The death of an older woman who tried to reduce her medicines without medical oversight shows not all prescription medicine overdoses are alike, a coroner says.

Linda Bridle, 72, was deliberately taking less than her prescribed doses of tapentadol and fluoxetine before her death from toxicity from the two drugs in August 2024, says deputy Victorian coroner Paresa Spanos.

The fact that Ms Bridle had been prescribed two weeks of medication at a GP practice but not sought a repeat script until two months later reinforced that she had tried to taper her medicines herself, Ms Spanos said.

“Ms Bridle may have lost some tolerance if she had been taking less than her prescribed dose of tapentadol, making her more susceptible to overdose at the time of her death.