My neurologist does 3.5 h infusions of IVSM, and a month-long taper. I had 6 infusions of IVSM when I had my first round of it.

My second relapse, I had 3 days of IVSM, 2.5 h infusion time, and no taper after. This was not my regular neurologist.

I asked the nurses at the day centre (where they do the infusions, city hospital). They just said that each neurologist has their own way of doing things and ordering the doses/number of days/time infusing & rate of infusion, etc.

I don't know if one's better than the other ... taper or no. I think that my neuro gave the taper of 1 month as it was at diagnosis and I had not had IVSM before, and 6 days was a huge shock to the system, and he wanted to be sure the inflammation was knocked down (I had a very active MRI initially, showing a very active disease process).

Then again, he's an old guy and pretty "By the books" about the meds. I find he 'overdoes' things - weekly to bi-weekly to monthly blood work on Copaxone... which isn't 'needed' as far as I know with C (with the interferons, yes).