After revealing that she has post-surgery scars from her knees to her shoulders, weight-loss influencer Lexi Reed expressed a desire to “get back in the gym.”
Reed stated in an Instagram post on September 15 that the wounds are a result of her calciphylaxis diagnosis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, calciphylaxis is an uncommon condition that causes calcium to accumulate in the small blood capillaries where fat and skin tissue exist. Due to kidney failure, people with the syndrome often require dialysis or a kidney transplant, and open sores in parts of the body with a high fat content are a common symptom. Calciphylaxis can be treated with antibiotics, surgery, and intravenous drugs.
“This year has been really different for me, but despite the setback, I still anticipate the comeback. Thank you for your continuous prayers and for your patience as I take this time to recover – I love you all “Reed published to Instagram.
A tweet from Lexi Reed (@fatgirlfedup).
Following her hospitalization and medically-induced coma for organ failure in January 2022, Reed received criticism from some of her supporters for crowdsourcing funds for medical care.
Reed tweeted a snapshot of a GoFundMe page titled “Support Lexi Reed with her Medical Expenses” two days after her husband Danny shared an Instagram post from her account announcing her hospitalization and said “unfortunately we don’t have health insurance.”
Some commenters on the page questioned why she required financial assistance given her high “net worth” as an influencer. Reed previously stated to Insider, “People seem to believe I’m a millionaire simply because the internet says so, but we’re far from it.”
Reed told Insider in March 2022 that she is “grateful and blessed” by individuals who contributed to her GoFundMe, which earned $70,000, “particularly since the majority of them have never met me in person.”
Reed’s Instagram account gained prominence in 2016 after she began documenting her weight loss progress on the platform. In two years, Reed shed 312 pounds, according to People.com. She told the magazine in 2018 that she began her weight-loss journey as part of a challenge to abstain from soda, alcohol, cheat meals, and eating out. Reed underwent surgery to remove seven pounds of excess abdominal skin after reducing weight.