Hi honorsmum
Try not to worry too much! I know the feeling of wanting to find out as much as possible about what's going on in your body and what all the different options will do, but your body will respond in its own way and depending on how your own ovaries are doing too!
It is definitely best, since you have started this journey (re HRT) with a specialist, to make sure that you get her advice as to what to do, especially as you are wanting initially to do something different from her prescription. She used to do paid e-mail consultations if she doesn't give follow-up advice free. Not sure if she still does? Failing that you could always ask Dr Currie (cost £25) and send her the info re Dr Evans and any relevant medical info - but of course that's not quite the same as sending a prescription although you could print it out for your doc to go with the Dr Evans prescription?
I think I've already said I am on a long cycle and use utrogestan vaginally - but you will need to discuss this with a professional especially as you are still very much peri-menopausal!
I imagine it's fine to start the gel anytime, but think of Day 1 as the first day of your last bleed, so if you are using sequential utrogestan rather than having a Mirena, you would still add it in on the appropriate days of the cycle.
Also I've just remembered re my post about the cycle that utrogestan is only taken for 12 days I think so the bleed should occur on Day 1 ( sorry about that - was in a hurry this morning). So it's: Day 1 = first day of bleed. Oestrogen only Days 1-14, Oestrogen + Progesterone (Utrogestan) Days 15 - 26, Back to oestrogen only Days 27-28, Bleed starts Day1 ( this is variable with different women) - but once you've started the Day 1 you are supposed to keep to the 28 day cycle although sometimes because of your own cycle you can shift it back or forward a few days!
Please try not to worry - whatever decision you make, you can always change it later and it;s not going to do you any harm, and may make you feel a whole lot better for a lot of the time.
Good luck with your decision!
Hurdity x