As the flu spreads across Texas and beyond doctors have a dilemma.
Figuring out what is the flu and what is a vaping illness. So why are the two so easy to confuse?
According to the experts, the flu and other respiratory viruses look remarkably similar to vaping illness, that includes shortness of breath, night sweat, slow oxygen levels and spots on the lung picked up by x-ray.
Adding to the confusion, people who vape heavily are much more likely to get the flu.
So, if you show up at the doctor's office with those symptoms and test positive for the flu, they may give you some Tamiflu and send you home, but if you have the vaping illness you need much more aggressive treatment and hospitalization.
Right now, the CDC is telling doctors that if they have a patient who vapes and has flu symptoms to treat them for both.