A Stony Plain nurse is back home after receiving a controversial new treatment for multiple sclerosis in Costa Rica.

Christine Engelhardt has been living with MS for 10 years. She says one of her first symptoms was blindness in her left eye.

Engelhardt is now one of many MS sufferers who've chosen to travel out of the country to receive the liberation treatment, which involves the widening of the veins.

The procedure is based on research from an Italian doctor who found blocked veins in some MS patients could be reversed by a procedure similar to balloon angioplasty. Several countries are offering the treatment and have reported successful results but it is still not available in Canada.

Engelhardt spent $20,000 to obtain the treatment in Costa Rica. She says two weeks ago she couldn't pour coffee without spilling because her hands had no strength. Her symptoms also included headaches, loss of balance, and severe muscle spasms.

"My fatigue was insane. I couldn't make it through a whole day," she said.

She says after undergoing the treatment in Central America, she felt instant change.

"When I first woke up from the anesthesia I could feel my left foot, which I haven't been able to feel for about two years."

Engelhardt says she is disappointed the treatment hasn't been approved in Canada.

"I just wish everyone had this opportunity to feel better because we deserve it...we deserve the choice."

On Wednesday, officials announced the federal government would not fund clinical trials in Canada.

"There's no evidence that venous insufficiency is linked in any way to multiple sclerosis," said Dr. Alain Beaudet with the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said the federal government will assemble a working group to study data from seven studies of the treatment, which are now underway.

"To ensure that we have the evidence to support this procedure, we need to do the research," Aglukkaq said. "And once we have that, we will proceed -- if there is enough evidence from the seven research projects already underway around this subject -- we will proceed with pan-Canadian clinical trials. We will support that. At this point in time, we do not have the evidence to proceed."

Aglukkaq said the studies are expected to take two years to complete.

With files from Susan Amerongen and CTV.ca News Staff