Stressing over engagement photos! (Trigger warning?)

Firstly, it's great that you've found a medication that works for you. To be able to move on into a healthier and much more stable life is truly a big step.

Last year during March, I had to go off from my birth control after losing my insurance and not being able to renew my prescription. As a result, I gained a little over 20lbs between March and October when I was finally able to get back on it. We did our e-pics in October and the only ones I liked at the time were the ones where you didn't have a clear line of sight at my body. I've gotten better at liking them and have learned to accept that 20lbs extra does not equal to me being ugly. I still have moments when I look in the mirror and I hate the amount of weight there is in my cheeks or knowing that clothes don't fit the same as they used to. I've started working out and eating better and it's helped me because I know I'm making healthier choices. I don't know if I'll lose the 20lbs I gained but I'm starting to accept that it doesn't matter if I do. All that matters is that I feel healthy and that FH loves me no matter what the scale says.

You will look beautiful, no reason for you to be ashamed.

Also no reason for you to put trigger warning in the title of your post. I hope no one on here made you feel as if you needed to do that.

I'm taking mine in two weeks and I feel the same way. I recently got back on birth control (right after the holidays) and have struggled to even 'maintain' my weight let alone lose it, and my fiance is a rather small guy. I think I'm gonna get my makeup professionally done and splurge on a cute outfit. Even if I'm a little bigger he loves me regardless, and even if I'm a little more than I'd ljke, I'm gonna try to feel like a million bucks. I hope you'll feel the same! You're beautiful regardless!

I totally understand. I've still got all of the weight on me still (30 lbs) that I gained while pregnant and then kept after going on my BC. I would've loved to have this off before my e-shoot (also doing mine this weekend finally), but I'm hoping to lose at least half for the wedding instead.

I have a really hard time with finding pictures that I like of myself anymore (a lot of my weight is really in my face, not too bad in my hips thankfully for my pre-pregnancy jeans) but I almost feel like this will be one of the few times that I really love how I look because we'll be looking at the happy memories instead of how heavy that I looked.

Magical Mermaid , yes, I can relate. You are on a journey. A wonderful healing journey. Whether you embrace it visually and emotionally/mentally or sans visually is totally up to you.

There is nothing wrong with experiencing the emotional journey and not the visual just yet. It can be a hard pill to swallow(side effects). You feel great on the side but am not used to those effects on the outside. For now concentrate on what keeps you motivated regardless of what that includes/does not.

Thinking of you and wishing you only the best. One day at a time. Hugs.