Persistent rib pain weeks after bacterial pneumonia
Hello everybody. I'm here with a mystery as I wait several weeks for an appointment with a pulmonologist... Earlier this year I was hospitalized with a nasty variety of pneumonia. I was shocked -- I'm one of those athletic people who never even gets a cold, but that's another story. I'm female, in my early 60s.
During my hospitalization there was a lot of coughing, violent coughing, and I broke my lowest ribs on both sides. One side seems to have healed, but the other side (the side that had some radiation following cancer in 2025) still has pain and it's been almost 4 months. Coughing is just agonizing.
I was told I had osteopenia in my midsection & lower spine, and that's the reason for the breakages. Does that sound right? I've *never* had a bad DEXA (last one in fall 2025) but suddenly I have this?
I'm so clueless, I wonder if anyone can tell me if they've ever had a similar experience?
Thanks so much