I've felt feeling of depression as a result of free time and time to think. It sounds like you're describing something we all share in common---the human condition. DO you see a mental health professional at the moment? What's your treatment plan? ANd what's going on in your life at the moment?

Your bad feelings of this curable disease sound too fimiliar.I had developed similar last year, rushed to hospital on many occasions yet when you get there all is well and gone.I have a normal job General Manager no medical certificates or diplomas but yet a very straightforward
answer to our problem - our mind.I also discovered that most of the chronic medication offered by health doctors tend to have side effects eg in our case anxiety causes hypertension -the medication reducing hypertension causes depression etc(you must check you medication side-effects).You also have to ensure that you do not have serious medical conditions.Once this is ruled out you can then concentrate on the solutions.I find that Omega 3 6 , Vit B6 and Vit B12 does wonders for me.These are natural substances which have helped me to overcome the fright or flight attitude -either you fight the problem or you run away from it.It took me more then a month to feel the difference of these medication I also believe different medication helps differently in different individuals.
I am of the opinion that one will feel depressed after anxiety has gone because you become more worried of you health -this in turn ,i believe causes us to go into a depression mode.Remember doctors can recommend whatever medication but we need to win our fight against
these dreadful and unpleasant illness by trying our utmost to stay focussed.May I also recommend Tai-Chi exercises which helps much with
anxiety,stress etc.I hope I have spread some light on the matter.

To rooted: I do see a mental health professional.... He is actually the one who had me try buspar for the anxiety as well as xanax, and it has helped a great deal for the anxiety. At first we tried 5mg of buspar 2x/day and it took the edge off, but I still had some anxiety. He then increased me to 10mg 2x/day, and it was just after that when I started with the mild depression/blues. I'm not sure if it could be the increased dosage or maybe I think soo much about how scared I was all summer and how bad it felt to be depressed when taking paxil. I just dont know if its from my mind wandering when I'm not busy, or if it could be from the increased dose of buspar. I heard that buspar comes in 7.5mg, so I may ask him to try me on that when I go back next week to see if that helps... maybe 5mg wasn't quite enough, but 10 is a little too much????

To wydie: I have been to the ER as well as several doctors and through many tests.. they say I'm perfectly healthy. However, they did find i have asthma like symptoms, as well as the cardiologist finding out that I have PVCs(xtra heartbeats) and Mitral Valve prolapse. Neither are serious but with my heart beating extra that can cause extra adrenalin to be pumped through my body which could aggravate the anxiety disorder, or could actually be the underlying cause. I just started a beta blocker last week and have noticed a difference in my heart palapatations.. I feel like I've ALMOST gotten the anxiety under control, but the bouts with the blues are scaring me... I NEVER want to feel the depression I felt that was caused by the paxil. At one point I had a flash of a suicidal thought which scared the daylights out of me. I'm married and a mother of 3. DOnt really care for my job, but it pays very well. We have everything so I dont have anything to cause the depression, and thats what scares me... knowing that I may have it but with no underlying cause. Do you have any recommendations of vitamins for the sadness?? As I said, it's not all the time and I definately have a full-filling life, so thats what has me baffled.

Did you develop those extra beats recently?. I developed those annoying extra beats 3 years ago when I had a severe panic and anxiety period. I am now receiving acupunture, neural therapy and I am taking omega 3, and planning to start on stationary bike daily. My skipped beats or extra beats are gone now.

I actually started with the extra beats about a week before my first panic attack.... thats what leads me to believe the heart conditions may be what caused the anxiety disorder. I haven't thought of acupuncture... may be something worth looking into. I've heard others talk about the Omega 3... does that just help the extra beats, or does that help with the anxiety and depression as well???

Well. What I see about Omega 3 is that it keeps my good cholesterol (HDL) up (65) which is good for heart conditions. It also keep my triglycerides low. I have noticed this since I start on it. I am not really sure if Omega is keeping away my extra beats, because I am on several supplements, and I don't know if it has been a combination of tose supplements which are diminishing the beats. But I think that keeping your lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) in good level make your heart to work easier.
I have had for depression Saint John's Wort (one capsule of 300mg a day in the morning) and that's enough to make me feel better. The advantage of SJ is that you can take it for periods (one or two months) and you don't develop withdrawal simptoms as with SSRI's.
I recommend you to do some research about the following supplements to help with your anxiety:
1- Inositol
2- Niacinamide (not Niacin)
3- Magnesium glycinate
4- L-Theanine.

You can talk about them with your Dr. But these supplements are safer than any psychiatric drug available, just be careful to not exceed the dosage; start with a very low dose and try just one at a time to see results. Do some trial and error. It is something worh to try IMHO.

I think that if you work with your doctor to test the dosage, you'll find out. Also, I found acupuncture VERY helpful for me in terms of boosting my immune system, overall energy, and treating anxiety. I was going once every couple of weeks to a great acupuncturist...and if I could have afforded it, would have gone once a week. Do you have any suggestions from friends on how to find a good acupuncturist where you live? Make sure they've got good "qi" (Chi), or energy, before you begin!!!