My best friend and I have almost exactly the same symptoms but two different problems. She has numbness and tingling in her feet from diabetes. I have the same kind of feeling but it’s from stenosis. She’s been taking a new drug called Neurontin and it seems to be helping her. Would this same drug help me?

Although the cause of your symptoms is different (diabetes versus stenosis), the symptoms are both coming from the peripheral nervous system. With diabetes, it’s known that high levels of sugar in the body can cause damage to the small blood vessels and nerves. The result is a condition called diabetic neuropathy.

Experts aren’t sure why stenosis causes nerve problems. Narrowing of the spinal canal from the stenosis can put pressure on the nerves. But it’s likely that a decrease in blood flow to the nerves is also part of the problem.

Studies have been done of the damaged nerves in patients with stenosis. When put under a microscope, swelling and scarring called fibrosis is seen. They have also seen a breakdown of the lining around the nerves. The tissue along the outside of nerves is called the nerve sheath. Breakdown of the nerve sheath is called demyelination.

Taking Neurontin has been shown to help some patients with stenosis. When compared with patients who were not taking Neurontin, the patients with stenosis who took the drug could walk farther with less pain. They also had less numbness and tingling in the feet. The exact mechanism for these effects is unknown.

It’s always wise to talk with your doctor before trying a new medication. Some people are tempted to try a few pills from their friends or family. This is never a good idea. There could be serious, unexpected side effects that could have been avoided with medical supervision.