I failed my FBI polygraph. This may be a dumb question but can being sick affect the test? On the day of the test I had a cold, cough, sore throat. At least once during the test I had a coughing fit and couldn’t stop. I was told by my polygraph examiner to stop coughing because it affects the test. I coughed several times during the test. The second issue was my runny nose. Several times during the test it began to run down my face. Of course I cannot move to blow my nose during the test. I was told by the examiner to stay still and that he won’t tell anyone that I look silly. I peaked on one question. What I thought was a minor question. But if you peak on one question you fail the entire thing. I was 100% honest with nothing to hide.
I emailed my recruiter and explained what happened. I was told that a cold does not affect the test and that if had any concerns about my health I should have expressed them before the test (which I did). Can the symptoms affect the test? When I took a polygraph test for the police dept (which I passed) I was told before the test began that if I was sick, in pain, or did not get enough sleep they would reschedule. I have not gotten the official letter stating that I failed yet and I will appeal. I just wanted to see if being sick could affect the test.

Franklinxyz,

Your illness could certainly have affected the outcome of your polygraph interrogation. Coughing directly affects the respiratory tracings, and attempts to suppress coughing, as well as apprehensions over your running nose, could also have resulted in significant reactions on the charts. If any such reactions coincided with the asking of a relevant question, the effect would be to make your "failing" more likely.

But illness aside, polygraphy has no scientific basis to begin with, and something on the order of 50% of FBI special agent applicants fail the polygraph. While "re-tests" are sometimes offered to those who request them, they are a sham, with the results virtually always confirming the initial decision of "deception indicated."

I previously worked with an examiner with the FBI.  Usually, the only way they will retest you is if you can show the examiner did not follow policy or procedures.  50% of applicants are rejected based on polygraph.  If you're applying to DHS Customs and Border Protection, their stats are even worse.  Close to 60% of the applicants given a polygraph are rejected.  Sure, both agencies have a means for an applicant to have his or her polygraph reconsidered, but using George's term, it's a sham.