Hey. If u really want to know, Ive had Hydro all my life, was diagnosed as having it at the age of 20, but didnt get a shunt put in for a few months after it had been discovered.
Constant tiredness, always sleeping hen I wasnt working, Id fall asleep wherever and whenever I rested my head.
Obviously I had no life as I was always too tired to do anything. Peopel were always on at me.
I had a very weak bladder, if I was on the street Id wet myself before making it to the toilet, even when I was at home sometimes. Also sometimes I didnt want to get up to go toilet so Id wait until it was nearly too late.
When things got worse I had constant dizziness everytime I got up and walked. I had to hold onto a lampost to regain balance, or even just sit on the street because I felt too tired to walk.
Because I had to wait so long for the op Im now partially sighted.

However now Im treated, Im on my 2nd shunt already as the 1st 1 like ur didnt work, and Im living every day to the full as I can whereas I couldnt before, and Im loving it.
I do sometimes think Id rather be dead than have to worry about my shunt and Hydro, I worry about it everyday and get over-paranoid, but as long as Im alive Im going to keep living and will accept any treatment the specialists offer. I think you should do the same.
Get treated and then live, living with untreated Hydro was the worst thing and most embarrasing thing ever and I really didnt care if I died in the operating theatre or not I was that bad.
Sorry for the long reply but I want to make it clear how much difference it makes having a working shunt put in.

Unfortunately the only option for treating a blocked shunt is surgery. I know it is a nuisance, and no one really "likes" it, but it is a necessity if you want a chance to live ! It is definitely possible to die from blocked shunt, as I nearly did 8 years ago. I actually went into a coma before I was taken to the operating theatre (I was already in the hospital's emergency dept).

I know it is difficult - I have had two surgeries within 8 months, and two surgeries within 11 months on two different occasions, having had 6 replacements in all. I have now had my current shunt just over 7 years !

It is a matter of just plugging on, and eventually things will settle down.

Good luck!

Nat.