Hi,
I don't have withdrawl affects when I go off it and find it works well for me when on it. I'm not aware of any side affects I may have from it but I understand the question of long term use is stroke and heart problems. Would I stop taking it, no. I wouldn't be aware of these as after 12 years have been told I have ANS which interfers with the automatic features of the body anyway.
At the end of the day all you can do is try various medications and see if they are of benefit to you or not. Before I take on medications I research them so I know what I might be getting into. I stick with scientific fact and not anecdotal evidence.
I do a 3 monthly blood test to keep an eye on how I'm doing regardless of how I feel. It will tell me if a particular medication has been affecting me or if the results remain constant, which is what I hope to see each quarter. So far I'm remaining constant and stick with a diet I have developed from trial and error.
Cheers.