Hi. I am a 34 year old female w/an extensive medical history. Mostly due to botched bariatric surgery & about 13 surgeries since the initial surgery in 2/2011. I ended up getting into a car accident on 5/2016 & my malabsorption (bariatric surgery that left me w/short gut, horrible absorbing of food/meds/liquid/vitamins/etc that requires numerous blood/fluid/TPN/platelets/potassium/etc transfusions & infusions) has caused me to be on VERY high doses of opiate medications + TPN mostly. My Pain Mgmnt doctor placed an intrathecal pain pump implant for dilaudid & baclofen (spelling?) to be inserted into the pump on 12/2/2016. Well, after it was placed, 2 was post-op he stated that I have to be off all opiate medicine for “3 weeks” before he’ll place the medications in my pump. How is this possible!? If I’m ok w/o pain control for 3 wks, then, why do I need a pump implanted? Does this sound like common practice to anyone else that’s a physician? My sister is an internal medicine doctor, not a pain specialist but will be going w/me to my appointment to pose these questions in January, doesn’t understand this “plan” either. Furthermore, the detox place that he had me call just as a “back up if I need inpatient care” & they said they’re not “in the business of ‘drying out someone so they can go back to the same medications & don’t really know anyone that would do that. If my plan is to stay w/him, I need to know that going into his plan, no detox place will be on that plan w/him. However, I might want to seek a 2nd & 3rd opinion.” Thank you-bye. So, my question is: Does this seem normal practice or should I find another Neuroscience/Pain Managment doctor? Thank you!