Anxiety Attack with Deep Breathing: Shared Experience?

It actually makes perfect sense! Meditating puts the mind in a vulnerable state of mind. If you have PTSD or C-PTSD, vulnerability is a learned danger. I have been in therapy for years and only recently started being able to do some forms of meditation.

It can be validating to realize that I'm not so alone although also saddening to know that other people experience this, too. I wonder if it would be more or less helpful to have a guided breathing exercise with someone's voice who can help with focus and calmness.

I had the worst panic attack of my life after leaving my backpack on the train and not realizing until I was already on another bus. I tried using deep breathing techniques to calm myself but it lead to worse problems. I ended up with physical panic symptoms where my hands bent into weird positions that I couldn’t move them out of and it caused my anxiety to sky rocket because I didn’t know panic attacks could manifest physically at the time. So yeah you’re not alone.

I can't focus on my breathing. Sometimes I even have to use my cpap to help me with breathing

I appreciate that. I guess it might be easier said than done, maybe could benefit from more grace with myself around not "getting it" right away.

Just concentrate on the breath, you shouldn't be thinking at all. Thinking about how you shouldn't be thinking leads to this... Practice ,practice, practice..