I am a senior now and these past few years have been the first experience of stability for me too. I refuse to think about my younger years. The meds I am on weren't available and I was misdiagnosed with major depression not bipolar until around 2013 although the meds I was previously taking still included an AP. I have been on basically everything. It took over 30 years not counting my childhood years when I wasn't treated at all. I guess for some of us it does take a long long time. And even though I have breakthroughs in my moods at times they are nothing compared to what I used to experience.

Best wishes for you to find the right combination that works.