At Keperra Compounding Pharmacy, our role is to support the plan agreed upon between the patient and their prescribing doctor.

We believe that shared decision-making is essential, the pace and structure of the taper should reflect the individual's needs, preferences, and experiences, guided by the clinical expertise of their GP or psychiatrist.

We follow the hyperbolic tapering model, which is widely recognised as the safest and most effective method for reducing antidepressants. The pharmacy will provide information and guidance every step of the way to support and educate individuals through this period.

This means:
• Larger reductions at higher doses (e.g., from 100mg to 50mg for sertraline)
• Progressively smaller reductions as doses get lower
• Slower and more cautious steps near the end of the taper, where sensitivity to changes increases

Each step is typically spaced by 2 to 4 weeks, but this is highly flexible. The pace can be paused, slowed, or adjusted at any time based on how you feel and what you and your doctor decide is right for you.

The customised mini-doses, through capsules or liquids, make these careful, patient-guided reductions possible.

Dr Robert Purssey, psychiatrist, ACT therapist and director of Brisbane ACT centre has provided the following examples of multiple dosage private compounding prescriptions to enable patients to liaise directly with Keperra Compounding Pharmacy to enable their own individualised tapering process “listening to their bodies” with the broader guidance of the University of Queensland Release project schedules, based upon the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines, and an RACGP accredited clinical resource.