Benign Bone Tumor Surgery resulting in chronic pain/inability to stand for 60 minutes

T

TallTree

Well-Known Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
Thank you everyone for reading this. I had a giant cell tumor of the bone in my tibia, which was removed two years ago (I'm 11 years AD). However, it doesn't seem to have healed correctly, and unfortunately for me it seems that I am limited to 30-60 minutes of walking/standing/on my feet. I found this out by walking around town for approximately that long, which induced a debilitating pain in my tibia that was severe enough to send me to the ER the next day because I was worried it was a DVT (it was not--but now my flight doc knows about this pain). It eventually went away after 36 hours, but I am on DNIF status for the time being while they troubleshoot to see if the tumor has returned.

I really don't think it has, since this was a totally different type of pain from when I had the tumor, but I'll let the medical professionals figure that out. If it is not a recurrence, then what? It's been 2 years since the surgery, so I imagine whatever healing that will happen has already happened, and that has left me with this pretty shitty limitation.

Does anyone have any experience with physical limitations like that (inability to stand/walk/run for more than 30-60 minutes)? Is that an auto-MEB? I'm a pilot in an ejection seat aircraft, so I really don't see how I can legitimately continue that mission if so.

I've researched about VA disability conditions, and see that the qualifying condition for me (since there isn't one specifically for "it hurts when I stand") would be limitated of movement of the knee, but I don't really have any problems with that since it's in my tibia, not my joint.

I will also add that this chronic pain has also produced some mental health issues, which I am seeing a psychologist on base for, but I have no idea what's going to come from that.
 
I am surprised the flight surgeon has not placed you on DNIF. The standards for retention are found on the first banner bar at the top of the page under resources.
 
Just to be clear, I am DNIF since going to the ER. The flight doc doesn’t want my pain to distract from running checklists and such, which totally checks out. Never mind what would happen if I ejected.

interestingly enough, 8 months post surgery when I got cleared to walk again without crutches, my flight doc (different one) straight up asked me if I wanted to go to an MEB, or if I wanted her to just click the button to clear me to fly again. I obviously went with the latter, but here I am.
 
TallTree said:
Thank you everyone for reading this. I had a giant cell tumor of the bone in my tibia, which was removed two years ago (I'm 11 years AD). However, it doesn't seem to have healed correctly, and unfortunately for me it seems that I am limited to 30-60 minutes of walking/standing/on my feet. I found this out by walking around town for approximately that long, which induced a debilitating pain in my tibia that was severe enough to send me to the ER the next day because I was worried it was a DVT (it was not--but now my flight doc knows about this pain). It eventually went away after 36 hours, but I am on DNIF status for the time being while they troubleshoot to see if the tumor has returned.

I really don't think it has, since this was a totally different type of pain from when I had the tumor, but I'll let the medical professionals figure that out. If it is not a recurrence, then what? It's been 2 years since the surgery, so I imagine whatever healing that will happen has already happened, and that has left me with this pretty shitty limitation.

Does anyone have any experience with physical limitations like that (inability to stand/walk/run for more than 30-60 minutes)? Is that an auto-MEB? I'm a pilot in an ejection seat aircraft, so I really don't see how I can legitimately continue that mission if so.

I've researched about VA disability conditions, and see that the qualifying condition for me (since there isn't one specifically for "it hurts when I stand") would be limitated of movement of the knee, but I don't really have any problems with that since it's in my tibia, not my joint.

I will also add that this chronic pain has also produced some mental health issues, which I am seeing a psychologist on base for, but I have no idea what's going to come from that.
Click to expand...
Can you clarify if the tumor was PVNS or TGCT? Did you only have surgery or went to systemic medicinal treatment ?
 
The surgeon gave me the choice and I went with surgery.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top