Sounds like you could have sleep apnea. If you do sleep on your back, do not let your head tilt forward to your chest. Put a small round pillow under your neck, so your neck tilts back, away from your chest. Sleep apnea is dangerious, CPAP would be considered. Good Calories, Bad Calories is an excellent book, explaining obesity, but it does not tell you what to eat or how much. Just to avoid carbs.

John Hopkins uses a modified Atkins for treating people with epilepsy. "The regimen restricted them to 15 grams of carbohydrates a day. “That’s a few strawberries, some vegetables, or a bit of bread,” says Kossoff. The diet offers most of its calories from fat-eggs, meats, oils and heavy cream-with as much protein and no-carb beverages as patients want." This plan might work well for weight reduction in general, as well as for epileptics.

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/pres...8/01_28_08.html

If very low carb does not produce results quickly enough for your goals, don't rule out bariatric surgery, which is? available on ss disability? Or consider a dual path, apply for bariatric surgery. It takes months before surgery, so it gives you time to lose weight. If you lose enough weight, you can cancel the surgery.