Long-term success using standing desk at work?

I am an independent contractor and am the sole proprietor of my own business. I often work from home for days on end and spend a good deal of my time in front of my computer editing and proofreading legal transcripts, submitting billings and invoices, etc. Sitting in my desk for hours at a time is not healthy and painful on my back(I am only 21 years old and started having back problems in high school from sitting in a desk all day). I suggested to my partner that I try using a standing desk. To buy one is expensive; the cheapest they get is around $600. I jury-rigged one in my closet last night using a closet shelf and a cabinet that we knocked the legs off of. Total fluke that for free, we managed to set me up a standing work station for free. I've been working on it this morning and noticed it feels pretty good, except when trying to use a foot pedal to control audio because it messes up my balance. This will easily be rectified by using keyboard commands in place of my foot pedal and et cetera. So that's the only problem I've had with it so far. Also, my seated desk is still in the same position it was in before should I decide that I need to have a sitting break at any point.

Has anyone in the past or does anyone currently use a standing desk for work, and how do you find it works for you? I'm hoping it will help combat some of the sedentary-ness of my job that's really making weight loss hard for a number of reasons. I'm hoping it will encourage me to move more in general as well because I don't have to force myself to get up out of a nice comfy chair to go walk around when I feel I need to do so.