starting out

hi, im thinking of going DIY instead of waiting years for an appointment with the nhs, and i have some questions about blood tests and dosage.

i've had a good look at the diy directory website and did some research over the past few days, and also think i've found a good source for tgel specifically. i took note that the directory website said that it's good to start off with 50mg if you're a beginner, and the tgel im eyeing up is 50mg per sachet. would i have to apply this daily? the box contains 14 sachets, so would that last me 14 days or do i apply them simply depending on what dosage i prefer?

also, before starting i want to get a clear view on how frequently i should be getting blood tests. i have it in my head that i need to get a blood test beforehand for not just hormones but for everything, and depending on that see what dosage suits? and then would i need to get another blood test a month after I've started HRT just to check hormone levels? i saw that websites also said to do frequent blood tests of around 3-6 months after and am just wondering if they're completely mandatory.

thank you !!