For Dr. Mimo Lemdja and her family, adapting to life in L.A. has been a breeze--a warm, summer breeze that is. Originally from Cameroun in Central Africa, she moved to Canada where she completed high school, then moved to Minnesota.  She finds the climate in South Arkansas much preferable to either of those locations!

Her medical studies took her from Minnesota to New York where she met her future husband. She and  Mathias Groghue, have three children. David, Kelly and Matt attend Magnolia Public Schools and together the family has made South Arkansas their home. Mathias is originally from the Ivory  Coast but the two met and fell in love in New York and she might have been content to practice medicine there as the need was great, but life had other plans. They moved to Fayetteville to complete her medical studies and while there she heard about an opportunity to practice in Camden. From there it was a short step to Magnolia where she serves as medical director for UAMS.

It was a welcome change for Dr. Lemdja! About the time she gave birth to her last child, she was still delivering babies and keeping very busy. The pace was getting to her and the opportunity to move further south let her and her family come to Magnolia. It's a different  pace of life here, she said. She didn't know how to react at first when her patients would bring her vegetables from their garden. It was a lifestyle she quickly grew to appreciate!

The medical needs are different here than in her home country. Fortunately we're not plagued with malaria, yellow fever or other tropical diseases. One of the biggest health issues she faces with her patients is diabetes, which is often complicated by diet.

But a growing issue that caught her by surprise while practicing in  Camden was opioid addiction.  She has worked with many patients struggling with the problem and has come up with a two-step approach to help them break the addiction. The program involves medication and counseling and thanks to a grant she has received, it is accessible to anyone suffering from opioid misuse.

Opioid addiction can begin easily enough, perhaps with treatment for a back injury, child birth or any other pain issue. As the patient continues taking the medication, the relief decreases and they may ask their doctor to increase the dosage. She saw some patients taking up to 180 opioids per month when she first came to South Arkansas. If the patient can't get the amount they want, they may go to the street for cheaper alternatives, such as methamphetamine.  From there the problem grows as the patient spirals downward in addiction.

Because she wasn't prepared to deal with such a problem, Dr. Lemdja began to study opioid addiction with a view to finding an appropriate treatment. Her studies and investigation led her to a grant which offers a viable treatment. The treatment involves a different medication to help taper off the dependency. It also involves psychotherapy with a counselor specializing in the problem. The therapy is provided by "telemedicine" so the patient doesn't have to go out of town for a visit.

If you or someone you know needs treatment for opioid misuse, they can request an appointment with Dr. Lemdja by calling 870-786-2033, the number for her private clinic.