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Permalink Reply by landileigh on May 5, 2008 at 2:05pm

i did not have to pay parking at my local expo, and not everyone has to. for me there were many informative booths of information. also the lectures and panels were amazing. for Type2's they are invaluable for information. Most Type-1's are probably more informed than most, and should only go if information they haven't been able to procure from the web or their doctors is necessary.

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Permalink Reply by tmana on May 5, 2008 at 2:25pm

A lot depends on the size of the Expo. I went to one in NYC at the Javits Center in either 2002 or 2003 when I was still pretty new to diabetes, and came away with a lot of information, including info on all the new models of monitors, a load of helpful publications from BD and from the ADA, coupons for assorted low-carb and low-fat food products (even had tastes of some and samples-to-bring-home of others), and sneak previews of new technologies that were expected to be helpful in wound healing and other issues that often come along with the complications of diabetes. There were also professionals giving A1C results (line was backed up to Timbuktu), basic eye exams (ditto), and foot exams (very short line). I think a lot of the Senior Centers and low-income community centers in the City bussed folk in because of how many of them made a beeline for the free testing and how seriously they all jostled around for non-medical, non-literature swag (especially food swag).

About six months later I went to the ADA Expo in central New Jersey. It was about 1/4 the size, absolutely nothing that had not been at the NYC Expo -- in fact, a lot less -- few of the helpful publications, almost no swag, almost no coupons. Some of the panels were immediately useful, others were not. The only thing we came away with was, the Other Half acquired the then-most-recent model of Bayer meter. IIRC they did onsite total-cholesterol tests, but no eye exams, foot exams, or A1C exams.

My schedule has not allowed me to make an Expo since (the more recent NYC ones have either been over the High Holy Days or on the day before Marathon Sunday). Hopefully this year, though...

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Permalink Reply by Karen on May 5, 2008 at 3:56pm

I went to the Diabetic Expo in Chicago middle of April, but the only reason I went is that I met up with a lot of my online diabetic buds. One from ID, RI, IN, MI, and OH. We had fun and ate at the restaurants on Navy Pier and all went high together, but like you I find the expo's kind of useless, and hey I thought that was my idea to download ringtones for pump alarms. ;)

Ooooo I got a ton of free pens, and a free, freestyle lite meter. I find that I am always challenging the exhibitors. Otis Wilson from the 85 Bears was there as he has some org. for exercise for kids, wow was he in good shape. I also got a ton of glucerna bars, but they are full of sugar alcohol, that does me in, hmmmm still have those maybe I will bring to work, they eat anything. ;)

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Permalink Reply by dino on May 5, 2008 at 7:28pm

I'm glad that you posted this.

I was at the recent expo at Long Beach and was equally unimpressed. I received an email from the event coordinator promoting free health screenings, and I was interested in cholesterol and A1C tests as advertised. I currently don't have insurance, so this would have been valuable to me. Well..I did a cholesterol test, but it was just a "total"screen with no breakdown. I didn't do the A1C because it was only available for Medicare patients, so that killed my whole day.

Yes it is an Expo, so I guess I shouldn't have had such high expectations.

I must agree...they made it very obvious how marketable this illness can be...shoes, granola, insulin, insurance, sugar-free anything...I felt like I was at a diabetic swap meet. I just didn't like the commercial vibe in the place, so I left early. I guess it just wasn't for me.

On a positive note, the salesman at the Lifescan booth was actively promoting the Word In Your Hand project...so that was cool to see.

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