Event Type : Seminar

Many of us have heard the term ‘Brain Fog’. Some people don’t like it, others feel it explains exactly what they experience, but like it or loathe it, it is only one small description of one small effect of migraine.

Migraine can cause confusion, disorientation, and a lot of other cognitive issues. To try to explain what cognition is and how migraine affects it, we’re delighted to welcome Psychologist Dr. Paul Horgan, and Clinical Neuropsychology master graduate Kimberly Kiyui from Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Subject to change but this talk will look at some of the following topics as well as others…

• What is cognition?
• How the idea of ‘Brain Fog’ is very unhelpful
• What areas of cognition are impacted by different Migraine symptoms
• Types of cognitive symptoms impact on daily function
• Lifestyle management/modifications and their usefulness in terms of managing cognitive difficulties
• When to go to your G.P./neurology team if the symptoms are acute or getting worse

This talk is taking place during Irish Migraine Awareness Week #IMAW and is supported by Novartis Ireland

Speaker Bios

Dr. Paul Horgan is a senior Clinical Psychologist and chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland. He is currently working on the SláinteCare Migraine Programme and the National Live Kidney Donor Programme in Beaumont Hospital Dublin. Dr.Horgan has gained a broad range of clinical experience in the areas of adult mental health, older adult mental health, renal transplant and neurology since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist in 2013

Kimberly Kiyui is a Clinical Neuropsychology master graduate based in Beaumont Hospital working as an assistant psychologist and research assistant for the Psychology Department & the Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin. Her work encompasses clinical care and research on neurodegenerative diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease, Huntington’s disease, and Frontotemporal Dementia. She has recently been integrated into the Migraine team, where she will volunteer her expertise in supporting individuals who experience migraine.

Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world and is in fact encouraged for the health of new babies throughout the world. But if you’re a mother who lives with migraine, you may have a lot of questions about the medication you take, how it might transmit to your baby and in some cases even forgo treating yourself so as not to put your baby at risk.

To help answer some of your questions and concerns, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Wendy Jones, MBE. Dr. Jones is one of the founders of the UK’s Breastfeeding Network Charity (BfN), having been previously an National Childbirth Trust (NCT) breastfeeding counsellor.

Wendy is known for her work on providing a service on the compatability of drugs in breastmilk and has been a registered breastfeeding supporter for 36 years.

This talk will touch on:

• The Relationship between breastfeeding and migraine
• How drugs get into breastmilk
• Treatment of Migraine during breastfeeding
• Prevention of Migraine during breastfeeding
• Why HCPs may say breastfeeding and migraine treatments can’t co-exist

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide is a substance that is produced in the brain and has an influence on migraine and other things. The latest group of migraine medications created are aimed at this substance.

But how do they work? What format are they in? And how are they prescribed?

To answer some of these questions and to tell us what the Anti-CGRP medications are we’re delighted to welcome back Dr. Fionnuala McCann from Craigavon Area Hospital.

Dr. McCann is a Neurology Specialty Doctor with an interest in Headache. She is an independent Botox injector for patients with chronic migraine and cluster headache.

With thanks to the HSE CHO 4 Cork and Kerry for the funding for this event.