Dr. Megan Donnelly, Headache Neurologist

11/09/2025

https://www.empr.com/news/migraine-treatment-reyvow-discontinued-according-to-fda/

The decision to discontinue production was driven by business considerations rather than concerns about the product’s safety or effectiveness.

10/20/2025

When I started the first Center for Women’s Neurology in the state of North Carolina, it was because there was a dire need in the community for the specialty. Still to this day, patients frequently have to travel over 150 miles to get the care they need. Telehealth helps with this, but what is really needed are more neurologists who feel comfortable and confident treating neurological conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period, during menopause, and in the setting of exogenous hormones of transgender care. At Novant Health, as we build our neurology residency, we will be sure to include this education are core curriculum, so the next generation of neurologists can fill this gap.

Women's Neurology is an emerging subspecialty that focuses on neurologic disorders across a woman's lifetime. This new domain recognizes that both health and disease are directly affected by hormonal and reproductive changes throughout the life span. This ...

10/11/2025

I’m delayed in posting this, because of work, meetings, speaking at Novant’s neuroscience symposium, giving grand rounds at Wake-Forest Baptist, and life. But it’s always wonderful catching with headache colleagues at Southern Headache Society. It’s seriously my favorite conference of the year. I learn so much, but more importantly I grow as a person being surrounded by some of the most humanistic, kind physicians I have the honor to know. Dr Morris Maizels said it best when he said “It’s like coming back to Hogwarts”. To return yearly is to go back to something so familiar, and yet so magical.

09/01/2025

This is a great time for Novant Health. Dr. Lauren Penwell-Waines, Dr. Sid Fletcher, Dr. Mark Higdon, and Dr. Katie Haga formally announced the names of inaugural residency program directors. I am humbled and honored to formally announce that I am the new residency program director for adult neurology. We will accept our first class in the summer of 2027. I am beyond excited for this opportunity, and even more so to get to work with Dr. Robert Wiggins, my neurology colleague, who will be assistant program director. This would not be possible without the unending support of Carl Armato and Dr Pam Oliver in leadership, Dr Joseph Pino in graduate medical education, and Dr Mark Murray in neurosciences, in addition to the support of Dr Penwell-Waines, Dr Higdon, and Dr Fletcher. Thank you for your confidence in me. This role is the perfect intersection of program development, education, leadership, and patient care. Tomorrow, I embark in this new role, and I feel that I’ve been preparing all my career for this. My excitement (with a fair bit of nervousness mixed in) is palpable.

08/21/2025

I am sharing a recent news segment I did with WCCB for migraine awareness month.

June is Migraine Awareness Month, and in today’s Novant Healthy Headlines, Tonya Rivens chats with Dr. Megan Donnelly, a neurologist with Novant Health’s Comprehensive Headache Center and women’s neurology, about migraines and the potential risks for other health complications that can be asso...

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.