If you can't function... what options does your surgeon suggest when you bring this up? I know some people talk about needing to wait, and waiting can help some things (sometimes waiting has helped but I would be more than pushy when quality of life tanks), but is your surgeon really listening to your story? I don't know if they can shorten the tubing for you. I know they put a boatload of tubing in my daughter so they won't need to lengthen it, always looped around in her lower pelvis on those shunt series, she won't be needing it all, but ymmv. So your surgeon needs to give you the explanations and options, but that's assuming your surgeon listens to your issues.