Everyone is different. There really is no 'this is what happens in this order' with meno :)
Your dr's being a bit thick really because some women have loads of the 'usual ' symptoms but might be missing one that is common- like flushes, OR sweats, or whatever.
I started with flushes- once an hour all day long- and insomnia but not much more than feeling a bit sweaty in bed.
As for periods, yes, unless you have been period-free for at least a year, the type of HRT used is sequential, meaning it gives you a cycle with a monthly withdrawal bleed. It's not a real period because you aren't ovulating. It's a withdrawal bleed to prevent the uterus lining building up and possibly in time becoming dangerously thickened.
If you are 12 months post meno then you can use a type of HRT which stops the lining growing and you won't have a bleed. The downside of this is that the HRT is 2 hormones daily and it's the 2nd hormone (progestogen) that is likely to give side effects in some women.
There is no knowing how your bleeds would be on HRT. It depends a bit on how your uterus responds to the extra estrogen. Some women bleed more, others less. I get a fairly heavy bleed which is a real nuisance but I've decided for various reasons to stick with the type.
I think you need to see how you go. There is one type of HRT Tridestra which gives a bleed only once every 3 months. This is good for women in peri who have irregular periods.
At 45 you certainly need to seriously think about HRT because you are 6 years earlier than the average meno and it's a risk for heart disease and osteoporosis. In your shoes I'd use it anyway at least to 52 just for protection.