I've heard from lots of sources that vaginal temping is more accurate, and Dr. Tal (who is one of BBs lovely members) says that you can get up to a one degree variation in the mouth depending on which part of the tongue you put the thermometer under!! But the longer it takes you, and the more anxious you get about it, the less accurate the reading is going to be anyway!
You didn't really say why it's taking so long, or what part of the procedure might be going wrong, but I'm going to just throw a few things out there and see if any of it helps! (I'm pretty frank when I describe these things, so TMI alert for some.)
Firstly, my thermometer beeps when it's reading the temp, so you know to take it out. No problem temping orally, but when temp vaginally, I can't hear the beep!! I've worked out that it's just muffled by the doona and by, well, by me! Mine normally takes less than 10 secs orally, so I just count to ten for a vaginal temp. (It shows the default reading if it hasn't had long enough)
Sometimes it's difficult to insert into the vagina, probably because the tip is so small and hard to sense where it is. This is more likely if you have a prolapse, or previous vaginal damage or nerve damage from delivery of babies, but it can affect anyone. Sometimes I feel like it's caught on something and I'm not pushing at the right angle - DON'T jsut keep pushing, take it out and try again. One easy way to get the angle right is to use a finger on your other hand, insert it a few centimeters in, and then slide the thermometer along your finger. That way, your very sensitive finger can feel the thermometer is going at the same angle, and your not-so-sensitive bit of your vagina doesn't suddenly get stabbed!
If you wear undies or PJ bottoms to bed, having to pull these aside will make it harder to get the angle and position right, too, and maybe you don't have enough hands free to aslo 'feel around' for where you're aiming. Try pulling them right down first.
How far 'in' are you trying to put it? I don't know how far it's meant to go, officially, but look at it this way - if your cervix is about a fingers length (more or less) away from your vaginal entrance, the thermometer definitely shouldn't need to go in that far! Try putting your whole (straight) finger index finger in your mouth with the tip under your tongue - that's not comfortable, either!! I personally work on the theory that as long as long as it's surrounded by flesh and not in the open entrance of my vagina, ie, the tip isn't touching an air space, it's going to get a reading of body temp. As far as I know, my thermometer requires moisture around it to get a reading, so if when I take it out it's still on it's default, it didn't get a reading. Try holding the thermometer nearer to the tip (like a pencil grip, fingertips about 4-5cm from the tip of the thermometer, and just insert it until your fingertips are at your vaginal entrance.
Also - and I hope you're not getting this bit wrong - it only has to go into your vagina, ie, the first bit of the opening (it does not go through your cervix into your uterus, and it does not go into your ureter, ie where you wee from.)
And another alternative - try a different thermometer??
Having said all of this, I bet the FS's nurses would be able to answer your questions, if you asked them. And if it's a good clinic, they'll be happy to talk about it, on the phone, or in person, and even have a 'practise' with you, too, to watch what you're doing and work out where you're going wrong. Also, if that's not enough, they can talk with your FS, or get him to talk to you, and tell you if the trouble and anxiety is worth it to get the more accurate reading.
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