I think I screwed up

I ramped up my workout schedule, and now I am dealing with really sore shins and lots of pain.  (I'm half sure its shin splints.  I dealt with them when I was in high school.)  So much so I had to miss my workout yesterday.  I don't want to miss a workout today.  I'm sad that this has happened so soon (first week of the new routine) and I am trying to not get discouraged.  I feel like I am walking like a robot.  I have some people saying "walk through it and stretch out" and others saying that I need to take time off up to two weeks.  I really don't want to wait 2 weeks.  I have been rolling my shins, and using icy hot.  Its helping.  What else can I do to get past this?  I have a 5k in December and I want to start training for that as soon as possible.

I don't think stretching will help shin splints.  I think rest and Tylenol is your best bet.

From the Mayo Clinic site.

In most cases, you can treat shin splints with simple self-care steps:

• Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort — but don't give up all physical activity. While you're healing, try low-impact exercises, such as swimming, bicycling or water running.
• Ice the affected area. Apply ice packs to the affected shin for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day for several days. To protect your skin, wrap the ice packs in a thin towel.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Try ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to reduce pain.

Resume your usual activities gradually. If your shin isn't completely healed, returning to your usual activities may cause continued pain.

You should NOT take Advil, Motrin, Naproxen or any other NSAID after an RNY.  It is completely contraindicated.

I have a history with shin splints.  Most every time mine have flared up, it's a shoe issue.  Have you been fitted properly for running shoes at a running store?  If not, do that RIGHT NOW.  Go to a good specialty running store and get fitted for shoes.  

The other thing that helps, once the shoe issue is corrected but I have shin splints from bad/old shoes already, is leg compression sleeves.  I like the brand Zensah.  Those help my shins recover more quickly.  

Yeah I was fitted at Fit2Run.  I have not tried the compression garments though.  I will check those out and give them a shot.  I am also icing them down a lot, forgot to put that in my first post.  

How old are your shoes?  

Less than 6 months.  Definitely only 20 miles on them.  Broken in but but broken down.  I think it was overdoing it.  The last few days of rest have helped tremendously.  I got some compression and that REALLY helped a lot as well.  They are still sore but not nearly as bad as before.  I'm gonna give it another day or rest then start with just a mile at a time.

I usually get a lot of advise from forums dedicated to a specific sport, like a running, biking, swimming, or tri site.  Injuries are the #1 reason why people don't pursue a sport.  Gotta start slow and rest in between days.  Most injuries you use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) and start using the sore muscle in gentle stretchs.  If you have a tear/major muscle pull, then sometimes total rest.   Don't push through an injury, unless you are an athlethe and know what you are doing as you most likely prolong the body's healing process. Try swimming or biking,  where you are using the muscle but not weight bearing.

My health insurance is sponsoring a Couch to 5K training program.  The running started 8/3 and it is preparation for a Halloween run, so it looks like you might have time to rest it since your run isn't until December.

I am checking on a runners board as well.  Getting lots of different answers, but I am going with the RICE method like you said.

I know I have extra time, but I wanted the padding in time.  LOL  It makes sure I don't BARELY make it.  hahahahahaha  I want to seem like I know what I am doing around everyone since I will still be big.