25 days into my diet. I've lost 15 lbs, which is actually pretty good. It's slowed down a bit, but it's going down. I figure I'm losing 2.5-3 lbs per week.

For the most part, I feel pretty good. I've done low carb before, so I know how it works and how effective it can be. The reason I don't just stay on it is because I am a picky eater...I can't stand most of the vegetables that are staples of the low carb diets. Literally...I'll gag and choke if I eat asparagus, or spinach. I like lettuce. I like a few of the starchy vegetables, but of course, they're off limits! In addition, I'm severely allergic to nuts of all kinds, especially coconut. So I can't eat anything that is made from or contains nuts. That limits me to meat, cheese, fish, eggs, and lettuce. It gets boring.

But, that's not my real problem! My real problem is that this time, I'm getting hives. I get them during the night, and they appear mostly around my mid section, especially the belt line, and on top of my feet. I get a few in other places, but that's where they're concentrated.

If I take an antihistamine (like Claritin D) in the evening, I wake up hive-free. But I hate taking medicine every day. In fact, the thing that spurred me to get back on a diet was that my doctor indicated that if I lose the extra tonnage, I can probably stop taking blood pressure medication!

I've read a ton online. This is a common issue, it seems. I've tried many things...I've eliminated everything I'm currently eating for a few days to see if the hives went away. I eliminated Sodium Nitrates, and limited Nitrites. I cut out anything with Splenda (sucralose). I'm taking a multivitamin every day. And I'm not under any significant stress! The hives come on every night regardless. The only thing that seems to stop them is the Claritin D.

I feel good otherwise. I've been keeping a detailed log every day that includes everything I've eaten, calories per meal and per day. I also monitor blood pressure and blood sugar several times a day (I'd read that this diet, along with the blood pressure meds, might cause blood pressure to drop too low, so I've been keeping track. That has not been an issue for me).

It seems that most people have eliminated the hives with re-introduction of some carbs into the diet. What puzzles me is why I've never had to do that before! Perhaps it's a side effect of my BP meds? I wasn't on those during previous low-carb diets! At any rate, I'm a little hesitant to start adding carbs...I don't want to knock myself out of ketosis. Plus, like I said, adding 'small amounts' of carbs is very hard when you don't like, or can't eat, the foods that aren't super-high in carbohydrates!

Has anyone else had this hive problem, and what did you do to make it go away?

Thanks!!