Yes, at first I was afraid of the drug, because the warnings looked scary. I knew that I needed it though, so I started taking it as prescribed. The alternative is a shorter life, high chance of cardiovascular event or stroke, or possibly morphing into leukemia. My side effects have been tolerable, occasional ankle pain, fatigue, strong reaction to caffeine. My Dr. said I will need this medication for the rest of my life, and that I will live a normal life span if I continue to take it. I did a little research, and found that the medication has been in use since the 1960s.