insurance is telling them- trying to decipher who is telling them the truth.

I am 100% on the patients’ side with their frustration; we are right there frustrated with you. We care deeply, and the moral injury of seeing our patients sad/frustrated/in pain because of their insurance refusing to cover anything is just heartbreaking.

(On a side note, anyone can start a prior authorization— from the medical assistant, to the patient themself, or the pharmacy tech. Best would be to get rid of auths all together, but it might give agency to patients for them to know they have some power in this process to do their auths. I think most are not aware they can.)

Insurers claim prior authorization protects patients. In reality, it’s a costly system that second-guesses doctors, rewards middlemen and drives Americans to abandon treatment altogether.

07/16/2025

We are thrillled to announce the start of several new residency programs at Novant Health Charlotte Region. And more specifically, we will have a categorical Neurology residency, with first class planned for summer of 2027. This is going to be great for the city and patients of Charlotte to ensure expanded access to world class trained neurologists. More info to come in the near future 🧠

The future of medicine is coming to the Queen City.

07/04/2025

I am frequently asked what I think about the GLP medications as they relate to headaches, IIH, and obesity. My answer is a resounding support for them.
Here is yet another article just published in support of their role.
(And check out the comments section for more articles)

Obesity can worsen migraine by increasing headache frequency and reducing response to standard preventive treatments. We tested whether liraglutide, a medication developed for diabetes and weight man...

04/16/2025

While I was at , I was able to have dinner with my neurology residency program director, Dr MaryAnn Mays, along with a couple of my co-residents who I’m grateful to be friends with after all these years. I’ve been quite intentional to emulate certain behaviors and traits of physicians Ive aspired to be like. And for my role in medical education, Dr Mays is definitely my inspiration. Thank you, Dr Mays, for being my mentor in GME for all of these years.

04/13/2025

I am grateful for the opportunity to present Obstetric Neurology cases at American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting this year. I am especially thankful for my mentor Dr Janet Waters who taught me everything I know about Women’s Neurology. I am the physician I am today, because of her.
And I am grateful for Dr Amy Hessler for welcoming me to her speaking faculty, and for sharing the stage with Dr Caroline Just and Dr Addie Peretz. You ladies are amazing and so glad to count you as my friends and colleagues.

03/21/2025

Happy Match Day! I am so incredibly proud of all of the amazing students I’ve had the pleasure to precept this past year in Neurology. And this my friends is (future) Dr Claudia Foubert who matched today to Duke Neurology. Her enthusiasm for neurology is contagious and I have been honored to be her mentor over the past year. She has such a bright future, and I am so freaking proud of her!

02/10/2025

By far, the most frequent consult I receive as an obstetric neurologist is “headache in pregnancy”. Though 80% of the pregnant consults are for migraine or other primary headache, upwards of 20% of the referalls are for something more serious such as preeclampsia, cerebral thrombosis, IIH, or RCVS, or PRES. (In comparison, 95% of headache referrals in non-pregnancy are primary/benign.)
So though the main part of my job is still treating headaches and getting people feeling better, it’s even more imperative I don’t miss the up to 20% secondary(potentially life threatening) headaches my pregnant patients might have.

Jennifer Tavares' pregnancy was going smoothly until a headache and swelling signaled she might have a dangerous condition.

11/20/2024

I spent my morning on Friday (at AHS fall conference) attending our Women’s Headache special interest group meeting. I’m in awe of the work the group is doing, creating guidelines for medications in pregnancy, producing podcasts, performing clinical research, partaking in advocacy, and the list goes on. I’m humbled to be in such great company of smart, collaborative, inclusive physicians as the ones you see pictured here. Dr Nina Riggins, chair of the group, has elevated the group and its work to a new level with her excellent leadership.

11/19/2024

I had a great time and learned so much at American Headache Society fall conference.
Do you learn better in a live audience or watching the presentations on video at your own pace? I actually prefer both! I’m looking forward to watching the videos from the sessions I didn’t see live, from my phone over the next week or two. Best of both worlds.
Pictures are of some of the Southern Headache crew, and Cleveland Clinic alumni.

11/11/2024

This is an old post, but it explains my “why” for choosing to subspecialize in Women’s Neurology (in addition to being a Headache/Facial Pain specialist).
It also explains why I’m a champion for mental health, and why I encourage patients to be an active participant and advocate for their own health.

Obstetric neurology is a rare niche in medicine. Dr. Megan Donnelly decided to specialize in that field after her own difficult pregnancy.

11/10/2024

I am honored to have been named a Charlotte Top Doctor for the 6th year in a row. I am grateful for the recognition and I wish to congratulate and honor my fellow physicians of Charlotte who devote their lives to providing healthcare every day to make their patients lives better.
(This is a belated post because I took an almost year long hiatus from social media)

11/04/2024

Neurology and headache specialists at Novant Health in Charlotte offer comprehensive care for head and face pain to adult men and women 18 and up. The Charlotte team is equipped to address a range of conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia, ...