Definitely take some pads with you in case they dont offer you anything, and wear briefs to hold the pads if needed, not boxers if that is what you are use to wearing
Do not restrict your fluids, that is important to your body and your healing, its counterproductive thinking if you drink less, you will leak less, all you will do is dehydrating yourself and making things worse.
In most cases, having the cath removed feels creepy but rarely hurts. The though of it is worse than the removal, so try not to get too freaked out.
If the nurse/dr slowly retracts the fluid from the balloon, instead of just draining it instantly, it tends to go easier. Also, I have had many removed by standing up as it is removed, gravity helps in that case. I just had my 18th catheter removed this morning, and it didnt hurt, none of the other 17 ever hurt either, so good luck.
david in sc
Age: 57, 56 dx, PSA: 7/07 5.8, 7/08 12.3, 9/08 14.5, 10/08 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/08 - 7/7 Positive, 40-90% Cancer, Gleason 4+3
Open RP: 11/08, Rht nerves saved, 4 days in hospt, on catheters for 63 days, 5th one out 1/09
Path Rpt: Gleason 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20% cancer, 1 pos margin
Incontinence: 1 Month ED: Non issue at any point post surgery, no problem post SRT
Post Surgery PSA: 2/09 .05,5/09 .1, 6/09 .11. 8/09 .16
Post SRT PSA: 1/10 .12, 4/8 .04, next one: July
Latest: 7/9 cath #6 - 41 days, 8/9 2nd corr surgery, 8/9 cath #7 - 38 days, mapped 9/9, 10/1 - 3rd corr. surgery - SP cath, 10/5 - 11/27 IMRT SRT 39 sess/72 gys ,cath #8 33 days, Cath #9 35 days, Cath #10 43 days, 1/19 - Corr Surgery #4, Caths #11 and #12 ,Cath #11 - 21 days, Cath #12 - 41 days, 3/2- Corr Surgery #5, Cath #13 - 4 days, Cath #14- 27 days, Cath #15 - 26 days, Cath #16 - 31 days, Cath #17 - 39 days, 7/2 - Corr Surgery #6, Cath #18 - 13 days, Cath #19 still in place