Sam Sharma/JS/PacificCoastNewsLena Dunham is putting her health and well-being first, and for good reason...
In a heartfelt Instagram post Monday, the Girls creator and star announced she would not be "out and about doing press for the new season" of her HBO series due to health concerns.
"As many of you know I have endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects approximately 1 in 10 women's reproductive health," she wrote. "I am currently going through a rough patch with the illness and my body (along with my amazing doctors) let me know, in no uncertain terms, that it's time to rest. That's a hard thing to do, but I'm trying, because all I want is to make season 6 of Girls the best one yet."
Lena wrote about her longtime struggle with endometriosis in her Lenny Letter newsletter this past November. She explained the condition in simple terms as "when the tissue that lines the uterus grows in other places in the body," clarifying, "This usually means on the ovaries, in the abdominal cavity, and on the bladder and major organs like the liver and kidneys (though, in rare cases, the errant tissue has been found as far away as the brain)."
She wrote at length about her personal struggles with endometriosis, which can cause "pain, fatigue, nausea, gastrointestinal problems, and a host of other physical symptoms" including infertility. In her Lenny Letter, Lena reflected on the times she'd been sidelined by her chronic condition.
As she noted in Monday's Instagram post, she's grateful she's able to tend to prioritize her health. "I'm lucky enough to have support and backup from Jenni [Konner], Judd [Apatow] and the whole Girls gang," she wrote. "So many women with this disease literally don't have the option of time off and I won't take it for granted."
Lena signed off her post by "Wishing you all health & happiness, in whatever form suits you." We hope the same for her.
Girls season 5 premieres Feb. 21 on HBO.