As a joke itβs perfect π but also: please donβt actually do thisβfinishing antibiotics as prescribed (or calling your doc if youβre having side effects) is the real pro tip.
this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2026
1134 points (98.9% liked)
Science Memes
18063 readers
1849 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Looks like we found the pharmacist.
Recent research has found that the recommended length of a course of antibiotics is basically just a guess and doesn't have any hard science backing it.
I've even seen research that suggests that not finishing the full course if you feel better helps prevent resistant bacteria from taking over (because the antibiotics are killing the bacteria that are outcompeting them).
See, the logic I heard re: resistance is the opposite. An infection is only an infection when the bacterial levels are high enough to cause symptoms. Anything below that is definitionally at a level where your body can at worst manage those bacteria without triggering symptoms. You can still be contagious, though.
So, when you don't finish your antibacterial regimen but instead stop when you feel better, you are maximizing the culture size of bacteria with some resistance, creating maximal chance for some resistant bacteria to spread. Finishing your regimen kills the most amount of bacteria; yes, the surviving ones at this point are the most resistant, but are at a small enough number that propagation and spread are far less probable.
There are studies linked in this post that disagree with that logic.
The logic you heard is the long held belief that's being challenged with new evidence, and it takes a super long time to break the medical community of long held beliefs.
For example, even in the 90s medical schools were still teaching that you couldn't get addicted to opioids if you were actually in pain.
And there are still psychiatrists that will say you can't have autism because you can make eye contact with people, because that's what the DSM5 says.
That may be true, but given that doctors are better equipped to understand the changing landscape of medical knowledge, it's wisest to take medication as prescribed
If you're ever lost in a forest, and you want to be rescued, just start building a house. Someone will magically appear to ask if you have a building permit.
Put on a pair of headphones and start listening to something. Then set about to making shelter or building a fire or something. You'll be rescued as soon as your hands are full because someone will come along to ask you the single most inane question of your life.
In telecoma version is take a fibre optic cable with you and burry it. A backhoe will promptly arrive to dig it up.
If you're in the desert, start mixing a Dry Martini, an Englishman will appear to tell your recipe is wrong and his is the correct one.
I worked at a hospital for 20 years... in IT, I wanna start scolding just reading this!
this gets more then just pharmacists excited!
Fr! Not even pharmacist, just anyone with a passive knowledge of germ theory!
My elderly parents showing me clearly AI videos of a $30 robot puppy...
I couldn't convince them it was AI. I tried to explain CGI with shit like Pixar and Disney movies but it didn't work. NICOO puppy
That shit should be illegal.
load more comments
(3 replies)
I worked at a hospital for 20 years⦠in IT,
Hi there, I work in a small lab just upstairs and was wondering if it's okay if I spoof a few MAC addresses to get wired internet and then use my personal VPN to torrent a few GB's of films and games? I'm sure you understand
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
One of the best ways to get information out of people who are hoarding knowledge is to say something so blatantly false to them that they can't help but lecture you on why you're wrong.
Or of they are a nurse, ask them which home remedy is best for burns: toothpaste or powder coffee?
load more comments
(5 replies)
Course lengths for antibiotics isn't well studied. From this article:
In fact, the optimal length of treatment in many common infections is not well studied and may be more than a little arbitrary. One infectious diseases doctor has suggested, somewhat satirically, that most of our current rules for antibiotic administration have more to do with the number of days in the week than they do with robust scientific evidence.
We have a growing and, frankly, terrifying issue of antibiotic resistant bacteria from over prescribing and longer than necessary courses.
What the fuck. They told me that antibiotic resistant bacteria was caused by taking too little antibiotics. Who can I trust now????
Realistically, most of the antibiotic resistance issues actually arise from antibiotic usage in farm animals. Turns out you get better and fatter growth if you microdose animals with antibiotics. Plus there's the added benefit that you don't need to care as much about animal hygiene or illnesses if they're just always on antibiotics. Of course, that's the perfect circumstance for promoting antibiotic resistance. And at the current massive scale of animal farming, antibiotic resistance spreads quickly.
But, you know, that's an acceptable cost when you consider all the shareholder value that you create by having slightly fatter animals.
Funny thing is, antibiotic resistance is an energetically costly adaptation, and studies show that as long as you drop antibiotic usage below a certain amount, evolution would actually favor deleting antibiotic resistance genes. In other words, if we stopped using antibiotics on farm animals, a large amount of antibiotic resistance would just evaporate basically overnight. Then realize that that would never happen with our current governments
Over, under, and misuse have resulted in adaptations by bacteria. Which is to say, life evolves. Its too bad, and there is still a role for antibiotics in our world, but we have to trim our use of it.
test comment
Comment successful.
We can't say that for sure until the rest of the results return
This is exactly the same as saying to a software developer: "I was going to ask you to write me some software to do this, but I'll just get AI to do it instead"
No, because we wont be compelled to answer...
Good for ya if you solved one of your problem with AI.
Good luck tho.
βI used to do programming when you could put code on your MySpace pageβ
I just had a thought, do they still put a shitload of antibiotics into animal feeds on factory farms? Doesn't that contribute to antibiotic resistance?
load more comments
(25 replies)
We need one of these for every field.
I bet optometrists have opinions about people who have bad enough vision that it causes them daily problems that they complain about regularly, but don't want to wear glasses for vanity reasons.
contacts exist, but y'know ...
understandably many people don't want to use them either - as someone who wore contacts daily for a couple of years, learning to put in contacts was kinda similar to learning to deepthroat.
Saving for
learning to put in contacts was kinda similar to learning to deepthroat
load more comments
(2 replies)
load more comments
(8 replies)
"OK, I unplugged the computer. ... No, I still hear air moving. ... What? You mean the footrest? Why would I unplug that?"
load more comments
(10 replies)
i wonder if hearing people talk about radiation as though it's an infection that can spread from person to person makes other nuclear enthusiasts twitch as much as it makes me...
or hearing someone imply that any nuclear reactor can explode in exactly the same manner that an atomic bomb does "by accident".
load more comments
(5 replies)
Here's my 50 CSV files for you to create a powerbi report on top of.
As well as
How do I export the data from my report to CSV?
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(2 replies)
Works great with your local autistic friend too, or anyone with any semblance of common sense
And the infectiologist and the microbiologist will then scold the pharmacist and here you go, you started a bar fight.
Let me ruffle all your feathers: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6736742/
That is interesting. But a consideration for the doctor, not the layperson. Everyday people should still take the full course prescribed and hope their physician has prescribed the right dose.
load more comments
(2 replies)
Where in that document does it say that patients should decide on their own to stop taking antibiotics because they "feel better now"?
This is something one can bring up with the doctor who prescribed it, but not a decision to make on feelings.
load more comments
(2 replies)
load more comments
(2 replies)
view more: next βΊ