Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Beth was placed into a medically-induced coma Saturday after medical staffers found it incredibly difficult to treat her when she was transported by ambulance from her Honolulu residence to a nearby hospital.

We're told Beth was not reacting well when she arrived at the ER ... she was in a lot of pain and required oxygen. Our sources say as doctors tried to treat her, Beth began yanking out the lines doctors were using to give her fluids and medications.

It became so problematic, they put her under a mild sedation. We're told that wasn't enough, though -- she was still agitated, so they moved forward with the medically-induced coma. She's been under for at least 2 full days now.

Some of Beth's family members, including her husband, Duane "Dog" Chapman, are by her side.

As we first told you ... Beth suffered a choking emergency this weekend after she experienced breathing complications from her since-returned throat cancer. She went through something similar back in April, but came out of that at the time okay.

Beth has been battling again after learning her throat cancer had returned late last year. She'd previously beaten it back in 2017.