Lexi Reed Shows 100-Lb. Weight Loss Following Calciphylaxis Diagnosis: 'I Found My Strength to Live & Heal'
"I fought as hard as I could to survive one of the hardest battles of my life,” the fitness influencer shared with before and after photos
Lexi Reed is reflecting on losing an additional 100 lbs following her calciphylaxis diagnosis
In a Wednesday Instagram post, the social media influencer 32, explained how the diagnosis scared her, saying “[it] completely turned my life upside down & made me question how strong that I truly was.”
Calciphylaxis is a rare, debilitating disease which the Mayo Clinic explains is caused when “calcium accumulates in small blood vessels of the fat and skin tissues.” It can cause “blood clots, painful skin ulcers and may cause serious infections that can lead to death.”
“With personally having 30+ painful open wounds, and calciphylaxis having a mortality rate of over 80% due to infection (the leading cause of death) - I was scared I wasn't going to survive,” Reed wrote.
Reed underwent 59 weeks of treatment last year for painful wounds all over her body. But on Wednesday, she shared how she was able to overcome that “pain” and “fear.”
“I found my strength to live & heal was more powerful than focusing on the odds stacked against me and I fought as hard as I could to survive one of the hardest battles of my life,” continued Reed.
Related: Lexi Reed Had to Sleep in a Chair for Nearly a Year After Calciphylaxis Diagnosis: 'Slowly Healing'
She continued to share how the picture she posted — a before and after transformation of her weight loss progress and her scars from treatment — also shows how she took “back the fight to live, healing & refusing to take life for granted.”
“Sometimes life will knock us down and make us question how strong that we truly are, but what matters most is not giving up despite what we face or the fear - start today!” concluded the influencer.
Along with sharing this motivational message, Reed also share a couple of Instagram Stories of her working out in the gym. In one mirror selfie, she’s seen smiling for the camera with weight machines in the backgroud. She captioned the post, “Run the day or it runs you!”
In another Story, she shared a video of her smiling with her water bottle while working out on the elliptical.
Related: Lexi Reed Reaches Goal of Losing 300 Lbs. After Being Told 'Just Give Up'
Reed started her weight loss journey at 485 lbs. She first dropped to under 200 lbs. on Christmas Day of 2023. Then, in February, she announced she hit a goal weight of 185 lbs and hit her goal to lose 300 lbs once more after regaining 90 lbs. that she originally lost following her Calciphylaxis diagnosis.
“I’m trying not to just get on here and, like, scream and shout because I’m just so excited,” she said in a post on her Feb. 26 Instagram Stories. “It’s just crazy because at 485 lbs., I would have been happy being 299 lbs.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.