Hi shoppingqueen - if you are early to mid peri-menopausal I presume your doctor thinks you will be getting sufficient progesterone as a result of your own ovulation, to protect the womb lining - otherwise it could thicken as a result of the extra oestrogen. Maybe you are being monitored regularly by means of uterine scans?
Paradoxically some women do seem to experience a (temporary?) increase in flushing when increasing their oestrogen, so I have read. The key is always to increase slowly so as not to shock your body and cause to to react! Tachyphylaxis also can occur (high doses no longer work and symptoms come back) if supra-physiological levels of oestrogen are attained ie higher than the maximum that occur normally, but this I gather is most likely to happen during implants, if it's going to, although not sure there is research on your regime - ie adding gel to tablets in peri?
Hopefully all will settle soon.
Hurdity x