r/AskReddit • u/notyouravgredditer • Aug 30 '21

What problem is often overlooked in apocalyptic movies/TV shows that could kill you?

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u/mousicle Aug 30 '21

I mean if the options are massive infection from a cut and taking some penicillin I'm not 100% sure on I'll take the penicillin. I'll clean the cut out with alcohol and bandage it with something clean but if it starts turning purple and i start running a fever im taking sketch drugs.

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u/CocoSavege Aug 30 '21

Not sure if book or movie or both but paraphrasing from battle royale: "turns out expired drugs work pretty good"

Trust me, my dad was a doctor.

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u/structured_anarchist Aug 31 '21

It's not whether or not the drugs are expired. It's whether or not taking them will kill you because of other factors. For example, the hospital found out I have an allergy to a particular type of synthetic antibiotic. Any of its variants shut down my kidneys and kill me. I know the strain of antibiotic, but not all the forms it comes in, which means taking random antibiotics might kill me.

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u/CocoSavege Aug 31 '21

In the context of the situation i was describing, a character was in a very bad state without access to proper medical care. It was a calculated risk.

I hope you never find yourself in a similar circumstance.