[Lost Dog]

If someone overeats because of emotional eating issues, I'm not sure that the surgery would be as effective (or that the patient wouldn't just be miserable). If it's not true hunger causing them to eat, then there's nothing to stop them, right? Sounds like your cousin's got some personal issues to deal with.

I had a coworker who was a miserable, bitter, and angry woman. She was pretty large. I think she might have been convinced that being smaller would make her happy, finally. But, then she got there and was just as miserable, bitter, and angry. Only then she also got sick when she had her favorite desserts for a comfort food, which she continued to do.

I saw something where at one hospital they were only accepting patients for the surgery if they also had undergone (and agreed to ungoing) counciling. I don't know how universal that is.

Edit -- Aiofe beat me to it.