I took my polygraph friday and I could not seem to get my heart rate in check.  It was pretty high at first, so much that I could feel it in my chest.  I told the truth on all questions but just felt really anxious that this machine would brand me a liar. There didn't seem to be any "control" questions, just irrelevent and relevent ones. After the test I told the examiner that I was just nervous that it would brand me a liar and he proceeded to tell me how qualified he was, even giving his history as an examiner when he lived in Canada. There was no post test inerview or interrogation but there was a pretest interview in which I disclosed some juvenile indiscretions.  After the test we spoke in the parking lot for about 15 minutes about motorcyles (as I was on my bike that day) and just normal things.  He seemed nice and non confontational.  What kind of results, based on what I have given you all should I expect.  Of course I told the truth but am concerned mostly about my high heart rate.  Thanks in advance!

The absence of a post-test interrogation is a good sign, because it is standard polygraph procedure to interrogate when the charts are scored as "deception indicated."

However, your offering an excuse for why you might "fail" was one of the worst things you could have done. Rightly or wrongly, such excuse-making is generally taken as a behavioral sign of deception.

As for your heart rate and its potential influence on the outcome, polygraphers score charts by looking for changes in heart rate (as well as changes in blood volume/pressure). An elevated heart rate in and of itself is not generally interpreted as an indication of deception.

Polygraphers don't like to hear doubts expressed about the accuracy of their practice. On the other hand, expressing hope that it will work might be received as an indication of truthfulness.