Free printable
Free printable Bristol stool chart and stool log
A plain-words Bristol stool chart (types 1 to 7) and log sheets for type, blood, urgency, pain and night-time trips, so you can show your GI a pattern instead of describing one.
US Letter, prints fine on A4. No sign-up, no email.
How to use it
- Print the three pages (or download the PDF): a reference chart and two log sheets (one row per bowel movement; print more if you need them).
- Each time you go, write the date and time and circle the type that matches best. When it's between two types, pick the looser one and be consistent.
- Log blood and urgency in their own columns every time, including "none" — a run of clear rows is useful information too.
- Tick "Night?" if it woke you up. Waking at night to open your bowels is one of the things gastroenterologists ask about specifically.
- Total each week at the bottom of the sheet. Bring the totals and the sheets to your appointment.
- Black or tarry stool, a lot of blood, or severe pain with a swollen belly and no stool or gas need same-day care, not a log entry.
Preview
This is exactly what prints.
The Bristol stool chart, in plain words
Seven types, from hard lumps to liquid. The shapes are rough sketches; the words are what count.
| Type | Illustration | What it looks like | What it often suggests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Separate hard lumps, like nuts; hard to pass | Constipation — slow transit | |
| 2 | Sausage-shaped but lumpy | Constipation — slower than usual | |
| 3 | Like a sausage with cracks on the surface | Usually considered normal | |
| 4 | Smooth and soft, like a sausage or snake | Usually considered normal | |
| 5 | Soft blobs with clear-cut edges; passed easily | Towards loose | |
| 6 | Fluffy, mushy pieces with ragged edges | Loose — faster transit | |
| 7 | Watery, no solid pieces; entirely liquid | Diarrhea — fast transit |
Log separately, every time
- Blood: none, streaks, or more
- Urgency: could you wait, or did you have to rush?
- Mucus, if you notice it
- Whether it woke you at night
Get same-day care for
- Black or tarry stool, or a lot of blood
- Severe or worsening belly pain
- Swollen belly, vomiting, no stool or gas
- Fever, or watery diarrhea you can’t keep up with by drinking
Scale described by Lewis & Heaton, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 1997. Illustrations are original sketches for this sheet.
Educational self-tracking aid, not medical advice. Seek urgent care for severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever or signs of obstruction. Free from crohnsfoodtracker.app/printablesPage 1 of 3
Stool log — sheet 1 (start date ________)
Name (optional) ______________
One row per bowel movement. Circle the Bristol type. Colour and blood are logged separately because the scale only describes form.
| Date | Time | Bristol type | Blood | Urgency | Pain 0–3 | Night? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush | |||||
| 1234567 | nonestreaksmore | nonesomerush |
Sheet total: ____ bowel movements · ____ at night · ____ with blood · most common type ____
Educational self-tracking aid, not medical advice. Seek urgent care for severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever or signs of obstruction. Free from crohnsfoodtracker.app/printablesPage 2 of 3
The second log sheet is identical and is included when you print or download.
Related guides
Crohn's Food Tracker is educational support and a self-tracking tool. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your gastroenterologist or care team before changing your diet, medication or treatment. If you have severe pain, persistent bleeding, a high fever or signs of obstruction, seek urgent care.