Look Back & Track

We track our steps, our heart rate, even our sleep. 
But 1 in 4 of us still don’t check our poo. It’s time to Look Back and Track.
A man looking into a toilet bowl

Why we’re talking about your poo

We’re on a mission to flush Britain’s toilet embarrassment. That’s why Andrex® has partnered with Bowel Cancer UK, to tackle the stigma around bowel health and help people feel more comfortable checking their poo.
Learn more about the partnership
Andrex and Bowel Cancer UK logos

A smart health habit that costs nothing

We track our sleep, our steps, and our heart rate. But here’s another smart move: tracking your poo. It’s one of the easiest ways to monitor your health, and if you know what’s normal for you, you’re more likely to spot changes early and speak to your GP when something isn’t right.
A woman looking into a toilet bowl

Tracking your poo

Tracking your poo is a free daily health-check. 
What do we mean by tracking? We mean getting to know what’s normal for you. This could be as simple as taking notice so you’re aware of your own pooing habits or keeping a diary.
There's nothing technical about getting to know what's normal for you. Here are a few things to look out for:

A sillouette of a woman looking at a toilet roll
How often are you going for a poo?
There are no rules for what's normal. Everyone is different. But if you are normally regular as clockwork and something changes, take note of it.
What does your poo look like?
The shape and consistency of your poo changes for lots of reasons. Most of the time it’s probably nothing to worry about but, if something changes and you’re not sure why, it’s important to keep an eye on it. If you spot any of the signs below, speak to a GP.
Signs you shouldn’t ignore
If you have any of these symptoms, or if you’re worried about any changes that you notice, visit your GP and ask about an at-home test.
A droplet
Bleeding from your bottom
A droplet
Blood in your poo
A toilet
A change in how often you poo, or regularly having diarrhoea or constipation
A person wearing pants that are too big
Losing weight but you’re not sure why
Sleeping z's
Feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why
A person holding a painful tummy
A pain or lump in your tummy

It could be nothing to worry about, but it’s worth making sure. If it is something more serious, like bowel cancer, it will be more treatable if found early.
Not everyone will have all the symptoms of bowel cancer, or they may get different symptoms at different times. Even if you have just one symptom, your GP will want to see you. To learn more about symptoms visit our partner Bowel Cancer UK

The difference it can make

"I’d always check after going, it was just something I did. One day, I noticed blood in my poo. That small moment made all the difference."

Sacha, bowel cancer patient
Sacha Stoyle
"Always check your poo and know what's normal for you. If something's not right, it's important to speak to a GP. It's probably not bowel cancer but if it is, spotting the signs early makes it easier to treat."

Claire Coughlan - Clinical Lead, Bowel Cancer UK & Consultant Nurse - Colorectal, NHS
Claire Coughlan