Suffocating?

You really should get an Aneros. Even if you're dirt poor, it's worth saving up for. They usually have sales around holidays, which helps alot. Or you might find one really cheap on Amazon or eBay. I got an MGX (not a knockoff) on Amazon for around $25.

Anyways, I'm not sure what you're experiencing, but it sounds like sleep apnea. I used to have it pretty bad until I lost weight. If I went to sleep with any food in my stomach, or slept on my back, I'd quit breathing the minute I dozed off. That would wake me right back up. Sometimes I'd wake up from a deep sleep, instantly wide awake and take a deep breath. It's a very scary feeling. If it's bad it can be downright terrifying. Even life threatening. If any of that sounds like what you're experiencing, you should see a doctor.

Good advice @wandering _smoke. I've never had the suffocating sensations you described @Silentpleasures or heard of them here associated with aneros play. My field was sleep medicine before I retired so I'm familiar with all kinds of parasomnias. Soffocating is one of the worst fears humans can have. Myself I've sometimes woken up with a gasp feeling like I'm suffocating or just stopped breathing. It's like that falling feeling you get when falling asleep and wake up startled. It's completely normal and not life threatening. If you've had the suffocating feeling often, know that you snore, or your bed partner has seen or heard you stop breathing in your sleep, I would see a slepp medicine doctor to be checked out.

I've heard of guys wiring themselves without aneros by doing anal play or fingering their prostate. Here's a discussion of that: https://community.aneros.com/forum/discussion/16497/quick-rewiring-some-potentially-helpful-advice. I think eventually you'll want a aneros device. Best wishes.

Hi @euphemistic. I never went to a specialist, so I was never formally diagnosed. I know it takes machines and whatnot, to monitor you overnight to get a real diagnosis, but I'd like your opinion. Do you think I had sleep apnea? One thing I didn't mention were the worst attacks, which scared me in to losing weight. At it's worst, I would occasionally wake from a deep sleep and still not be able to breathe for a couple seconds. A couple times I felt like I was going to pass out again before I could take a breath. ...I'm down to a normal weight now, and haven't been woken up by it for a long time. So I'm not worried about it anymore. But since you are/were a professional, I am curious to know your opinion. If you're willing to give it.

@Wandering_smoke, I'm not a MD just a lowly technician but I kinda know what they would say. Sometimes losing weight or changing your sleep position will resolve your apneas if they are obstructive. If you're not having apneas and your sleep partner hasn't heard you stop breathing, good. However, you could still have some partial apneas called hypopneas or upper airway resistance syndrome. The only way to find out is to be tested. They have home sleep tests now that are not too obtrusive. The MDs usually say If you have high blood pressure, high pulmonary artery pressure, morning headaches, ED, GERD, excessive sleepiness for instance, see a sleep specialist. Hope this helps.