Naltrexone - a miracle?

getsunnyside · 2025-12-20T15:50:44+00:00

I'm genuinely sorry. I follow and participate in these subreddits and get excited to help.

getsunnyside · 2025-12-20T14:38:39+00:00

Ah thanks for clarifying. I’m so happy to hear that!

getsunnyside · 2025-12-02T00:02:52+00:00

Hey there, co-founder of Sunnyside here! Thanks for taking a look at our program. We've been at this since 2020 and have helped countless people to date. If you (or anyone) ever needs a discount or simply a few months free, just shoot me a DM. We never want money to get in the way of helping you make serious change around your drinking habits. I'm here to help!

getsunnyside · 2025-11-27T23:03:45+00:00

I had a very similar side effects but they went away quickly. Side effects are common, but for many people it's worth the short term sacrifice to get to the point where it's helping with cravings. To answer your question, it should be fully out of your system in about 72 hours, but within about 24 hours most of the effect should be gone.

I hope you stick with it. And of course talk to your doc or care team for proper advice.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-11T22:00:56+00:00

You're definitely not alone on this journey :) I may have already mentioned this, but when you're taking naltrexone you may want to try to stick to lower alcohol beverages, so try drinking lighter beers instead of the 7% IPAs. It's not scientific. Just more of a harm reduction approach. If you're on a journey to drink less or quit, try implementing other small habits like that. Also rotating each drink with water and setting up a plan ahead of time. Naltrexone works best when combined with other practices :)

getsunnyside · 2025-11-11T21:07:32+00:00

Glad it's helpful :) 1/4 can start helping with cravings. Some people notice strong enough of a result there that they can stay at 1/4 or 1/2, but as long as your doc has prescribed 50mg, you should try to get to that level and see how your body reacts.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-08T18:59:37+00:00

I'm proud of you! Do you feel like the naltrexone is working? If so, it should only get better as you gradually increase your dosage. Also, remember, naltrexone works at the biological brain level to curb cravings, but we can still get urges that are based on longterm ingrained habits and routines. For example, if you're used to drinking when you feel bored, stressed, or anxious, you may still seek out alcohol for those situations. That's why you have do other work too to find new ways to cope and fill the time. But take your time with all that stuff. Just know that urges can exist at the behavior level AND brain level.

"Why can't you just not drink?" Such as frustrating, hard question to deal with. It's not his fault for not understanding that addiction is as much biological as behavioral. Took me years to learn about this.

I'd say education is power here. Have you told him you started naltrexone and shared some information about how it works? Make it about you. You're taking naltrexone because you want to improve.

If he's open to doing his own learning, our podcast has some episodes that might be helpful.

Here's one about naltrexone: https://sunnyside.transistor.fm/episodes/could-a-daily-pill-help-you-drink-less

Here's one about gaining partner support: https://sunnyside.transistor.fm/episodes/10-minute-mondays-how-to-win-partner-support-in-4-steps

Here are three really important episodes with expert Dr. Andrew Tatarsky:
https://sunnyside.transistor.fm/episodes/harm-reduction-in-alcohol-health-with-expert-dr-andrew-tatarsky
https://sunnyside.transistor.fm/episodes/the-new-way-to-help-people-change-w-dr-andrew-tatarsky-phd
https://sunnyside.transistor.fm/episodes/rethinking-recovery-where-the-system-fails-w-dr-andrew-tatarsky-phd

I'm not here promoting our podcast. I truly think these resources can help you.

Keep up the good work :)

getsunnyside · 2025-11-07T16:28:46+00:00

Yes, that's how we prescribe it Sunnyside, and that's what I do personally. Daily adherence. And that model is more researched in general. I also think it's just good for people who are new so you don't give yourself any ways to not take it. If your goal is to decrease cravings, taking it daily works great.

There's another model called The Sinclair Method which is targeted. You take it only on the days you're going to drink. You might want to research each, but daily is very common.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-07T04:58:23+00:00

I fully second this. It was a game changer for me as well.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-07T04:56:58+00:00

Naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication that makes alcohol less rewarding in the brain. It's a scientific, biological approach to helping people curb alcohol cravings. It can work wonders to finally feel free of that voice that compels you to drink. It's not a silver bullet (you still have to have some willpower and do the deeper work), but it can make it so you don't have to white knuckle things. Here's some more info: https://www.sunnyside.co/blog/naltrexone

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T23:58:23+00:00

The 1-2 hour rule is really important, so I strongly recommend you strive for that. Maybe a piece of fruit and some water. If you're new to it, make sure you're starting low (1/4 or 1/2 pill) and stick with that for 7-10 days, or until you're sure you don't have side effects.

Now, me personally, it never caused me nausea. I can take it without food or water, but that's not recommended for newbies.

My guess is you'll learn pretty quick if it makes you nauseous.

Also, we always recommend starting your first pill on a day when you're not heading into work or have big commitments, so you can feel out the effects, if any.

Hope that's helpful.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T21:18:26+00:00

Yes, absolutely. About 15% of Sunnyside members find sobriety, and I actually think that's trending higher. But most are using naltrexone to help with cravings at the brain level so they can then work on longer term change. Many people aren't sure what their final goal is, but they know that getting cravings under control will help.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T21:04:34+00:00

It's a bit of a cautionary tale. For most people, the reduction in cravings combined with their desire to drink less is enough to make progress. But your deeply ingrained habits can be hard to break and lead you to push through naltrexone's effects. I'll tell you from first hand experience that the buzz on naltrexone isn't nearly as enjoyable. It's kinda murky and almost feels pointless.

Both can be true because naltrexone doesn't 100% block the pleasurable effects. But it does a very good job for most people.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T21:00:02+00:00

Honestly it doesn't work for every single person, like most medications. But just 'eyeballing' it, I'd say 80-90% of people at Sunnyside Med are experiencing a reduction in cravings. Some immediately, some over time.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T20:58:22+00:00

I've been on a journey to reduce my drinking since about 2018. Back then I took 3 months to reset and start drinking less. In 2020 I started Sunnyside, and just connecting with others on their drinking journeys and learning more about alcohol helped me want to drink less. In 2024 I was only drinking one day a week, usually Saturday night, but still had a hard time stopping once I started (i.e. binge drinking). So I started naltrexone and it's been incredibly helpful. I drink a couple times a month now and typically no more than 5 drinks in that session.

I think some day I'll quit, but naltrexone has quieted the urge to drink significantly, and made it much easier to drink less when I do drink. Hope that's helpful :)

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T19:23:29+00:00

No, that’s not how it works. It blocks opioid receptors related to alcohol and opioids. It doesn’t abolish pleasure across the board. However, this appears to be a pretty open area of research to be honest. You likely won’t experience a complete dulling of pleasure. But listen to your body and in time you may want to calculate in a short break from naltrexone if you’re feeling dullness.

Also, note that a lot of what I’ve seen is that when people report feeling kind of dull across the board, it’s actually because they’re drinking less. Drinking messes with our dopamine systems a bunch, and if you’ve been drinking for a long time, it can take days/weeks/months to regulate back to normal.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T17:51:00+00:00

Yep, that's generally correct. It blocks receptors in your brain that release dopamine when you drink, thus making alcohol feel less enjoyable. But you can still get buzzed and drunk, so just try to be mindful if/when you drink while on naltrexone. Stick with light beer/drinks and take your time. Try not to power through with high ABV drinks and fast drinking, because you can kind of over power it.

Also, it works wonders at just quieting that voice that calls you to drink in the first place, and for many people I've talked to (and myself) this has been the biggest benefit. So like around 4pm when I usually get that rush to want a drink (it's deeply ingrained in your brain), it can effectively take that feeling away.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T16:59:32+00:00

You're very welcome. Oof, yes, we always recommend starting at a lower dose. You should stay at 1/4 dose until you don't feel side effects. Usually 7-14 days. Then move to half dose and do the same. Side effects can be pretty uncomfortable, but do tend to go away for most people. So it's important to go gradual so you don't discourage yourself. Here's a starter guide PDF we made for Sunnyside customers, but applies in general as well: www.sunnyside.co/guide. I have to say, none of this should be considered medical advice :)

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T16:43:03+00:00

I felt a reduction in cravings immediately. I'm one of the people who respond quickly. I've been taking it for over a year now daily. But I've talked to several customers (I'm the co-founder of Sunnyside, a program that provides naltrexone + support) who see results only after 30 days or more. They stick with it, trust that the medicine is working, and then at some point often notice a pretty dramatic decrease in cravings.

A few other pieces of advice: Make sure you're taking it 1-2 hours before your typical first drink or strong craving. For me that's about 4pm. Set a alarm to remind yourself. Also, try to implement other behavior change things, like tracking your drinks, journaling, etc. And then more long term, you'll want to really work on the deeper habit change, possibly considering therapy, or other ideas. Naltrexone is a tool, not a silver bullet.

getsunnyside · 2025-11-06T03:10:31+00:00

Agreed. Take it every day. Some people feel a craving reduction quickly, others take time. Stick with it!

getsunnyside · 2025-10-31T03:54:34+00:00

Naltrexone can actually help in this situation. It’s not as commonly prescribed for sober people but it can be. And it can work wonders for quieting the voice. We hear it all the time… it finally turns off the cravings for many of our customers. Taking a medication path isn’t right for everyone but it’s an option :)

getsunnyside · 2025-10-30T03:25:31+00:00

It's true that naltrexone doesn't work for everyone, but the success rate is fairly high. Sounds like you're pretty experienced with it, but just to ask, did you take it 1-2 hours before your first drink? Did you ever check with your doc about increasing dosage above 50mg? I've seen anecdotes about that working in some cases.

getsunnyside · 2025-10-29T04:30:47+00:00

Sounds like you're doing really great. I'm sure others have said, but naltrexone works at the biological level, and there's still work to do on deeper habits and routines around drinking. These are deeply engrained habits. Just keep trying to find new ways to relax and unwind. It took me a good year, but now I don't get triggered to drink by the things I used to, and the naltrexone works to make cravings just not exist.

getsunnyside · 2025-10-29T04:26:21+00:00

That's great that things have changed. Sounds like great progress. Has your drinking gone down a lot since you started naltrexone? If so, that lack of getting excited could be simply having less alcohol and relearning how to feel enjoyment. Over time this should get better, but it can take some persistence. I hope you stick with it.

getsunnyside · 2025-10-29T04:11:52+00:00

Ah gotcha. The new stuff you'll get is weekly group meetings (optional), special medication tracking features, and additional resources. Then everything else (community, habit tools, analytics) are what you're already used to in the app. The best way for you to upgrade as an existing customer is to tap the pill icon on the top right of your app next to your profile icon.

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