Gypsy you sound like me. I"m experimenting with HRT as well for the last 6 months.
So far I've found that ON HRT i get extreme anxiety, jittery, vibrating, freezing cold, and other stuff in the lead up to when I should ovulate. I assume at this point my estrogen is TOO HIGH ( i'm still making estrogen and my own estrogen + HRT= too much). Off HRT the week before ovulation is my best month ( my own estrogen is onboard).
OFF HRT the week after ovulation and until I'm half way through my period my symptoms SUCK (weepy, anxious, insomnia, mood changes). Additional estrogen helps at this point.
So if you are like me, and still making a fair bit of your own estrogen, you may not need estrogen the entire month ( particularly not from mid bleed to ovulation)but may need estrogen in the second half from ovulation to bleed ( when estrogen is taking a sharp dip).
I'm experimenting with this idea now. I'll let you know how it goes. Doctor was onboard with it.