I can't imagine with a platelet count that high how you are considered low risk. I had serious pulmonary embolisms when my platelets were 800,000. I survived fortunately but with lung damage. Take the HU and don't dwell on side effects. If you do you will have them, real or not. I haven't had side effects at all and my platelets remain stable in the mid 200,000s while on daily 500 mg of HU.