Lena Dunham fought through endometriosis complications to attend Met Gala

Actress Lena Dunham was determined to show up at Monday night's (01May17) Met Gala, even though she really wanted to lie "face down" as she struggled with endometriosis surgery complications.

The Girls creator and star was among the celebrities who turned out for the high-profile annual event at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she was featured posing for photographers in her custom Elizabeth Kennedy gown as she entered the ball.

However, Lena had to cut short her night out and head to a local emergency room, where she was reportedly treated for issues relating to the surgery she underwent in April (17) to cure her of endometriosis, a disorder which occurs when tissue grows outside of the uterus.

The 30-year-old was released "after a series of tests", according to the New York Post's Page Six column, and on Thursday (04May17), she took to Instagram to thank fans for their support.

In the post, she shared a photo she had taken from her hospital bed, in which Lena wore a medical gown and appeared to be hooked up to an intravenous drip, while her red and black plaid dress from the Met Gala was bundled in the corner of her room.

"Thank you for all the love & concern that's been pouring in since Tuesday," she began the lengthy caption. "Although I'm much healthier than I was a year ago, complications arose from my most recent endometriosis surgery."

Lena's post then turned political as she addressed the ongoing issue regarding the lack of affordable healthcare in the U.S., admitting she is "lucky to be in the position to seek help when I'm in pain".

She went on to offer a message of empowerment to her fellow ailing females: "I also want to remind all the women suffering from chronic illness that we aren't weak - quite the opposite, actually," she wrote. "We do our jobs with skill even when we're struggling. We care for families even when we can hardly care for ourselves."

"We serve major face on a red carpet when we feel like lying face down would be more appropriate," she continued, appearing to refer to her own health crisis at the fashion Oscars. "I'll always be proud of those Met Gala pics - not just because I felt beautiful, surrounded by art and magic, hugging my best friend tightly, but because they're evidence that women contain steely multitudes."

And Lena wrapped up her post by lending her support to former Fox News reporter Diana Falzone, who filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against network bosses on Monday for allegedly cutting down her airtime after going public with her own endometriosis and infertility battles.

"They're the ones who lost when they fired her, because everyone who's anyone knows that if you can battle chronic illness there's nothing you can't take on," Dunham concluded.