Sunnyside - Naltrexone & App to Drink Less or QuitReviews of sunnyside.co

My physician recommended that I try the Sunnyside App and Sunnyside Med program to help me reduce my alcohol consumption. She specifically discussed naltrexone with me and felt it could be a helpful option. I was particularly interested in Sunnyside because I liked the idea of combining medication with the coaching and support offered through the program. I completed the medical intake form and was subsequently notified that I had been denied. I understand that not everyone will qualify for a medication or telehealth program, and I absolutely respect that a medical provider needs to make that determination. My frustration is with what happened afterward. When I tried to access the link that was supposed to provide additional information about the decision, I received a message saying, “Sorry, we couldn't find that page.” I then called the contact number, but the person I spoke with couldn't provide any information about why I had been denied. I also messaged my Sunnyside coach, who confirmed that I had been denied but was unable to provide any additional details. For a program involving prescription medication and medical screening, I think patients should receive a clear explanation of the decision or at least have a way to communicate with the medical provider who reviewed their intake information. Simply being told that you were denied, followed by a broken link and support representatives who cannot provide additional information, is frustrating and disappointing. I get bloodwork every three months and am under the regular care of my physician. I have an appointment with her tomorrow and will discuss naltrexone with her directly, so fortunately I have another avenue for treatment. I really wanted to use Sunnyside because I liked the idea of having the medication combined with the app, coaching and ongoing support. Unfortunately, the lack of communication and transparency surrounding the medical review process has left me very disappointed with the experience. UPDATE - The co-founder reached out to me to say he and the IT team were working on what is a "one-off" bug and they will get it fixed asap.

I used Sunnyside over a period of almost 4 years. Having a daily, weekly and monthly online check-in was entirely valuable. It helped me keep focus and about as much on track as I could muster. I tapered off the program a while back because I was in a decent groove. My drinking was lower than when I started. I had better control. These days I'm drinking 2 to 3 drinks a day with occasional no or low drink days. It works for me.

Honestly, had I read more I wouldn’t have tried this. I like the checking in and recording drinks But the medication was unnecessary for me(my bad). Fortunately I didn’t even have to open the package in the mail. I tried to see if I could return it(completely unopened, still in the bag it came) but could not. $300 is just too costly for me at this time. If you can afford it by all means give it a shot. Now I have a giant bottle to dispose of. Again…I liked the program itself, accountability, but the cost is high.

Frequent contact, positive reinforcement, encouragement.

the bots and the coaches text the same thing one right after another — it feels clumsy and impersonal.

I appreciate the mindfulness approach to monitoring my drinking habits. I also like the positive feedback and support from the program, as well as the lack of criticism or judgemental comments on days when my consumption exceeds my targets. My only hesitation in continuing the program is privacy concerns about reporting my daily consumption online, particularly if that information can be hacked.

I like the daily tracking & accountability for totals for day & week vs targets. I like the positive reinforcement that I am working on a goal & doing well even if I mess up. Having the number of drinks tallied per week is an eye opener & I can no longer rationalize that it is OK.

I would LOVE a place to leave notes for each day or week. For example: I was doing great, then my granddaughter was stillborn and I got way off track. A way to notate what happened would be really helpful to reflect on triggers and how to address those.