i haven't slept in months and need help

since about Jan/2019 i've gotten into this weird thing where as soon as i feel myself start drifting off to sleep, i wake up suddenly and i'm hyperventilating and it's a constant cycle of drifting off slowly and waking up in a panic all night every night. it helps having someone sleep with me but i don't want to have to rely on someone in order to get some rest. any ideas of what could be the cause/how i can control it.

*p.s i've never been to a doctor or psychiatrist to have my mental health checked, so i've never been formally diagnosed with anything, but am working on saving to afford and visit one**